Being a travel agent, (Chambers World Travel Group) has provided me the opportunity to visit many wonderful places, meet new and exciting people, and to try new experiences throughout the world. One recent trip that falls into that category is the familiarization trip my wife and I took to Fernandina Beach.
Fernandina Beach is located approximately 40 miles north of the Jacksonville, Florida airport in Nassau County. Part of the fun getting to Fernandina is the drive through the town of Yulee, then a ride across intercoastal waterway before arriving in Fernandina Beach.
Situated on Amelia Island, Fernandina Beach is a beautiful and relaxed community at the north eastern tip of Florida. A popular vacation, retirement, and snowbird community, Fernandina beach has quaint shopping, excellent restaurants, and beautiful golf course and ocean resorts.
Visiting Fernandina Beach is like taking a step back in time. The area is rich in history and holds the unique distinction of being the only place to have the most foreign flags flown over its shores.
The downtown area provides one with yet another glimpse at the past. I visited the Palace Saloon which is recognized as being the oldest bar in Florida! The place was quaint with heavy wooden beams and a tin ceiling and other items on the wall to take one down memory lane.
We stayed on the very plush Amelia Island Plantation Resort where we were guests of the property. We were greeted with a cocktail party our first night and got to meet many other travel agents from across the country who were there to see the property too.
The hotel we stayed in is located right on the beach and all rooms have a terrific view of the ocean. We could even see one of the holes from the 96 holes of golf that are available to the guests. Other accommodations are sprinkled throughout the property and some of them, while fantastic, were not available for the FAM. Quarters of every kind are available from the plush, fully furnished condominiums to the standard townhouse style units.
Great restaurants are available right on the property offering a variety of cuisine to sate the most discerning pallets:%$#133;as a perk of being a travel agent, we were provided a coupon that provided us with a free steak and lobster dinner that was absolutely awesome!
Golf is great in the area because of the weather and the large number of excellent courses. The same is true of tennis. The First Coast is the home of the PGA Tour and more golf professionals than any other community call this area home as does the ATP (association for men's professional tennis). Horse riding is also quite popular as is horse ownership, and there are several equestrian communities including some upscale ones.
One of the most unusual things that I did while visiting the Inn was to take advantage of the :%$#147;Amelia Wheels:%$#148; shop where I was able to take a tour of the property using the :%$#147;Segway:%$#148; two wheel transporter. It was my first time trying one of these unusual modes of transportation and it was a lot of fun learning how to navigate around the miles of trails that were available.
The staff at the Spa was nothing but top notch and they provide a wide variety of merchandise and spa services. We indulged ourselves with a couples massage and we relished in the solitude and telaxation. Soft music and professional massage specialists took us to a great state of relaxation that we wished would never end. Even the aromatherapy was special.
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to visit any property as a travel agent, imagine that you are a food critic and you called the next restaurant that you planned on critiquing before you get there. Let me ask you, what kind of service do you think that restaurant would provide you$%: Exactly, you would receive the very best they have to offer.
Traveling as an RTA travel agent on a FAM trip to evaluate their property is similar to the food critic evaluating a meal. So, ask yourself this: Do you think you will get the very best treatment that you could possibly get from the staff if they knew your were a travel agent$%: Do you think you:%$#146;ll get bad service$%: Of course not.
What happens is this, you will be treated as if you were the King and Queen of the court and the staff is there for one purpose only---to take care of your every need. Of course that makes the whole traveling experience even that much more enjoyable.
If you like to be spoiled, then I highly encourage you to look into the travel industry as a career---even if it is only part time. Having a home based business could be the most important thing you can do to improve the financial situation at your house.
Why not travel for FUN and PROFIT.
You might be surprised to learn that the average individual can now have their very own personal website that works just like Expedia or Orbitz. Your site will pay YOU every time you or anyone else uses your travel website---stop throwing your money away and pay yourself instead.
If you would like to learn more about becoming a travel agent and how you can start enjoying the perks and benefits of an insider on your next vacation, please contact me at [http://www.travelguy.biz] and find out everything you need to know about becoming your own agent.
This vacation to Fernandina Beach was without a doubt one of the most relaxing and enjoyable vacations that I have been on in recent years. Traveling as an RTA travel agent definitely has its benefits and advantages. Paying only pennies on the dollar for a luxurious high end vacation such as this is only the tip of the iceberg when you talk about the advantages of ownership.
You owe it to yourself to find out more about the travel industry and how your can enjoy your own FAM trip. A familiarization trip (FAM) is a great way to become acquainted with the FAM-tastic Amelia Island Plantation Inn :%$amp; Spa.
Steve Chambers
Chambers World Travel Group