From fighting in the streets of Athens and Bangkok to the volcano in Europe and the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, problems both natural and manmade this year have created uncertainty for international travel plans. Have these troubles changed the perception of consumers historically wary of buying travel insurance?

Even with growth in home-based operations and high-tech national call centers, storefront and office locations accessible to the public remain the silent majority of leisure travel sellers. To get a perspective, TMR checked in with two of the most visible retail travel storefront operations on the West Coast who reveal why.

Amidst reports that sales for summer European tour business are returning and attendance at Disney theme parks is picking up and Wave Season is strong for cruise lines, many agents reported they’re not feeling part of the so-called recovery. Sometimes their pain has to do with their location.

Vendor Webinars have multiplied over the past few years, and agents have heard enough to know they want them to be shorter, more to the point, focused on what’s really new and available online for replay.

Over the years, the classic technique for building group business was contacting various social, civic, and religious groups and suggesting a tour or cruise as a group activity. But given all the changes in the marketplace, has that basic technique evolved?

The job stimulus package is a plus, but according to Travel Market Report’s poll, 73% of agents say business is too too slow or not profitable enough yet to hire.

Combating tough times, veteran agents reported that they increasingly taking aggressive actions to ensure that existing clients stay with them when planning their next vacation. Outbound calls and personal notes are among the tactics they’re using. This relationship marketing extends from owners and managers to front-line sellers.

Agents’ business experience with Facebook and Twitter varies dramatically from agency to agency. Some retailers told Travel Market Report that these social marketing sites are a waste of time. Others scent potential, but they noted that their own efforts are not producing significant sales yet. And a few are downright enthusiastic.

For years, industry trainers and experts have advised agents to charge service fees for leisure transactions to make up for declining commissions. Yet many agents remain reluctant, saying they have to remain competitive. Is this an example of the experts being out of touch with reality?

Anytime a retailer closes without protecting all clients, coverage of such news is sure to follow. So when a large discount-oriented leisure agency recently closed in Minneapolis, the local newspaper quickly and predictably covered the impact of the closing. But somewhat unpredictably, the comment section below the article was riddled with attacks on travel agents as a whole.