Cruise lines ‘will scrap commission’
Travel professionals believe cruise lines will follow the lead of the airlines and scrap commission payments.
Speaking at a YouTravel.com/Travelmole industry debate, homeworking agent Audrey Singh said it was already difficult for agents to compete with the deals available online.
Singh, a consultant with Hays Travel, added: “We are being pushed all the time to sell more cruises, but I don’t see how agents can make money on them when they are being so heavily discounted online.â€
Freeways Travel sales director Ben Braude predicted: “In the future cruise companies will only have nett fares; they are five years behind the airlines in dropping commission payments.â€
He said agents who want to continue selling cruises will have to charge a booking fee, as they do for air fares.
YouTravel.com sales and marketing director Paul Riches agreed. “It is going to go the same way as the States where almost all prices are nett.â€
by Linsey McNeill
Phil Davies
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