Whether it’s for Legoland Windsor or Disneyworld Orlando, there’s plenty a canny travel agent can do with a theme park booking. Linsey McNeill offers some tips
1. Add tickets to list of extras
Remember to add theme park tickets to the list of holiday extras you push at the point of sale. When checking if someone wants airport parking, car hire, resort transfers and insurance, mention that you sell tickets to theme parks in their chosen destination.
2. Push overnight visits
Persuade clients to think of visits to British theme parks as more than just a day trip. Alton Towers, which has two on-site hotels, is trying to promote itself as a resort, rather than just a theme park.
“We think people could spend two or three days here,” said a spokeswoman. Overnight accommodation costs from £31 per person per night.
3. Show clients the savings
Let clients know they will save money if they book tickets in advance. Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets has Ultimate Tickets allowing unlimited access to all Disney parks in Florida for £196 (£169 for kids) for two weeks. The ticket, which can only be bought in the UK, costs less than half the price of tickets bought in resort.
4. Buy tickets, not vouchers
“Book with an operator that provides actual tickets, so clients don’t have to queue at a voucher exchange kiosk,” said Keith Prowse managing director Deirdre Finnegan.
5. Get with the programme
Join the recently launched Keith Prowse Attraction Tickets Training Academy, a comprehensive online training programme that provides detailed information on theme parks and other attractions in 42 countries. There’s also a competition to win a holiday to Florida.
6. Sell add-ons
Look for other products to sell with theme park tickets to boost your commission. For example, tag a couple of nights in a hotel on to Legoland Windsor tickets, plus a trip to Windsor Castle and a bus tour, and you’ve got a package worth £300 booked through Holiday Extras. That’s worth up to £30 to you.
7. Think small
Don’t just think about major theme parks, such as Disneyland Resort Paris and Legoland. There are lots of smaller ones, which are often less crowded and cheaper than the big name parks. For example, Parc Asterix is only a short drive from Disneyland Paris and tickets cost from €37 Disney tickets start at €49.
8. Spot the offers
Stay up to date with all the latest deals and discounts. For example, Legoland Windsor has a new ‘kids go free’ offer through Holiday Extras, which is offering park entry and hotel accommodation for a family of four from £117.
9. Know your rides
Find out which parks have new attractions that might tempt customers to stay longer. A chance to ride on the tallest, fastest, scariest white-knuckle ride might turn an overnight trip into a two-night stay.
10. Upsell, upsell, upsell
A trip to a theme park is the sort of treat kids get to celebrate a special occasion, which is your chance to persuade visitors to upgrade. For example, suggest swapping the three-star Premier Travel Inn at £175 for two nights for the four-star Runnymede Hotel, which costs £295.
11. Sell e-tickets
“Use an operator that issues e-tickets,” advised Attraction World head of attractions Gail Dunwoodie. “This avoids paper tickets getting lost in the post. E-tickets can be e-mailed (thus saving cost) and if the customer leaves without their print- out it can be e-mailed or faxed to them while they are on holiday.”
12. Know your market
Not all theme parks are the same, so make sure every member of staff knows what’s on offer at each one and which age range they appeal to. For example, Legoland is aimed at younger children, while the white-knuckle rides at Alton Towers are more suited to teenagers and adults.
13. Think worldwide
So strong is the Disney brand that you’d be forgiven for thinking France and the US were the only countries with theme parks, but there are others all around the world including Spain, Holland, Germany, Hong Kong and Australia.
14. Look for all inclusive deals
Packages including tickets and accommodation can work out great value for families, said Superbreak Mini-Holidays sales director Ian Mounser. The operator offers an overnight stay at the Travelodge Chessington for a family of four plus park entry for £162.
15. Book the right hotels
Make sure clients who don’t want to drive in the US book a hotel that offers free transportation to the theme parks. Virgin Holidays points out that most, though not all, Orlando hotels offer transport to some or all of the theme parks. Busch Gardens and Orlando Flextickets include transport to Tampa.
16. Jump the queues
Holidaymakers might be put off the popular theme parks by reports of long queues, but remind them that some, such as Disney, allow visitors to reserve places on rides in advance of their visit.
17. Lounge around
Anyone who books an Orlando Flexticket with a Virgin Holidays package gets free entry to the airline’s Vroom lounge at Gatwick.
18. Offer day trips
Even if the main purpose of a holiday isn’t to visit a theme park, customers will often make a day trip when they arrive in resort. More than 70% of visitors to the Costa Dorada go to PortAventura in Salou.
19. Promote low-season breaks
There are some excellent deals for those prepared to travel outside peak periods. PortAventura has a 14-day ticket for the price of three days until the end of April, which costs £62 (£50 for children) through Attraction World.
20. Shout about it
Customers might not realise you sell theme park tickets and packages, so let them know with window displays, mailshots and local advertising.
- Related training:Worlds of Discovery parks on TWacademy
