Agents seeing cruise trips as ‘jollies’ have no place in today’s industry
Freeloading travel agents who regard cruise trips as jollies have no place in today’s travel industry, delegates were told at this year’s CLIA UK & Ireland Selling Cruise Conference in Southampton.
Independent agent Phil Nuttall, who runs Blackpool-based agency The Cruise Village and chairs the association’s travel agent advisory council, said there was a huge opportunity for cruise lines to rethink familiarisation trips for those agents prepared to use social media to showcase them to clients.
"If you are serious about the business, it is not acceptable to take a freebie and do nothing," he told the audience.
"Agents need to experience cruises, but they have a responsibility and duty to report and share their experiences with customers."
Utilising new technology and continuing to innovate were two of the main messages of this year’s Cruise Lines International Association event, with Celebrity Cruises senior vice-president of sales and trade support, Dondra Ritzenthaler telling agents to stand out with their businesses and be different.
"You have to evolve," she urged. "You have to be willing to jump out, take a chance and do something different. Don’t be afraid to fail."
She cited the rise of millennial travellers, aged 18-25, who she claimed had $226 million to spend and were more likely than other age groups to book through travel agents – but only those they trust and regard as experts.
*This year’s conference was the fastest-selling in its nine-year history and the largest so far with 580 delegates.
The number of travel agents attending jumped by nearly 25% to 370. The three-day event sold out in record time and around 200 agents who applied for tickets had to be turned away.
In 2016, the conference will celebrate its 10th anniversary.
Diane
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