9th July 2024
Co-founder of The Travel Franchise and Not Just Travel Paul Harrison has taken 95 franchisees and staff on a company cruise on board Virgin Voyages’ Scarlet Lady around the Med.
The trip is not only a great opportunity for the travel consultants to experience the cruise firsthand – and hence make it easier for them to sell – but it’s also a chance for them to attend a series of workshops that teach them how to master the art of selling a cruise.
The pioneering ‘Seminar at Sea’ is the fourth cruise organised by the company’s Cruise Division which was set up in 2022 with the aim of educating and training agents to take full advantage of the growing cruise market. Since then, the company has seen cruise sales soar, and the trend continues unabated.
According to the latest statistics from Cruise Lines International Association, the leading voice of the global cruise community, cruise holidays continue to be one of the fastest-growing and most resilient sectors of tourism.
Alongside the sector’s growth, cruise holidays also command some of the highest commissions in the travel industry and it’s an area where agents are in demand - 73% of cruise travellers say their travel advisor has a meaningful impact on their cruise holiday.
But agents need to be aware of the complexities that often come with booking a cruise: namely the need to be familiar with the hundreds of cruise lines on offer and the thousands of cruise ships available, not to mention the choice of cabin; the choice of package and the choice of itinerary.
On this Seminar at Sea agents get to experience Virgin Voyages’ “Irresistible Med” itinerary and attend intensive training workshops delivered by leading cruise experts, plus they are learning hands-on techniques and game-changing strategies to boost their cruise bookings.
They can also meet Not Just Travel’s brand ambassador Hayley Sparkes, who is sharing presenting techniques and on-screen confidence strategies.
Says Harrison: “Our Seminar at Sea is always hosted by one of our incredible key trade cruise partners and is our ultimate investment in people; we pay for our consultants to open their eyes to the endless possibilities within the cruise market and the results are incredible.”
The training clearly works. After just a few days six franchisees had made bookings despite the jam-packed itinerary.
Other consultants within the company who have become top cruise sellers have also made some big bookings this year including:
With some cruises generating 15 per cent commission, it’s no wonder our cruise training trips are popular!
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21st August 2023
"This month so far we’ve paid more commission to our travel franchisees than ever before. Sales are simply staggering,”
'The Travel Franchise offers you everything you need to create a successful travel business and to be your own boss. It’s hard work, but starting a new business is within any sector. The growth in the business and quality of the training and materials you are equipped with really puts you in a superb position to build a fantastic travel business.
I did £340k of turnover in my first year. I’m now looking for my next challenge, reaching 1 million turnover by the end of year 2.
'I’ve more time with my family now. I have more time to get away with my family. It’s given me a new lease of life and something to be joyful about.
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