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Often regarded as the easiest ways to book a trip, online travel options have become so numerous and overwhelming that people are turning to travel agents for the convenience of one-stop shopping.

Agents Simplify Your Life

A travel agent does the legwork for you from booking trains, flights and hotels to finding the best deals and securing upgrades. They can get show tickets, make dinner reservations, and even recommend options you might not have thought of. Saving you time, they sift through the options and suggest only the ones that meet your preferences and budget.

Best of all, a travel agent can prevent headaches. Cancellation policies and hidden costs never have to be a surprise. And in the event that you have a problem during your trip (i.e., canceled flight), they can act as an advocate on your behalf to resolve any problems.

Bottom line, travel agents help you get the best value. It's not always about getting the cheapest deal, but about having trips that live up to expectations. The key is finding the right agent for you and helping them understand your needs.

What to Look For

Travel experience - An agent who has actually traveled to the place where you want to go will have first-hand knowledge of things to see and do and the best places to stay at your destination.

Specialty - You may want an agent who specializes in certain types of trips. Does the agent specialize in luxury travel or adventure tours? Does he or she work with families? Is the agent a cruise expert?

Certifications - Travel agents are not required by law to have any particular certification. Still, a number organizations provide guidelines to help you pick out the reputable agencies. The IATA (International Air Transport Association) certification requires agencies to meet a stringent set of business standards. CLIA (Cruise Line International Association) certifies cruise specialists. Also, certain states offer a seller of travel license.

Affiliation - While some agents work as employees of a travel agency, independent contractors with their own agencies often work under the auspices of a partner or host travel agency in order to share resources, contacts and expertise. Both types of agent can be equally good. If you are working with an independent agent, find out who the partner travel agency is. Philosophy - What is the agent's philosophy on travel? Asking this ensures that the agent is a good match for you. For instance, if you cringe at the thought of roughing it in anything less than a four-star hotel, an agent who believes a hotel room is nothing more than a place to sleep may not be the best for you.

Your Role

Travel agents try to avoid shoppers who seek free information, then go elsewhere to book. To get an agent to work hard for you and offer options you may not be able to find anywhere else, assure them that you are serious about giving them your business.

Also, the agent needs your input in order to offer informed recommendations. Let the agent know what kind of experience you expect, what type of hotels you prefer, and your budget. Tell him or her what you liked and did not like about your past trips. This way the agent will be clear on your priorities.

Understanding Your Needs

A good travel agent will ask a lot of questions. Even a request as straightforward as a trip to Paris should be met with a myriad of questions from which airport do you prefer to whether you prefer museums or shopping.

How does the agent respond to your concerns? Make sure he or she is receptive to what you want and makes suggestions based on your expectations, - not based on what the agent wants to sell you.

Red Flags

Sometimes an agent may not be worth the effort or money. Take notice if an agent does any of the following.

- Won't return calls or answer emails in a timely manner. A return call within 24 hours is reasonable. A call within a few hours or immediately is even better.

- Tries to steer you to certain travel suppliers that do not line up with your priorities.

- Rushes you through your meetings or calls. You should be able to spend as much time as you need to discuss your trip and ask as many questions as you want.

- Claims to be an expert on every product and every destination in the world. This is unrealistic. The sheer number of destinations and options available means a travel agent's expertise must be focused to be truly valuable. The best agents are often specialists in a certain product, such as cruises, or in a destination, such as the Caribbean.

Fees

It's a good idea to find out the fees up front. Agents may charge a fee for each product, such as the flight, charge you one flat rate, or be paid solely on commission. But if having a wonderful vacation is more important to you than getting the cheapest deal, expect to compensate the agent for his or her time, advice, and work. In the end, the fee is often a small price to pay compared to the value you get.

Read other articles on travel: Day Trips from Rome and Shopping in Paris: 9 Uncommon Souvenirs

Michelle Brown writes for the travel and arts site, http://www.InspiredDiversions.com - the traveler's link to the performing arts in Europe.

The following mesothelioma research findings were reported in a recent issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology. Mesothelioma researchers have reported that combining Tomudex (raltitrexed) and Platinol (cisplatin) has shown amazing results in the improved survival of patients suffering from the rare Malignant pleural mesothelioma which is caused by habitual exposure to asbestos.

According to the mesothelioma research findings reported in the journal, the combination of the two treatments dramatically improves the survival of patients compared to the use of Platinol alone.

These mesothelioma research findings emerged from a randomized phase III trial.

Patients suffering from this rare mesothelioma usually experience shortness of breath, cough, pain, fatigue and loss of appetite. This new mesothelioma research findings are all the more encouraging because this type of cancer has proved to be resistant to most therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy on its' own and even when combined with radiation.

What usually complicates matters further is the fact that usually patients are not aware of the fact that they are suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma until the disease has already progressed to a very advanced stage where treatment with surgery or radiation is no longer a viable option.

