Where to stay when swimming with whale sharks

I have been asked to talk about one of my favorite hotels. While I love being pampered in style, I also love adventure & off the beaten path. One of my adventures a few years back took me to the little-known Isla Holbox, geographically not far off the coast of Cancun, but not the most easily accessible of places. What drew me there was the fact that the waters around that tiny secret island are home to the largest aggregation of whale sharks.

Every summer, without fail, these gentle giants that grow to be approximately 60 feet long, yet live on only plankton & krill, show up to feast from dawn till dusk. While I do want to share more about this absolutely life-changing experience, I will need to leave that for another post as my charge today is about accommodations, and my place of stay was as unique and charming as the island.

My home for the few magical days I was privileged to visit was called Xaloc. Located directly on the white sandy beaches of Isla Holbox, Xaloc is a small boutique resort, with just 18 “rooms”. The rooms are actually in fact individual round bungalows, each with their own private little porch, palapa roofs and decorated in a rustic yet romantic décor that include hand-built four poster beds with sweeping mosquito nets yet contain modern conveniences such as a coffee maker and hairdryer.

The 18 rooms are divided into two sets of 9, each surrounding a small free-form freshwater pool, one designated for adults-only and one available for all. While not large or impressive by any means, they are wonderful for taking a dip and recounting the incredible adventures earlier that day with friends and other guests. Pool-side bar service is available at both pools upon request, so really what more do you need?

The resort also offers an onsite restaurant that serves 3 meals a day. Continental breakfast is included. Frankly I found dining slightly over-priced (relatively speaking to most of the other options on the island) but the setting is wonderful and the food and service great, so I didn’t mind paying a little more for the convenience of eating at the resort on the days I was too tired to venture out at night.

Other amenities the resort offers is a small library and recreational room with books and board games and tables, chairs, and sofas scattered for guests to convene. When I stayed there, there was one computer for guest use with dial-up internet but I believe that is being improved and also a Jacuzzi and sauna are in the pipeline. In the meantime massages and yoga sessions can be arranged.

I have been talking with friends, family and customers about going back to Holbox this coming summer. While white beaches, friendly locals, great food and swimming once again with 200 whale sharks are all a driving force for my return, I have to say that part of my desire is also to lounge once again, drink in hand, in the hammock on the front porch of my very own bungalow at the beautiful Xaloc.

Sample package rates for Summer 2011 (whale shark season) includes round trip airfare from stated city, all airline taxes and ticket fees, 5 days double-occupancy accommodations, Continental breakfast daily, hotel taxes and round trip land transfers from Cancun Airport to the resort.

Detroit:            $755 per person double occupancy

New York:      $718 per person double occupancy

Los Angeles:  $762 per person double occupancy

Seattle:            $846 per person double occupancy

Package rates based on actual available fares at the time of this post.

Cheryl Patterson

Dive Travel specialist & owner of Deep Blue Adventures

Email: Cheryl@DeepBlueAdventures.com

Dive Travel is on the increase – are you are ready for it?

As a travel consultant who specializes in scuba diving travel, I follow the news and trends in this niche closely, and I personally believe that dive travel is on the rise.

However, it will be a slow and steady comeback and one not everyone will see as it will be dependent on the flexibility and adaptation of those in our industry. 

It is far more of a buyer’s market now; with travelers in general being far more selective where and with whom they spend their money. I built my company on old fashioned values with the theory that if I took care of my clients, the bottom line would take care of itself, but for some, this seems like such a hard lesson for some to get on board with. I am surprised how many times I have placed a small but special request to a vacation provider on behalf of a customer or asked a resort to deliver outside of the box, only to be met with resistance or even refusal. It never ceases to amaze me how many people in the hospitality business are not hospitable at all!

 I am pleased to state though, that there are many resorts, liveaboards and dive operations that do “get it”. They realize that by going the extra mile or working with an agent and her client we all walk away with a satisfied customer. These partners are, like me, seeing an increase in recent reservations, and they weren’t offering a deeply discounted rate, but they did provide value for money and demonstrated a genuine appreciation of their customers business and understanding their needs.

 We were recently at the annual industry-only scuba diving convention, The DEMA Show. In past years there was a general consensus between exhibitors overall on how “good” or not each show was. This year, the buzz ranged widely from one side of the spectrum to the other, with one exhibitor having their best show ever and others complaining it was slow and a waste of time. From our perspective the attendees that were there came with serious agendas for what they wanted to achieve at the show and the exhibitors who had what they were looking for and delivered it the best were the ones who walked away with record numbers.   An independent online publication also reported perceiving the same – in the dive training organizations and equipment manufacturers as well as the travel companies at the show.

 The travel industry, as with many others in the leisure or “extras” business has taken a hard hit over the past few years, but I believe it is making a slow but steady recovery, and people are still traveling. However, the average consumer’s way of “shopping” and “selecting” where they go and who they spend their money with has changed, and we need to change with it to meet their needs and demands. We need to recognize the vast array of options they have and show appreciation when the place they chose to spend their money with is us. Those who refuse to do so and continue as if things are as they were before will be left behind, but for those that rise to the challenge, will be rewarded. Adapt and overcome!

I have been asked for my opinion – so I’m giving it!

As you may be aware, I am participating in The Travel Agents Blog project, part of which requires me to blog on a set subject. Today I have been charged with talking about something currently in the travel industry news that I have a strong opinion about. Mine is the battle between American Airlines and Sabre.

If you are not aware of what I am talking about but are interested, it is the following: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41007680/

This subject is one most people in my profession or similar feel very strongly about. My feelings are fueled further by the fact that this situation is being led by my former employer whom at one time I thought I would be with for life, believed in wholeheartedly, and left on excellent terms with, not to mention have good friends still working for them.

