In this issue’s cover story, “Ensemble Performs” (page 18), we
profile Ensemble Travel Group. This agent consortium has been
growing in the West, with a unique profit-sharing structure and a
number of new programs in the works. As you will see in the
article, one of Ensemble’s goals is to connect with agents and
provide them with the tools they need to be successful.
“Brand awareness in the travel industry is slim to none.
Personal relationships are very important paired with an
organization to back the agent up,” Jack Mannix, president and CEO
of Ensemble, says in the story.
Like Ensemble, at TravelAge West, we value our relationship with
agents, and we are always on the lookout for new ways to develop
personal relationships with our readers. Our writers and editors
enjoy meeting with agents and discussing the issues that are
important to them. With this in mind, we’re about to embark on a
brand-new endeavor that we hope will help us not only get to know
our agent readers better, but to better serve their needs as well.
It is a one-of-a-kind program we are calling “Breakfast With
TravelAge West.”
Under this new initiative, our editorial staff is planning on
visiting a number of travel agencies throughout the West, in order
to discuss agents’ likes, dislikes, challenges and concerns
regarding the state of our industry. We hope to open up a dialog,
share some insights and get to know each other a little better in
an informal setting. And because we would never come for a visit
empty-handed, we also plan on bringing in breakfast for everyone in
the office.
Our goal with this new program is not only to learn more about
the travel business and agent concerns, but to ultimately help us
get fresh story ideas and generally create an even better magazine
for our readers.
We intend to begin this new program right away, making a visit
to a different agency every other month or so. If you or your
office is interested in having Breakfast With TravelAge West,
please send me an e-mail ([email protected]; subject line:
Breakfast). We can’t guarantee that we’ll be able to visit every
agency that invites us, but we will do our best. K.S.