That is why the identification of treatment that can improve survival as well as quality of life in patients, as this mesothelioma research promises, is so significant.

Visit the author's mesothelioma research blog for the latest mesothelioma research findings.

Find Esthetician Schools in the United States and Canada. Prospective students who are searching for an in-depth, educational program in skincare find that esthetician schools provide the skills and knowledge necessary to become licensed estheticians.

While programs vary, esthetician schools carry academic courses that often entail up to and over 1,000 training hours. Subject matter at esthetician schools commonly includes studies in skin care, esthetics, skin care science, body care, microdermabrasion, anatomy and physiology, CPR and first aid, hair removal, makeup and other associated coursework.

A number of esthetician schools provide advanced training in massage modalities, as well as body waxing, aromatherapy, reflexology, nutrition, and salon and spa management to name a few. Though many esthetician schools offer diploma programs, a number of these educational institutions afford students with an opportunity to earn a degree as well.

In this fast-growing career field, it is essential that students earn the appropriate level of training to meet and/or exceed educational requirements set forth by individual state regulations; it is equally important that students review programs at esthetician schools so that all academic goals can be achieved in accordance with state regulations.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of barbers, cosmetologist, and other personal appearance workers (including skin care specialists, estheticians, etc.) is projected for continued growth in the number of nail salons and full-service day spas, as these will generate numerous job openings. Therefore, education is key to earning your rightful place in the field of esthetics.

If you (or someone you know) are interested in finding esthetician schools, let professional training within fast-growing industries like massage therapy, cosmetology, acupuncture, oriental medicine, Reiki, and others get you started! Explore career school programs near you.

Esthetician Schools
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NOTICE: Article(s) may be republished free of charge to relevant websites, as long as Copyright and Author Resource Box are included; and ALL Hyperlinks REMAIN intact and active

Resource Box: CarolAnn Bailey-Lloyd - Freelance Writer and Web Consultant for HolisticJunction.com, in association with CollegeSurfing.com - Educational Resources for Esthetician Schools, Spa and Aromatherapy Schools, and other unique Schools.

Our customers sometimes surprise us with the innovative and unique ways that they use our promotional products and items. If you thought that the only way to use promotional t-shirts was to hand them out at a trade show, take a look at some of the ways that our customers have used hand screened promotional t-shirts to promote their businesses.

Customer Incentives

One local company teamed up with a charity to raise money with a cricket match. The gimmick? The company purchased 500 shirts imprinted with the company logo and the charitys slogan, and sold them through their outlets. All profits from the t-shirts were contributed to the charity, and on game night, anyone who arrived wearing the promotional t-shirt was admitted free to the match.

Branding Your Marketing Team

Guerilla marketing, street marketing, whatever you want to call it its the hot new way to market your product. Send out teams of teens to hand out free samples or promotional coupons on the street and dress them all in distinctive branded t-shirts. Theyll get noticed, which will get your company noticed.

Expand Your Product Audience

A local family restaurants clever marketing gimmick targeted new parents in the area. Their hospital take-home goodie bag included an infant size t-shirt with the restaurant logo and the imprint Feed My Mom and Dad. Attached to the label was a gift certificate for dinner for two when the parents brought baby in wearing his or her new t-shirt. To really spread the good will, the staff snapped a shot of baby in the t-shirt to hang on their Brag Wall and families returned for years to point out babys first dinner out to relatives and growing children.

Make a Loud Statement at an Event

Stand out loud and proud. One company treats all of its employees to a night at the races as a special employee incentive. Before leaving, each employee gets a brightly colored t-shirt screen-printed with the company logo. Nearly every year since beginning the promotion, theyve got extra publicity when the morning paper prints a photo of the whole crew out for a night on the town.

Reward Your Customers for Extraordinary Feats

A small ice cream shop has turned their promotional t-shirts into hot items with a simple gimmick. Their trademark ice cream concoction is a massive dish of four scoops, three sauces, whipped cream and cracked nuts. For years, theyve rewarded anyone who can put away five of the monstrous treats in a single sitting with a t-shirt declaring their feat. You cant buy one you have to EARN the right to wear an Awful-Awful Big t-shirt.

T-shirts may be one of the most common promotional items given away, but theyre anything but boring. All it takes is a little creative genius to turn a 3 promotional t-shirt into a lifetime of business.

If youre looking for promotional t-shirts, online is where youll find an enormous selection of t-shirts and other promotional clothing at the click of a mouse.

Tina Rinaudo is one of the leading lights in the UK promotional clothing industry.

Tina is a key member of YesGifts, the UK's fastest growing online promotional t-shirts resource specialising in promotional pens, mugs, mouse mats, umbrellas, conference items and much more.

For more information please visit www.yesgifts.co.uk.