If all the news from travel agency networks this week is any sign of how the industry is faring, well, then things are going pretty well, and the future should be looking even better.
Among the top news, at its first annual event for owners and managers since being acquired by Navigatr Group, Ensemble’s leadership team presented its vision for the future of the consortium. President Michael Johnson underscored several areas where Ensemble (now stylized as "ensemble") would focus its energy, including technology, member relations, supplier relations, training and development, marketing, and data monetization.
Elsewhere, Avoya Travel at its 2022 Conference shared plans to debut a new air booking engine interface as well as a dedicated air desk, both of which will be integrated into Avoya’s patented SaaS technology, Agent Power. The beta version of the new platform is planned for initial launch in Q4 of 2022; it’s expected to make the Avoya platform a “true one-stop-shop” for the entire vacation planning and booking experience.
Also from the world of running-your-business, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) announced its strategic partnership with Travel Industry Solutions (TIS). Travel advisor and agency members based in the United States now have access to TIS’ legal agreements, such as terms and conditions, waivers and other contracts necessary for running a protected agency. As well, Amadeus has joined Travalyst, a not-for-profit sustainable travel organization. The company is developing a framework of shared principles and preferred methodology for reporting sustainability—with the ultimate goal of bringing sustainable travel into the mainstream.
Digging Into the Data
In other good signs for the industry, a recent study by the Family Travel Association (FTA) in collaboration with the NYU School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality has found that 85 percent of parents are very likely to travel with their children in the next 12 months—with travel intent this year higher than in 2019. In terms of types of trips, beach vacations (66 percent), city vacations (65 percent), and visiting friends and family (61 percent) were the top three.
From Airlines Reporting Corp. (ARC): Accredited travel agency air ticket sales totaled $7.3 billion in September 2022, a 129 percent year-over-year increase from 2021. That said, month-over-month, numbers were a bit flat. Total sales and total passenger trips were up 1 percent and down 2 percent, respectively, compared to August.
Those numbers are expected to increase, however, as we head into the holiday season. To find the best deals for your clients, Expedia and ARC have shared their “2023 Air Travel Hacks Report.” This details:
- The best day of the week to book airfare and catch the lowest prices
- The sweet spot for booking airfare
- How to minimize the risk of being impacted by delays and cancelations
- Tools for finding the best fares
Cruises Arrive at New Homeports
This week, Valiant Lady—the second ship in Virgin Voyages’ fleet—has joined Scarlet Lady in Miami. From there, it will operate six- and eight-night itineraries that visit Roatan, San Juan and St. Croix, as well as the brand’s Beach Club at Bimini.
In addition, Celebrity Beyond arrived in New York City, from which it will sail a series of Caribbean voyages. Celebrity Beyond is Celebrity Cruises’ newest ship, and is home to such facilities as The Retreat, an exclusive resort-within-a-resort area for suite guests highlighted by a two-story sundeck; a Rooftop Garden with cantilevered float pools and sunken seating areas; a multi-level, multi-terraced Sunset Bar; and the Grand Plaza, spanning three decks at the center of the ship.
Looking to 2023, Azamara will return to Venice (beginning April 3) as part of Azamara Journey’s "12-Night The Best of The Med Voyage." The line’s entire four-ship fleet will have access to the Venetian Lagoon ports of Chioggia and Fusina.
And, new for Variety Cruises, the line will be adding Tahiti as its newest destination next year. Starting in January, Variety will sail seven- and 10-night itineraries roundtrip from Papeete to visit the Society Islands of French Polynesia. The company is the first cruise line to add the destination of Makatea to its official itinerary.
In other cruise news, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) UK & Ireland has announced that its “RiverView Conference 2023” will take place from March 12-14 in the Austrian capital city of Vienna. It will highlight the latest river cruise ships, information and selling advice. The event is open to all CLIA member advisors and will include multiple ship visits, key speaker sessions as well as a trade fair.
In the Land of Luxury
In the luxury space, both Four Seasons and Mandarin Oriental announced upcoming properties in China. The former will be located on a private island in Jinji Lake, Suzhou. Slated to open in late 2023, the hotel will have just over 200 rooms, suites and villas, as well as a spa, gym, lakeside jogging track, indoor and outdoor pools, and more. The latter, set to debut in 2028, will comprise 267 guestrooms and suites as well as a club lounge in Tianfu, a modern Business District south of Chengdu.
If you have clients with tight connections, United Airlines and Jaguar would like to come to the rescue. Starting this month at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, select MileagePlus Premier members can avail of chauffeured rides between their connecting aircraft in the 2023 Jaguar I-PACE HSE, the first all-electric performance SUV from Jaguar. The vehicles will go into service at United hubs in Denver, Houston, Newark/New York, Washington D.C., San Francisco and Los Angeles by the end of the year.
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