TRAVEL GUARD UPDATE

May 2008 – Summer Travel Issue

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Welcome to the May edition of TRAVEL GUARD UPDATE, a monthly review of key issues for the travel media. These brief items — including news updates, tips and guidance — are designed to keep today’s travelers up-to-date on the changing travel landscape and help them make more informed decisions on their travel investment.

Travel Guard invites your comments and suggestions on any areas you'd like to see covered in this regular update. E-mail your thoughts to us at emckeon@mmgmardiks.com.

For more information on any of the below topics, please contact Erin McKeon (emckeon@mmgmardiks.com or 212-219-7560, ext. 6767). For more information on travel insurance programs, visit Travel Guard's Web site: www.TravelGuard.com.

In this month's issue:

    * PULSE-POLL: SUMMER TRAVEL FOCUS
    * TRAVEL TIP: COVER YOUR CRUISE
    * EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS: GIRLS’ GETAWAY INTERRUPTED

PULSE-POLL: SUMMER TRAVEL FOCUS
Decrease or no change in summer vacation bookings: Travel Guard’s recent Pulse-Poll survey shows 44% of travel agents noticing no change in clients booking summer vacations this year. Another 39%, however, are noting a decrease in these types of bookings. However, the decrease is not linked to airline bankruptcies and flight cancellations. Some 65% of agents reported that they have not noticed any decrease in clients booking summer vacations due to these reasons, while 35% say they have.

High fuel worries: Clients’ biggest concern regarding the upcoming summer travel season is the high fuel prices, say 62.9 percent of agents. Other worries for clients include flight cancellations/delays and the weak American dollar, both rating high among more than half of travel agents in the survey.

Families planning summer travel: Just over 40% of polled agents in the survey have noticed an increase in families booking summer vacations. Seniors (15%) and Couples (14%) were also reported as booking summer travel.

Heading for the high seas: Cruising is the most popular summer vacation among clients, say 46% of agents in the Travel Guard survey. Another 30% say the beach is the type of vacation their clients want.

Destination Caribbean this summer: The Caribbean is the most popular destination for summer vacations this year, according to 38% of the polled agents, followed by the U.S. (28%) and Europe (23%).

Vacation trends on the rise: Girlfriends getaways have increased this summer, stated 24% of the agents. Adventure travel (19%) and learning vacations (16%) are also deemed as popular reasons for a summer getaway.

Travel insurance purchases remain constant: Just over half of travel agents polled have not seen any change in clients purchasing travel insurance for their summer vacations.

TRAVEL TIP: COVER YOUR CRUISE
It’s no surprise that close to half of travel agents stated in the Travel Guard poll that cruising is the most popular summer vacation among their clients. Some 12.8 million passengers are expected to set sail this year, up from the 12.6 million estimated to have taken a cruise in 2007, according to CLIA research*. These same passengers should cover their significant vacation investment by purchasing travel insurance.

Cruise, Tour & Travel is Travel Guard’s premier package plan offering the most comprehensive coverage and services featuring the highest limits of medical expense coverage. Travelers are covered in the event of covered unforeseeable trip related occurrences such as trip cancellation, interruption and delay; emergency medical treatment or evacuation; lost, stolen or damaged baggage or travel documents; luggage delay; and accidental death and dismemberment. It also includes a waiver for pre-existing medical conditions and even offers a “cancel for any reason” insurance option for those canceling their trip simply because they change their mind, both available if purchased within 15 days of initial trip deposit.

Comprehensive non-insurance travel services provided by Travel Guard Assist are also included in the program, including arrangements for last-minute flight changes; hotel finder and reservations; rental car reservations; pre-trip health and safety advisories; live e-mail and phone messaging to family and friends; cash transfers; and airport transportation.

For more information on Travel Guard's complete line of travel insurance and assistance services plans, visit www.TravelGuard.com.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS: GIRLS’ GETAWAY INTERRUPTED**
Laurie W. and her two daughters realized the importance of travel insurance for common travel dilemmas during their summer family trip to Walt Disney World in Orlando, FL last year. Only one day into the trip, Laurie’s youngest daughter caught a virus, causing the entire family to miss out on the Disney fun. Not ready to cancel their entire long-awaited trip and lose the money they’d saved for the getaway, Laurie called a doctor to visit their hotel room. The physician prescribed antibiotics for her daughter, which, to Laurie’s astonishment, was not covered by her regular health insurance plan.

Laurie was reimbursed nearly $400 under the Cruise Tour and Travel program for the visit and prescription, proving that the smallest medical expenses can be an issue even when traveling within the U.S. And with the high fuel cost and the state of the economy today, the family truly appreciated the ease of strain on their pocketbook during the medical predicament.