Avoya Travel has reported substantial growth in the size of the Avoya Network in 2022. The brand attributes the majority of the growth to new-to-travel independent agency affiliations, which are up over 28 percent year-to-date compared to 2021, and over 10 percent compared to 2020. These figures translate to an 18 percent increase in total Avoya Network size compared to year-end 2021.
Over 85 percent of the new affiliations in 2022 are new to the travel industry, and new affiliates are already enjoying success in 2022. As of July 1, new affiliate sales in 2022 are up 139 percent compared to new affiliates during the same timeframe in 2021.
With the substantial rise in demand that arose during the pandemic for independent contracting opportunities and the ability to earn income remotely, Avoya has capitalized on the trend by re-initiating a campaign to encourage new-to-travel independent agencies to affiliate their businesses with Avoya. After these efforts were put on hold in May 2020 so Avoya could focus its support efforts on its long-term independent agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic, the brand re-engaged the campaign in late 2021. As a result, year-to-date lead generation for new affiliates is over triple the amount compared to 2021, reaching its highest peak in five years.
Avoya touts its agency support and services as a driving factor in the Network growth. “After many people lost or re-thought their jobs during the pandemic, they’re seeing the pent-up demand for travel and deciding now is the perfect opportunity to become a business owner, and they see affiliation with Avoya as the best choice to take their businesses seriously,” said Skip Fortier, VP of network expansion at Avoya Travel.
The “Mastermind Foundations for Early Success” program was launched in 2022 and is designed to coach newly affiliated independent agencies to achieve early success with Avoya Live Leads. The program offers motivational support, a dedicated Facebook page, and best practice sharing in a community of agency peers to help build successful business practices through proven methods and a realistic process. Avoya’s brand sales department focuses on helping independent agencies increase their sales at a supplier-specific level through sales coaching, small-group collaboration, and offering other strategic insights aimed at supporting agencies on an individual supplier partner basis. Avoya has also introduced several events this year to support independent agency sales growth including a “Virtual Hotel Event,” “Virtual Luxury Forum” and “Virtual New Independent Agency” event.
Avoya Travel will have booths from its network expansion team onsite at both the ASTA Global Convention and CruiseWorld trade events later this year.
For more details, visit www.avoyanetwork.com.
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