Travel Industry Looks For A Rebound In 2010

CIE Tours President Brian Stack Is Hopeful That Better Days Are Ahead

By John Mooney

With the financial crisis at its peak, numerous layoff announcements, and a sluggish housing market, 2009 has been a tough year in the travel industry. Yet, tour operators, such as Brian Stack, President of CIE Tours North America and managing director of CIE Tours Worldwide, are cautiously optimistic as the economy shows signs of rebounding.

"There are a lot of people who are unaffected by recession - retired teachers, policemen, and others whose incomes remain stable. In fact, as prices drop to help spur demand, it becomes an even better time for them to travel," said Brian Stack, who has been with CIE Tours for nearly two decades.

"Part of the reason some people are not taking vacations is guilt of traveling when other people are facing foreclosures," Stack added. "I'm expecting an announcement sometime in the near future that tells us 'the recession in America was over two months ago.' That will ring the bell for people ready to go on vacation. The industry is banking on it."

CIE's typical passenger is an "empty nester," someone in their 50s or 60s with kids out of college. Generally, for the first times in their lives, they are able to focus on themselves whereas their previous focus was on their children. Many travelers are first time visitors to Ireland, who have likely read about the country and whose family goes far back generations. The New York-New Jersey-Pennsylvania region makes up about 25% of the company's client base, the Midwest and California each account for 25%, while the rest of come from other parts of the country.

"They look to experience the traditional Ireland they have heard about. American tourists want to see the scenery, the sheep and the cows in the fields, and they want to meet the Irish people," Stack explained in a telephone interview from the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle, Co. Down, where CIE held its biannual sales meeting. "Has Dublin changed? Yes, but Trinity College is open for anyone to see and visitors still flock to the Guinness Brewery."

The longing for a taste of traditional Ireland is why CIE's 25 different tours include places such as the Abbey Tavern in Howth and Bunratty Castle. Stack says the popular advertising campaign conducted by Tourism Ireland has helped stimulate demand by getting people to think about visiting. CIE and other operators then provide the means to get there.

In recent years, the Giant's Causeway has become a top attraction - evidence that Northern Ireland had pent up demand.

"People stayed away when there were social problems," Stack explained. "Our Irish American travelers from places like Georgia and Texas are largely from a Northern Ireland background. They're intrigued to discover that many American Presidents had Northern Irish roots."

CIE has focused on escorted tours catering to small family groups of 10-15, which are often organized by grandparents who think it's a good time to visit. The company has also revamped its top of the line tour, the Supreme Tour, which includes the Slieve Donard, Hotel Park Hotel in Killarney, Ashford Castle, and the Marrion Hotel in Dublin.

Stack likens a CIE tour to a cruise "but without the water." He boasts of a 97% satisfaction rate and believes his offerings are particularly attractive to women traveling on their own, who can feel safe and comfortable.

"It's an easy way to go on vacation," the travel industry veteran said. "When you pay one price, everything is included. All the exchange rates taken care of. The only thing you have to worry about is buying a few drinks and some gifts for your relatives."

CIE's innovative and imaginative approach to vacation packaging includes different types of experiences - from "Romantic Ireland" (deal for a honeymoon or anniversary trip) to the luxurious "Irish Castles & Gardens" featuring accommodations at four of Ireland's top deluxe hotels and castles. For the independent minded traveler, CIE has expanded its range of self-drive offerings with a selection of pre-booked hotels with a wide range of cars, minibuses and chauffeur-driven vehicles.

"Vacations are important. The more stress in our lives, the more they need to recharge your batteries. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity," he stresses. "We make sure people enjoy themselves. It's a happy business, a very rewarding business."

The tour operator has also expanded operations in other countries. Scotland and England remain popular with U.S. travelers, and the company is seeing growth in the tours it offers to Italy, as well as its river cruising package down the Danube. CIE is now offering tours of Croatia and other areas of Eastern Europe, for which it uses a third-party operator. But Ireland remains Stack's bread and butter.

Before joining CIE, Brian Stack worked for a decade as sales manager at Aer Lingus and at the Irish Tourist Board. He is Chairman of the U.S. Tour Operators Association and a longtime member of the Irish Business Organization of New York (IBO-NY) and ASTA - American Society of Travel Agents.

And of all the places in the world to visit, CIE's top U.S. executive thinks Ireland is the best.

"When you go to Ireland, it's a relaxing country, where you won't get sunburned. The scenery is beautiful the food is fantastic, and the people are delighted to see you. I can name many places where you won't have that," said Stack, an avid golfer who plays on a US industry golf team.

"Only one place in world where you get all that - one that also has historic places. Put all that together with a 5-hour flight from NYC. You can't beat it."

To accelerate early bookings for 2010 travel to Ireland and Britain, CIE Tours has announced a five percent discount on reservations made by Oct. 31 for all tours of nine days/seven nights or longer.

For more information about deals and offerings made by CIE Tours International, call at 1-800-CIE-TOUR or visit www.cietours.com.