Happy Travel Agent Day! To help you get the most out of the day, we’ve rounded up the top tools and incentives for agents looking to take advantage of the festivities today.
ASTA Toolkit
The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), who is organizing Travel Agent Day, is offering travel agents a toolkit aimed at helping agents celebrate today. The toolkit includes a number of social shareables to spruce up your social media post; a link to an advocacy portal to connect with local and federal lawmakers on issues of importance to travel agents; and tips on connecting with local media on the importance of travel agents.
Travel agents can access the toolkit here.
Top 10 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent
In honor of the day, we’re bringing back a perennial favorite: a list of 10 reasons to share with prospective clients who are debating whether to use a live travel agent to book their vacation or go it alone using the Internet.
You can get the open letter here.
Travel Leaders Fact Sheet
Travel Leaders has rounded up a number of stats on the importance of travel agents into an easy-to-use fact sheet. The research runs the gamut from the overall travel industry’s impact on the economy to a look at the growth in the use of travel agents over the past few years.
Agents can download a .pdf of the fact sheet here.
Five Percent Bonus Commission From Denihan Hospitality
Travel agents can get an extra five percent commission when booking today at any of the flagship brands for Denihan Hospitality: The James, The Surrey, Affinia Hotels and Suites and The Benjamin. Refer to the special rate code TVLDAY to receive the bonus commission. In addition to the bonus commission, Denihan will also provide all customers who place a reservation with an agent up to a 15 percent discount off their room rate and Wi-Fi access.
Bonus Cash From The Mark Travel Corporation
The Mark Travel Corporation is also running an incentive for travel agents today. On May 2, the top booking agent per brand will be awarded $125 Agent Bonus Cash. Brands include Funjet Vacations, United Vacations, Southwest Airlines Vacations and Blue Sky Tours.
The winner will be announced Tuesday, May 8, and agents must be a member of The Mark Travel Corporation’s Agent Bonus Cash Program to take advantage of Bonus Cash incentives. The travel window is May 3 through December 15.
Visit VAX Vacation Access
Collette’s Flash Sale and Agent Incentive
Tour operator Collette is offering a 10 day flash sale, kicking off today and running through May 11, as well as a travel agent incentive. The sale covers over 40 air-inclusive tours to Europe with rates starting from $1,648 per person; mention code EUROPE349. Additionally, agents will receive an extra $100 for every new retail booking during the sale.
Visit www.gocollette.com
Travel Appreciation Month at GOGO Vacations
All month long, GOGO Vacations will be celebrating Travel Agent Appreciation Month by giving away $30,000 in prizes. All bookings made and paid in full in May will qualify for an automatic entry, and four winners will receive: a five-night, all-inclusive hotel stay certificate for two; two airline tickets; and $1,000 in gift cards. Winners will be announced weekly on May 11, 18, 25 and June 1. The participating hotels are Casa de Campo Resort & Villas in the Dominican Republic, UNICO 20°87° Hotel Riviera Maya, Grand Velas Los Cabos and Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa in Jamaica.
Visit www.gogowwv.com
Bonus Commission From Avanti Destinations
Avanti Destinations is offering a $50 bonus commission on all bookings made through May 4. The Portland, Oregon-based wholesale tour operator creates and sells custom-built independent itineraries in Europe, Asia, Central and South America exclusively through travel agents.
For details travel agents can log on to www.avantidestinations.com or call 1-800-422-5053 to speak with a travel specialist.
Prizes From Travelex Insurance Services
Travel insurance provider Travelex Insurance Services is hosting a social media prize drawing that asks agents to describe a time they “saved the day for a client, helping them travel on.” All travel agents who tell their story on the Travelex Insurance Services Facebook page will have a chance to win a prize package valued at $387. Three winners will receive both of the following:
- The Bigger Carry-On suitcase by Away with ejectable battery phone charger and built-in TSA-approved combination lock ($245 value)
- Travelex’s Partner Advantage trip cancellation plan with trip cost coverage up to $2,000 and innovative fixed benefits ($142 value)
Travelex is accepting entries through May 9. Winners will be announced on May 14. See the official rules here. Travel agents can enter the contest on the Travelex Facebook page here.
Trafalgar’s #MayWeThankYou Campaign
Trafalgar is kicking off its month-long #MayWeThankYou campaign celebrating travel agents today. Today Trafalgar is planting 100 trees through One Tree Planted, a nonprofit focused on global reforestation, which Trafalgar said will accelerate the reforestation of 100 acres devastated from last year’s flood in California. The campaign continues throughout May with a number of additional rewards and incentives, including:
- #MayWeThankYou Mailer – Rewarding consumers for booking with travel agents and encouraging future loyalty, Trafalgar is sending out preaddressed and stamped ‘thank you’ postcards to past guests that can be sent to their favorite travel agent. Guests can also share the postcards via social media with the hashtag #MayWeThankYou to be entered to win a travel credit worth $1000 towards a future Trafalgar vacation bookable via their agent of choice
- Travel Cash To Green Trees – This month agents can choose to join the Trafalgar Tribe and skip the $25 Travel Cash regularly earned for each guest booked and choose to plant another tree with partner One Tree Planted instead
- Surprise and Delight – Agents should be on the look-out all month for a number of potential surprises, Trafalgar said, ranging from in-person gift deliveries to Starbucks gift cards to the chance to be featured as a standout travel agents on the Trafalgar’s social media channels
Exodus Travels’ Responsible Tourism Initiative
Finally, adventure tour operator Exodus Travels is celebrating by sharing the gift of adventure with kids who would otherwise go without. For every booking made during the month of May, the tour operator has pledged to send one additional child on an adventure with its responsible tourism initiative, The Inspiration Project.
The Inspiration Project provides local children with the opportunity to experience the same adventures as visitors to their countries, which they likely would never be able to afford to do, Exodus said. This year, Exodus has committed to sending 2,018 disadvantaged kids across the world on exciting, educational day trips. For many of these children, it is the first time they ever leave their villages or the place they grew up. They visit iconic sites, view wildlife, and learn more about their home country’s culture and history.
Organized by ASTA, the holiday aims to spotlight the value of travel agents on both social and traditional media. Tour operators and other travel suppliers typically offer special agent incentives and promotions on the day of and throughout the month of May, while organizations like ASTA and Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) celebrate with social media highlights and other events.
Related Stories
Top 10 Reasons to Use a Travel Agent
Nominate Yourself for Our 30Under30 of 2018