Dear Travel Professional,

Even though the first quarter of the year has proven to be a difficult one, there is a definite rebound happening in the second quarter.  During a recent meeting of the Advisory Board, some of the most prominent members of our industry -  major hotel chains, travel agencies, Air France, Rail Europe various tour operators and consultants – confirmed this turnaround and we are happy to share some of their comments with you:

• Bookings are starting to pick up, especially last minute bookings
• Even though sales require more bargaining (it’s all about added values!), they nevertheless are definitely happening. This is particularly noticeable in the cruise business.
• It appears that American travelers are buying price more than brand, therefore travel professionals are becoming a lot more creative in order to sell.

All in all, this is good news and we can realistically count on a successful high season after all!

A bientôt,

Nathalie Poto
Marketing, Travel Leisure Manager