Thursday, October 25, 2012

New Accolades for JetSetPilot Hit the Media

MEDIA CONTACTS:

JetSetPilot Travel
Brian Podvia
215-272-3221
bmp@jetsetpilot.com

 Brian Podvia, JetSetPilot Travel
SELECTED FOR NEW TRAVEL IMPRESSIONS AMBASSADORS PROGRAM
Will Represent Excellence Resorts Through 2013

            FARMINGDALE, NY (Oct. 4, 2012) – Out of a pool of over 800 applications received nationwide, Brian Podvia, Owner/Advisor, JetSetPilot Travel, Conshohocken, Pa, has been named as one of 96 Travel Impressions Ambassadors for their newly-launched program (/www.travimp.com/ambassadorprogram) and will act as a brand advocate for Excellence Resorts through Sept. 2013.           

            Brian Podvia has been carefully selected by Travel Impressions and Excellence Resorts to participate in this program based on his booking history with Excellence Resorts via Travel Impressions; personal experience and knowledge; agent enthusiasm and passion; plus communication skills and a willingness to share content through social media.

Selected agents are year-long brand Ambassadors, each with specific responsibilities for one month, beginning in October 2012 through September 2013. Travel Impressions will support Brian Podvia by collaborating on innovative promotions; generating public relations efforts, creating buzz among consumers to drive business to Ambassadors, helping to promote Ambassador status and providing exclusive social media education opportunities.

"It’s wonderful being able to represent a group of resorts I truly believe in," said Brian Podvia, Owner/Advisor OF JetSetPilot Travel. "It isn’t all that hard to tout the quality of the Excellence Resorts and ultimately recommend them to our clients because of our personal and professional experience with the brand."

Additionally, Brian Podvia’s customers will enjoy a $100 Travel Impressions Future Travel Credit which can be redeemed only when booking through them and is valid for any of the eight participating Ambassador partners noted below.

Travel Impressions Ambassadors Program

            Travel Impressions is one of the nation's largest leisure tour operators and a wholly- owned subsidiary of American Express, offering vacations to over 200 destinations in the Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America, Europe, Middle East, Asia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, Canada and the U.S.  The newly launched Travel Impressions Ambassadors Program awards top travel agents the opportunity to represent and promote eight of Travel Impressions' leading resort and destination partners including All-Inclusive Hard Rock Hotels; AMResorts; Atlantis, Paradise Island; Cancun, Mexico; Excellence Group Luxury Hotels & Resorts; Palace Resorts and Le Blanc Spa Resort; Sandals & Beaches Resorts; and The Island of Aruba.  

JetSetPilot Travel

JetSetPilot Travel, based in the Philadelphia area, focuses on romantic travel including destination weddings, honeymoons, babymoons and anniversary travel.  To start planning your next vacation, please call Brian Podvia at (215) 272-3221 or email him at bmp@jetsetpilot.com

Thursday, October 11, 2012

Using Your Local Travel Agent in 2012

I find it interesting being a travel agent these days.  Many people, when they ask me what I do for a living, look at me in disbelief when I tell them.  Their usual responses are "Those still exist?" and "Oh, I have never used one."  At the end of the day, my strong opinion is that response one only exists because of response two.  Let me break it down:

Once upon a time it was just a guy or gal on the corner of Main St. USA selling your vacations.  Then came the 1990's and online booking started becoming more and more popular.  There was good reason for that: it was easy and quick.  As popularity grew, many people decided this way was for them and stopped using the Travel Agent altogether.

Fast forward to now and while you could only book flights and hotels online in the 1990's, now one can do just about anything given the time to search for it.  So why in the world would a person go to a traditional travel agent?  To answer this, let me use my personal experience and argue the points most online bookers make and then add some color at the end:

1Booking Online is cheaper.  You are correct, people who book online spend less money than those with travel agents.  But that is misleading in many ways.  They also do not book the same trip.  Many times I have to talk my clients into spending a small amount more than they would have online because I understand what resorts, etc they will be happy with.  Too many times people come back from their online trip having stayed at the wrong type of resort or having stayed at a not so nice resort because they wanted to spend a little less.  Not to mention, those online booking engines that touted the less expensive number; they did not include transportation to and from the airport and they didn't include tours to must-see attractions that you will end up spending money on anyway.  But then you're stuck with un-trustworthy suppliers at the last second when you're scrambling to find someone to take you to your hotel from the airport upon arrival.  I am sure there's nothing wrong with that Mexican taxi....right?  and you know those people selling tours outside of the Coliseum?  Good luck with that.

2. I can find all the reviews and information I need if I just google it: You know what, you might be correct.  You also might not be.  Let me explain.  It has taken me four years to start using and trusting certain service providers and hotels after personally experiencing them.  I am not sure what google search could get me there quicker, but if someone could let me know the term I use to find and be able to trust these companies after a few days research, please tell me that now because I have been doing it all wrong.

