Dear All,

This is for all who have felt my pain and for those who haven’t experienced the same situation yet, and hopefully never will. Social media is a great tool, FREE if you are not paying for advertising, and basically you can post most of your opinions.

Unfortunately, not everyone who comes to social media has the same good intentions.

Late last Friday afternoon I got a message from a follower on Instagram telling me that someone had cloned my account and was using my personal pictures and asking for money for a relief fund. Honestly, my first thought was that their message was fake (why not, there is so much fake news all the time, right?)

So, I checked my name and found “my other account” – one that I didn’t create. I thanked my follower and started to work on how to report the cloned account.

There is no phone number or email to communicate with anyone at social media companies. It is not easy to report this kind of situation, especially when you are feeling so violated.

I reported the problem account through the few options that the social media company offered, and they said that they would check it out.

Meanwhile, the other “Rosana” befriended my friends and followers. I saw my personal friends and family following that account, and over 80 of my followers being followed by that account.

I was feeling more and more violated.

I contacted all the people following and followers of my cloned account and advised them what had happened. I asked them to please report the issue and block that account. Also – to keep reporting it every hour. I got very nice responses from my followers and people being followed. That was the silver lining of this whole experience. By the next morning the cloned account was gone.

My suggestion is that if this happens to you, be proactive and keep reporting it. Ask your friends and followers to report it. Unfortunately, there is no one you can talk to at the social media companies to take care of you. You need to care for yourself. Be kind, be your own best advocate, and believe that most people on social media are nice and caring, like you are.

Be safe and well.

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

Those who don’t feel like you are riding a Ferris Wheel during these pandemic times, raise your hand!

I need to be honest and share some feelings I had last week – especially when I heard that New Zealand was celebrating 100 days with not even one case of Covid.  At first I was jealous, then I shared with my husband the idea of moving to New Zealand. Yes, I got this beautiful sense of high, imagining that somehow I could get my “old” life back and live Covid free. Sure, I didn’t think about immigration laws and where exactly we would live, but playing with the idea made me feel good again.

Then, as you have probably heard, New Zealand began to get Covid cases again and my dreams of moving to this Covid- free country went down the drain.

How about trying to book a cruise? Every single cruise line is postponing their departure dates, some will resume only by the middle of 2021. Europe is concerned about the increase of Covid cases based on incoming travelers.

I still believe that the best cure for these ups and downs is traveling. If you are not ready to take a plane, travel locally.  Either way, make a list of places in the US and go visit. Rent an RV or rent a big car, stay close to nature, there are wonderful places to visit. Disconnect from everything else and just get the good energy of a fun vacation. Staying in the US has many advantages: you can speak the language, you understand the culture (or try to, LOL!) and you’ll have the opportunity to realize how big this country really is. Maybe you can even ride a real Ferris Wheel!

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

In my last blog, I mentioned charging fees for creating or helping to create an itinerary for your clients. In this blog, I want to focus on why you should (if you are not doing so yet) and how to do it.

Allow me to disclose that I have read many posts in different groups discouraging travel agents/advisors from putting together itineraries for RVs lovers and clients who prefer to drive to enjoy their vacation because the commission from the hotels would not justify the load of work being done by the agent.

It does require tremendous work and knowledge to put together the best itinerary for a family who wants to drive from one place to eventually arrive someplace else. Where do they stop for bathroom breaks? Which gas stations can they feel safe stopping at, and at the same time, find a place to eat? Which hotels along the route offer the best and safest amenities? What are the safest places to visit including parks, hiking places, and other activities based on interest and age of the clients?

That is a lot of work, and I am sure a smart client or prospective one would be thrilled to pay someone who knows what he/she is doing to put all that together. The same thing goes when a client comes with a budget of let’s say $5,000 and wants to go to 4 countries in Europe and wants a complete itinerary. Why should you work for free?

Don’t put your knowledge, time, and effort into creating an itinerary for a client, expecting to make commission only IF the client/prospective doesn’t change their minds or cancels to do something else. Who likes to work for free?

I have compared the work of a travel agent/advisor to that of a doctor or an attorney many times. For those who don’t believe I should use that comparison, let me give you another example so maybe you will feel better about charging for your work. Now that many schools around the country will be closed because of Covid, who will you trust to be home with your children?  ANY adult or teenager, or a person who is better qualified to guide your kids with home schooling? I am sure that many young adults or adults with experience in math, English and teaching will be in great demand to watch kids and parents will pay for that – because it is worth it.

The same idea goes for a safe and fun vacation.

Don’t be afraid to charge for your time and knowledge. When you value yourself, clients and prospective ones will follow you!

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.com

Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

People who haven’t traveled at all this year are getting antsy, impatient, and irritated. Am I the only one who is noticing that?

August is starting, and those who have had their travel canceled, their dreams shattered, are stuck with Zoom meetings for most of their social interaction.

Actually, Zoom is a great tool to bring people together, and if you are careful enough, you can wear a nice top with pajama bottoms and nobody will know. Nicely comb your hair, do a little grooming and add some makeup (for women) and you are ready to go. Very convenient! But after 5 months of Zoom meetings, people seem to be getting less careful, or maybe they’re just tired of it. My last Zoom was very distracting, there were all kind of noises in the background, 2  people fell asleep (seriously, one was sitting down on a sofa), and 2 were doing Zoom laying down in bed. It was really hard to concentrate on the discussion. FYI – it was not a Happy Hour Zoom! LOL!

People are so ready for some type of vacation. They really need an expert to help them to do it safely. Think about promoting and charging for your expertise (if you haven’t done so yet). Putting an itinerary together takes time, even if it is a self-drive trip. Maybe you are not getting a commission, but you certainly deserve to charge upfront for your knowledge.

I believe in you! Your clients trust you. Do for yourself what is right: help your clients travel safe – and like a doctor or an attorney, charge them for your expertise.

I’ll have more about this topic – don’t miss my blog next week!

Follow me at:
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Instagram @travelwithrosana
Blogs http://www.travelwithrosana.com