I entered this wonderfully crazy business called travel - in early 2006.  At the time, many people suspected that I was crazy... since Internet-based travel planning seemed to be "the future in travel planning", and the Internet was already crawling with Internet travel agencies.                         

I am a futurist... thus I looked ahead into the not too distant future when travel professionals would be a rare (and needed) commodity in the market place.  With this in mind, I set out to create a "new world vision" in travel agency operation and travel planning services.  That vision became the start-up business that I named  CM TRAVEL 4FUN, a business name reflecting my mission statement:  "See them travel for fun".
When I was starting my business, the mass exodus of brick and mortar travel agencies was winding down, with most already closed - or closing.  In addition, at this time a number of sham companies had set up MLM Card Mills which generated thousands of graduates claiming to be "professional home-based travel agents".  Most of these new home-based agents got their MLM "degrees" in travel - just so they could book travel for themselves and friends cheaply... they had no intent of running a full time professional travel agency.
To complicate things still further, travel is an incredibly poorly regulated business, (both nationally and in most states).  Thus, not surprisingly, a lot of unethical Internet travel agencies popped up in 2006 and 2007 providing travel services on the cheap.  These folks generated predictably ugly outcomes for the travel consumer... and a bad rap for the entire travel industry.    By mid 2007, to most outsiders, (and many in the industry), the future seemed pretty bleak for all types of travel agencies.  This assessment resulted in still more professional agencies closing up shop or consolidating, (including many online agencies).
In my 3rd year of business... the September 2008 economic collapse hit.  My business faltered badly for about 3 weeks, but then came salvation.  My competition raised prices, cut staffing, and reduced their already almost non-existent customer service.  At same time, airlines and other travel suppliers began going out of business leaving travelers stranded.  Suddenly, planning travel had become an incredibly unreliable and unpleasant experience.  Travelers were thrown to the wolves, and were being eaten regularly.  People began to recognize that they needed professional help planning travel - and there I was - with the right service at the right time.  By April 2009, my business was on fire, and continues to expand today. 
Will the good times last?  I believe - "yes" - because there is a real need for professional travel services and industry insider-knowledge which grows each day.  The world of travel has changed yet again.
I close with the latest reason why many travelers are going to need CM TRAVEL 4FUN (or another travel agency) to plan their travel services in 2009:  "SECURE FLIGHT". 
We have all been hearing for nearly two years about the switch to HDTV and the coming need for passports in order to travel anywhere outside of the USA - but most people have never seen or heard the phrase "SECURE FLIGHT".  Those two words describe a 2005-created Homeland Security - TSA regulation affecting air travel...  which goes into effect at about the same time that you are reading this article. This new regulation is being dropped like a bomb on the traveling public on 6-1-09. 
A large percentage of travelers who do not use a professional agent to book their travel after 5-31-09 will encounter a growing list of serious problems when flying.  Travelers will discover that their online airline ticketing is not useable when they arrive at the airport, and/or will find that the tickets they purchased with air miles are rejected at the airport.  Worst of all, some travelers will find that they have become "security lepers", and will be not be able to fly at all! 
Full-enforcement of these regulations is scheduled to begin just days before the Thanksgiving holidays.   Happy holidays will be hard to come by this year for travelers who did not use a travel agent to help navigate them through this travel minefield. 
NEAL KELLNER, owner/agent       CM TRAVEL 4FUN       360-638-2773      
neal@cmtravel4fun.com  
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