My “opinion” begins more as a question to American Airlines…if Sabre and the travel agents that use it are no longer needed and worth any value, why the lawsuit? They are citing the reason for the suit is losing potential sales. If that is the case, doesn’t that validate they still need both? And what exactly do they think is going to happen when they drop Sabre and all other outside booking sources completely?

The basis of American’s decision to drop Orbitz (who are powered by a similar reservation system) and eventually eliminate all booking engines including the ones that allow travel agents to do their jobs quickly and efficiently, amounts to a whopping $6 – $13 savings per ticket, plus the opportunity to pre-sell all of the extra wonderful fees they have introduced.  You may have been a pioneer in the past American, but you sure are going to need every one of those pennies when you realize you need to hire a lot more people to do what us travel agents, via our trusty reservation systems currently do for you now for free.

Depending on what my customers require, I can have literally hours invested in shopping for a fare and securing a ticket for them, and the new TSA requirements have added even more responsibility and time to the task. My agents and I handle schedule changes automatically (a frequent occurrence) and we are available 24/7/365 in the event of an emergency, which more often than not involves a delayed or canceled flight. Our airline reservation system, Sabre is on all of our laptops so we have it at home or away. It is what we use to quickly search all flights and airfares available worldwide instantly which allows us to provide many ways to serve our customers - from grabbing the very last seat in a snow storm in order to salvage their vacation or see if a slight adjustment to a potential itinerary will equal big savings.

I back Sabre’s decision and am happy to take the extra step in Sabre to “shop” AA if I need to, but I have to say if all things are equal for my clients, unless the airline has a change of heart and recognizes our value quickly, they are sadly bottom of my list too. Not just from a business point of view, but for the good of travel consumers. Buying a ticket is only part of air travel, and flying is becoming more complicated with the only consistent thing being constant change. If all of the airlines follow suit, the tools for an agent to do their job will no longer exist and the public will have no choice but to book airline tickets direct. Who will inform, educate, and advocate fairly and impartially for travelers then?

Cheryl & kids represent American Airlines shortly after September 11th

Why I took a giant stride to start my own dive travel company

From the age of 14 years old when in England we need to make decisions on the career field we would like to pursue, I knew travel was my calling, and after I obtained my Business and Finance degree in Travel and Tourism, I went on to work in various capacities in the Travel industry. 

This has continued my entire adult life with the exception of a few brief interludes due to various moves with the military (my husband was US Air Force) and the birth of my beautiful children. In 2004, having worked for American Airlines for several years, I was watching the industry I knew and loved becoming worse, not better, and rapidly losing sight of what should be “the hospitality business”. After all, shouldn’t saving for your vacation be the hardest part and the planning your vacation be a fun thing to do? 

So armed with a small plan, even smaller capital but a large vision, I said goodbye to my colleagues and my job to create something better in the field closest to my heart…Scuba Diving.

 My husband had always dreamed of being a diver, and when he finally convinced me to try it while stationed of all places in Arizona, we were both hooked immediately, and has not let go of us since. Anyone who fell in love with diving the way we did can tell you it is not a sport – it is truly a lifestyle. It consumes your thoughts and your dreams and for most work is simply a way to pass the time and raise the money for your next voyage to the amazing experiences that await beneath the waves. 

A destination takes on an entirely different aspect when you are a diver. As a dive travel specialist, there are two realms I need to know and understand about each location when helping a client select their next trip. Some fantastic places hold double the allure. Others, that would be considered forsaken holes in the ground to the average person brim with promise when looked at through a dive mask, and others, constantly featured in travel magazines hold absolutely no attraction for a serious diver. From a travel professional’s aspect it is a fascinating and fun specialty to work in. From a diver’s standpoint, it all simply makes perfect sense. 

6 ½ years ago I took the plunge to start my own dive travel company. To bring together my two greatest loves (with the exception of my family of course). I get to live and breathe travel and scuba daily and make the dreams of my fellow divers come true. While not everything went to my initial plan, I did achieve the most important goal… I created something I am so very proud of. I now have a consistently growing company with an impeccable reputation and fantastic team members that share not just my passion for diving but my business philosophies too. Together we tailor incredible and exciting itineraries all around the world with care and consideration and deliver with the highest level of service. We build relationships with our customers, making the planning process a fun and stress-free experience where they know they are in the very best hands and share their stories and photos with us when they return.

 Sure, sometimes the leap I took has been a little scary, and there are days it can still be a bumpy ride, but there is never a moment I don’t feel truly blessed to be doing what I do today, and unless I am under the water, there is no place else I would rather be.

Cheryl Patterson

The Patterson family sharing the fun in Cozumel, Mexico

Hello world

Well, I have been talking about starting a blog for a while now. I guess it’s been the same old common boring things that have prevented me up until this point – time, lack of knowledge, but mostly lack of confidence that I have anything interesting enough to say.

But I am signing up for to be part of the Travel Agent Blog Project this week and qualify in every way except having a blog, So here I am – time to stop procrastinating!

I certainly hold an opinion on most things, and believe I have plenty of helpful tidbits and experience in the dive travel world so hopefully someone, somewhere out there will find my “thoughts on paper” useful and some days maybe even entertaining. I am also enlisting the help of team members on this blog who have adventures, news and insights of their own to keep things fresh and interesting…plus safety in numbers, right?

Comments and suggestions are most welcome, so if anyone out there is listening and willing to help, I would be glad to start this blogging journey of mine with some companions!