Oluwatoyin Tobi's Travel Blog

  As you might know if you’re running a tourism agency it’s getting harder and harder to stay competitive and in this business in these modern days when many prefer to go online and book their vacations for themselves. There are great resources already for finding the hotel on your own, for finding the cheapest flights on your own and for creating your own vacation the way you want it. That doesn’t mean though that there aren’t other people out there that want all these stuff taken care of by someone else and those are the people you want to reach. In this guide I am going to show you exactly how to do that! First of all, in order to successfully promote your tourism agency and offers through social media you will need a website. You might think it’s outdated and you don’t need it as it’s easier to post your offers on Facebook directly for example and people will come. It is true, though this is not a long term strategy. The idea with a site it to have one place ...

Travel agents are more and more in demand   The first song ever played on MTV? Ironically, “Video Killed the Radio Star”. It might seem like in the middle of the internet age that the internet killed the travel agency business, but the truth is actually the opposite. Much as radio stations are still thriving, and actually growing thanks to internet and satellite radio, travel agents have a definite purpose in this modern travel world. So why is this true, you might ask? With so many travel companies out there and nearly ¾ of cell phone owners using smartphones, aren’t all travellers booking their own reservations on their own? Actually, no.  (ttgmena.com, 2015) Thanks to technology for travel agents like the Travelport Mobile Agent which give agents a nimble way of accessing the GDS programs, agents have the ability to book even the most complex travel arrangements for their clients. Travelport Mobile Age...

What are some keys to being a successful travel agent? You may be looking for an agent or you may be in training to become one and want to know some tools of the trade. In either case, the same rules apply to both. You might have even heard that travel agents are a thing of the past but nothing could be further from the truth. What are successful travel agents’ habits? Travel agents’ success is due in large part to a resurgence in business from the millennial generation. While it is true we can all use self-booking sites, there is a social aspect to a travel agent that many young travelers find appealing. For starters, it is nice to have someone else do the research into potential destinations for you. Maybe your travel agent has already gone there himself and can give you a first-hand account of the area. It is this personal touch as well as having someone be a personal advocate that young people find attractive when decidin...

Follow the steps outlined in this guide to launch and build your own lucrative travel business. If you’re ready to develop your own travel business you need to know how to stand out from the competition, stay on the pulse of what vacation spots are hot and market yourself to the right audience. This free guide shows you how to do all of that plus: Find a niche market to specialize in Build long-term relationships for lasting success Use social media to its full advantage Simply request the free guide by completing the form on the right and get the inside scoop on how to become a successful travel agent. Know others who want to become successful travel agents too? Feel free to share our information with them!  

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SINGAPORE By Tobex The Foundation of Singapore According to legend Singapore was founded centuries ago when a prince from Sumatra landed on the island and saw a lion. He took it as a good omen and founded a city called Singapura, which means lion city. The legend may or may not be true. In fact the name Singapura was not recorded until the 16th century and Singapore was really only a trading post with a small population not a city. Modern Singapore was founded in 1819 by Sir Stamford Raffles (1781-1826). Raffles became a clerk for the British East India Company in 1795. He rose rapidly in the company. In 1805 he was sent to Penang and in 1811 he was made Lieutenant Governor of Java. In 1818 Raffles was made governor of Bencoolen on the island of Sumatra. Raffles believed the British should establish a base on the Straits of Melaka and in 1819 he landed on the island of Singapore. The island consisted of swamps and jungle with a small population but Raffles...

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SHANGHAI, CHINA By Tobex Early Shanghai Shanghai is one of China's great cities. By the 11th century AD Shanghai was a small market town. It grew steadily larger and in 1533 a wall was built around the town. Later in the 16th century Yuyuan Garden was created. By 1700 Shanghai had a population of about 50,000 making it a large and prosperous port. Then in 1842 by the Treaty of Nanking the British forced China to open 5 ports, including Shanghai to trade. In 1843 the first British consul moved into Shanghai. In the 19th century foreigners in Shanghai were lived in three settlements. From 1845 there was a British settlement, after 1848 an American settlement and after 1849 a French settlement. In 1863 British and American settlement later joined and formed the International Settlement but the French concession remained separate. At first tea, silks and porcelain were exported from Shanghai while opium was imported. Later Shanghai became a major finan...

A SHORT HISTORY OF CAMBODIA By Tobex ANCIENT CAMBODIA Cambodia has a rich and fascinating history. The first humans in Cambodia were Stone Age hunters and gatherers. However farming was introduced into Cambodia about 2,300 BC. The first farmers in Cambodia used stone tools but from about 1,500 BC the Cambodians used tools and weapons made from bronze. By about 500 BC they had learned to use iron. The first civilization in the area arose about 150 AD in the Mekong River delta in South Vietnam. This civilization was known to the Chinese who called it Fu-nan. While Fu-nan was trading with the Chinese Cambodian society grew more sophisticated. Settlements grew larger. So did kingdoms. By the beginning of the 7th century AD all of Cambodia was highly civilized. At first Cambodia was divided into rival states. However at the beginning of the 9th century a king named Jayavarman II founded the Khmer Empire in Cambodia. THE KHMER EMPIRE IN CAMBODIA Like all early civilization...

A SHORT HISTORY OF THAILAND By Tobex Ancient Thailand The earliest inhabitants of what is now Thailand were hunter-gatherers. However about 4,000 BC they began farming. They grew rice. At first the farmers used stone tools but about 3,000 BC bronze was discovered. From about 500 BC the people of what is now Thailand used iron. At first what is now Thailand was divided into small states called Meuang. By 100 AD they were practicing Theravada Buddhism. However the ancestors of modern Thais are believed to have come from southern China. They migrated to Thailand between the 10th century and the 13th century AD. Meanwhile between the 9th century and the 13th century much of what is now Thailand was ruled by the Khmers, a people from what is now Cambodia. However in the 13th century several small states in Thailand in the Mekong River valley united to form a kingdom called Sukhothai. It is regarded as the first Thai kingdom. However the first Thai kingdom did not last lo...