Extentia

This article talks about the Bitcoin, a digital commodity or “cryptocurrency” which functions like a global electronic Euro. If such kinds of cryptocurrency are ever “accepted”, the uptake will be rapid and travelers will want to know how and where they can get it.
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Our New Corporate Social responsibility program in partnership with the Samridhdhi Trust of India sponsors 50 children for tuition, meals, and uniforms for an entire academic year of “bridging school”. The program starts in June 2013.
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Extentia’s travel consultant Mark Luckey talks about some interesting observations on the travel habits of Australians. The article highlights the top 10 destinations for Australian travellers over the past year.
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Extentia’s travel consultant Mark Luckey talks about some interesting trends that have arisen over the last two years. These trends, which effect key destinations, provide many opportunities for travel agents to grow their business.
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The last decade has seen a dramatic shift in the way consumers interact with travel agents, but what hasn’t changed is the business process. In this article, Extentia’s travel consultant Mark Luckey explains how and why customers find and use travel agents.
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In this article, Mark Luckey talks about how important it is for travel agents to diversify within their niche. He also talks about the tactics and practices one can follow when attempting to diversify.
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In this article, Mark Luckey points out useful resources for travel agents to learn from. These include everything from great ideas, direct input, and mentoring, to tips on how to go out alone and grow their business themselves.
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Extentia’s travel business consultant Mark Luckey writes on ‘The Best of the Travel Agents’ in this e-Travel Blackboard article. He talks about what he sees in successful travel businesses.
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e-Travel Blackboard spoke exclusively to roomsXML this week about 2012, their fifth consecutive year of growth. Given that three companies entered liquidation over the past few weeks, the focus is on all wholesalers and their current status.
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We live in the (dis)information age. We are bombarded with more information and expected to do more with it than ever before. In this article, Mark Luckey explains how to improve the three main ways we communicate.
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Travel agents today have a variety of marketing and communication tools at their disposal. The most commonly used is e-mail. In this article, Mark Luckey talks about short tips on writing effective emails.
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Today’s travel agent lives in a hostile environment composed of other agents, wholesalers going direct to public and travel websites. Relationships can be good protectors from competitors, especially when constructed with “highly personalized experience”.
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‘One of the greatest challenges for anyone travelling is coming to grips with the local lingo’ – In this article Mark Luckey reviews the Translator With Speech application available for Windows Phone. This application can translate spoken or typed text into any of 54 languages.
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Caught in an ongoing war of maintaining and growing a healthy business? In this article, Mark Luckey discusses how to establish an effective complaints management service in order to grow and sustain business.
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In this article, Mark Luckey talks about knowing your customers – quick tips to increase sales. He highlights the importance of a customer feedback system, which when implemented correctly will help grow ones business.
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As part of a “triple bottom line” policy, roomsXML Australia are thrilled to announce sponsorship of the Samridhdhi Trust in Bangalore,India.
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Continuing with the word-of-mouth marketing series, Mark Luckey talks about how travel agents can identify a trend via word-of-mouth marketing. By doing so, travel agents can carve their own niche in the market place.
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In this eTravel Blackboard article, Mark Luckey talks about the importance of Word of Mouth Marketing in the travel domain. This article is the first of five from Martin Bailey’s (one of Australia’s thought leaders on word-of-mouth marketing) book about word-of-mouth marketing.
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Mark Luckey talks about the launch of TripinaPocket – one of the first mobile-based itinerary management tools for travel agents. TripinaPocket was developed in partnership with Extentia.
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The internet provides a way for travelers to handle their holidays themselves, for “free”. As a travel agent you know the difference you can make to their journey and it’s just a matter of communicating this effectively.
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The travel industry is in a weird cycle, where it will end, nobody knows. But here’s some sound advice worth considering to assist with not only surviving, but thriving when the doomsayers are saying “nay”.
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10 years ago there was very few rules and conventions about developing web sites and there was a lot of trial and horrible error. So here are some things to avoid as they can all be equally offensive and damaging.
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We hear plenty of industry gossip, happenings, goings-on, rumours…The lengths that agents will go to and the journey they will take… in order to create an opportunity for themselves in an electronically noisy industry. Read more >>

Las Vegas is widely popular as the “The Entertainment Capital of the World” is known for gambling, shopping and dining. It has earned the name of “Sin City” due to an overwhelming presence of adult entertainment oriented activities. Las Vegas is one city a must for all visitors who visit the United States of America.
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Surveys indicate a steady rise in consumers revisiting their travel agents vs booking online. So what could have resulted in this unexpected turn around? And what makes travel agents click vis-a-vis a travel portal?
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‘Trip in a Pocket’, a new mobile app is an easy to use itinerary management tool for travel agents. It is available for their customers’ (pax) use as a mobile application.
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Mark Luckey writes about Electronic vs. Paper marketing. Electronic marketing is faster, easier and cheaper. The biggest risk being with so much e-mail that the email is treated like junk or spam.
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The biggest challenge modern day travel agents face is competing with online travel agencies. As internet usage patterns shift towards smart phones, the mobile device battle field is where travel agencies are losing the way. It’s a technology driven, full frontal assault that is making survival difficult.
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In this eTravel Blackboard article, Mark Luckey talks about about how businesses that actively support and contribute to a community are generally held in high regard by their customers.
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Leading global hotel wholesaler roomsXML nominated for the category of “Best Agency Support Service” in the 2012 “AFTA National Travel Industry Awards.”
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Australian Mobile Stats

To get an online dollar in the travel industry, travel agents in Australia MUST adopt a strategic presence in the online mobile space. Australia’s love affair with the mobile phone continues. Nearly everyone has a mobile and we are second only to Singapore when it comes to smart phones with half of our population possessing internet-capable phones.
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Social Media is the New Word of Mouth

It’s no surprise business veterans that according to a McKinsey study, two-thirds of consumer decisions are affected by word of mouth. Another study also showed that less than 15% of people trusted advertisers. NOP World states that 90% of customers rate word of mouth as the most reliable source about information on products and services.
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Why Social Media is Important

So what if you’re a travel agent and you haven’t really engaged in social media? The starting point is to get out there, become familiar with how it works, review what your competitors are doing and get ready for the fastest moving business promotion tool you can ever imagine.
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Agents Support – Social Media Basics

Clever technology is helping, but it’s more about our humanity that is driving the relentless force which is social media. So why should travel agents care? Social media is the channel of choice for online socializing.
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