Stagnant sales can be unmotivated in any industry, but especially the travel one during the booming summer season. Many travel agents cannot quite process why people begin to travel more, but their sales do not begin to increase proportionately. And the answer is not as simple as losing business to online giants; it is actually much more internal and controllable, stemming from the way in which agents position their services to existing and potential clients. So, here is a list of travel agent must-dos for noticeable increases in sales:
Find a reliable host travel agency
Being a beginner in travel industry without travel business experience you may not even know about all the resources, travel agents events that go on, no connections and contracts with vendors & suppliers. In this case it's highly recommended to find the host travel agency. Good, reliable host travel agencies offer foundations and back up for the beginners as well as for advanced travel agents.
Host travel agencies are great option for many beginners who don't know how to start travel agency business.
Establish your brand value
With existing and rising competition, it is important to distinguish your travel services from other available ones. As an independent travel agent, ask yourself what makes your offers stand out. Whether it is 24/7 customer service, a specific language, or a focus on a particular destination that you pride yourself in knowing or employing well, make sure that your customers are aware of it. This will make your business stand out and attract more customers, especially those in need of your specific offerings.
Upsell travel services
An interesting way to make your product offerings more creative is to offer additions to the client’s initial product of interest. For example, if your client is interested in traveling to a specific resort in Mexico, you may want to offer a unique room upgrade and exciting tour that they may not know of, explaining to them the benefits of booking both. This will not only make their trip more fulfilling and memorable, but also increase your commissions and attach your brand name to every aspect of their trip. If someone asks how them how they got a room with such an amazing view, they will refer them back to you.
Engage with your market
With the modern-day prevalence of social media, it is important to stay in the loop with upcoming market trends and client tastes. Investing a fraction of your time into building a travel agent social media account can attract many new clients and drive sales, raising awareness about your business and the unique product offerings that you sell.
Build your network
Expanding your travel network and professional relationships is critical to broadening your business and sales. Search up a few travel agent events in your area or even in a different state or country (if you want to use networking as an opportunity to travel). Events can even be viewed online via streaming. Sharing ideas, learning about others’ travel business experiences, and building meaningful connections is more powerful thank you may imagine- it can open up new doors for your business and allow you to meet people that can connect you with novel clients and business endeavors.
Invest in technology
Avoiding technology is a huge pitfall for travel businesses; after all, technology will keep innovating and your travel agency will only remain decades behind. Investing in and learning about technology that may help both you and your clients not only creates for a more efficient business, but also adds value to your product offerings, making clients more likely to buy specifically from you.