Nominations for The Agent Achievement Awards close on April 6
An agent has bagged a bumper cruise booking after winning £2,000 at Travel Weekly’s Agent Achievement Awards.
Travel Counsellors’ Su Dillon secured the sale worth more than £11,500 for a group of first‑time cruisers after using the prize cash to host an open evening for customers and cruise lines.
The booking, an MSC cruise in the Caribbean, was for three couples who had attended the cruise evening. Held at the Village Hotel in Hull, it attracted 100 customers and eight cruise lines.
Dillon received the prize money for winning the Clia cruise promotion award at the Agent Achievement Awards last year.
Dillon, who has been with Travel Counsellors for 10 years, said she had also seen an upsurge in cruise enquiries following her event.
“The cruise evening was brilliant. It was such a great way to get feedback from my cruise customers, and those who had never cruised before.
“Since the evening, this year has been just bonkers. I am constantly busy and have had so many new cruise enquiries.
“I have also been doing a lot of switch-selling for customers who want to try cruising. They are realising their all‑inclusive holiday in the Canary Islands is the same price, but they can have a better experience on a cruise.
“If it wasn’t for the support of Andy [Harmer], the Clia team and Travel Counsellors head office, my cruise evening wouldn’t have been as successful as it was.”
After the event, Dillon used leftover cash from her Clia prize money to boost her social media presence with paid-for advertising.
“Getting to grips with social media has been the second part of my marketing plan and it has really boosted my presence online,” she said.
“Winning the Clia award has made a huge difference to my sales. It was so great to meet my clients face to face and introduce my cruise customers to non-cruise customers.”
Nominations for The Agent Achievement Awards close on April 6