Travel Industry and Tourism Expert

Specialties & Experience of this Expert Witness

Additional Information

Travel Industry Expert Experience and Qualifications I have thirty (30) years of experience in the Travel Industry, all of which was acquired while working for the American Automobile Association (AAA), the largest leisure travel organization in North America. While employed at AAA, Automobile Club of Southern California (ACSC) from the 1980s through 2012, I worked as a Seller of Travel in the capacity of a Travel Agent, Group Tour and Cruise Specialist (Tour Operator) in Group Operations, and also in the capacity of a Manager / Supervisor when overseeing and managing the AAA employed travel agents, Group Tour and Cruise Reservation Agents, and when dealing and interacting with outside tour operators / suppliers who sold travel products to AAA Travel. I first started working in the Travel Industry as a AAA Travel Agent in southern California. All of the AAA Travel Agencies and Travel Departments throughout the state of California (AAA of California) were state licensed Sellers of Travel. For ten years, I worked as an award- winning, top-producing Travel Agent for AAA. As a Travel Agent, I sold domestic and foreign travel packages. I also educated travelers on trip planning, travel advisories, itinerary review, travel insurance, and terms and conditions. I prepared destination research and planning documents for travelers, and participated in continuing travel education seminars, cruises and tours. I also worked with Tour Operators to determine liability to the traveler. I attended several seminars, workshops and AAA University as part of my training, where I was taught and advised tips to prepare travelers for the travel abroad, on the current travel industry practices, including those applicable to travel agents, tour operators, and management of travel staff. I received continuing education and training at “AAA U” throughout my tenure at AAA. I was appointed to the position of Regional Travel Manager and managed fourteen (14) AAA Travel Agencies in Southern California. My responsibilities included developing and implementing marketing strategies, coaching and training 14 Travel Agency Managers and District Managers in effective sales management, marketing, promotion, and customer service, coproduction of corporate and local trade shows, and negotiating international and domestic Cruise and Tour packages. One of the long-standing “best practices” at AAA was the Travel Sellers’ (travel agents, tour operators) responsibility to provide essential travel information, destination-specific information, disclose to the customer any information which may affect a customer’s travel plans, including VISA information, inoculations, weather conditions, hazardous exposures, and any applicable State Department advisories. Since 2012, I formed the Forensic Travel Expert, Travel Litigation and Trial, Consulting Firm of Diana Price and Associates. This practice is focused on Travel Seller / Travel Agency Operations across the globe and I serve as an expert travel consultant on litigation cases involving international and domestic tourism and travel seller / agency operations. I generally review 3-5 travel related cases per year as a Travel Consultant, during which I review the applicable travel industry publications and industry standards. I am familiar with travel industry standards of care of travel sellers, including travel agents and tour operators.