The hotels and service providers we use are ones we now use regularly and get nothing but rave reviews from our clients about.  They are people we can reach by email and phone to check on how you are doing and request things from.  They are personal relationships that make our clients even more important to them than someone booking once online who they know most likely will never be back.

3. I really just enjoy planning my trip:  Great!  We do, too.  That's why we got into this business.  That being said, we offer our clients multiple choices of hotels and resorts, different tours and other services at multiple price-points that allows you to weigh quality and cost.  The great thing about it is that we, again, trust all of these hotels at the multiple price-points.  We also give you direct links to online rating agencies and the resort websites themselves to jump-start your own personal research.  You can say no to whatever we suggest if you don't like it and we will find the right trip for you!

There is also so much more to consider when planning a trip.  First off, do I get insurance?  Why would I get insurance?  A professional can discuss those things with you.  Certainly, those people caught in hurricanes this last summer or those that were stuck in Europe when the volcano in Iceland blew would argue for insurance.  There are also those other coverable situations such as layoffs, illness or death in the family and lost luggage.

Most importantly and what adds the most value in our mind is having someone to call in case you need anything while on your trip.  We have been able to fix small problems and snafus while our travelers are abroad.  This is worth its weight in gold when you're standing in line waiting at the desk because of a flight cancellation.  The line isn't moving, but guess who is on the phone talking to your airline as soon as you call us.  Oh, and by the way, you won't wait on hold to reach us and we do speak your language!

Finally, as a small business, we give you personalized service.  We learn more and more about you every time you come to us.  You're supporting us and you're not just another online booking to us.  We'd like to get to know you!  Oh and that online price you found: we can match it!  Why not get all of this service from us at the price you find online? 

So do yourself a favor, try a travel agent next time you're planning a trip.  And definitely go to an experienced agent that has a good presence in the community as well as online.  And remember, everyone has an opinion, but who has experienced most everywhere and most resorts everywhere as well?  A good travel agent has.  You haven't experienced a full, turn-key trip with no worries until you have used a good travel agent.


Brian Podvia
Owner, JetSetPilot Travel
215-272-3221
bmp@jetsetpilot.com
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Our Most Recent Feature in Recommend Magazine

Some of you may have seen this highlighted on our Facebook page.  However, here is a link to the article directly.  Thanks.  It gives some insights from us and other professionals about the Atlantis Resorts.  Good stuff, but we never reveal all our secrets to non-clients!  Enjoy............

http://www.recommend.com/destinations/caribbean-bermuda/the-resort-the-lost-city-escape-atlantis/2/


Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Our Partners: Little Woman Design

JetSetPilot and Brian Podvia were lucky enough to be featured in one of their partner's blogs. While Little Woman Design focuses on graphic design and stationary for big events, their blog tries to address the event and wedding planning scene as a whole. Here is their recent article on honeymoon planning: http://littlewomandesign.com/blog/2012/9/30/gn1mcmiskyt9vbi68qvjlmyx5vufqs

Don't forget that JSP was also featured as one of only 12 agents in the US to act as Ambassadors to the Excellence Resorts in Mexico, Punta Cana and, soon enough, Jamaica.  These high-end resorts are reasonably priced and will have most people come running back.  Article to follow in the coming days!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Please read the excerpt from our partner's newsletter featuring Brian Podvia, Owner of JetSetPilot Travel.  This newsletter is from All About Events, a company specializing in event and wedding planning owned by our friend Sarah Morrison.  Our partnership involves working together to make destination weddings perfect for our clients, including full wedding planning services and travel services for your friends and family: 
 
Vendor Spotlight

Brian Podvia
JetSet Pilot Travel

As destination weddings have become more popular in recent years, All About Events has teamed up with JetSet Travel Agency to offer a one-step, combined planning experience to clients who are planning such a destination event.

Brian Podvia is a managing partner of JetSet and prides himself on being a destination wedding and honeymoon specialist. He has agreed to join forces with All About Events in the destination planning process because he believes this is the best way for couples to get a truly unique, stress-free planning experience.

For both the travel and planning components of destination events, Brian explains why couples will be much happier working with professionals who offer a "one stop" service rather than juggling everything themselves.

"While many resorts have their own wedding planners," Brian notes on the event planning perspective, "most can not think outside of their ‘three packages to choose from’ box and most won’t even bother planning with you until a couple of months before your wedding date because they are stacked sometimes 4-6 weddings daily." This can make for a very impersonal experience and Brian encourages couples to use a planner they can meet with and speak to regularly.

All About Events is very excited about this joint venture with Brian and JetSet! They encourage couples to heed Brian’s advice so your destination wedding experience is the very best it can be.


 

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

We couldn't have said it better ourselves..........