Trade-only supplier Travel 2 will take the wraps off a new cruise programme next week as it looks to build stronger partnerships with agents.
Managing director Andy Freeth said he wanted to make Travel 2 “stickier” by giving agents more reasons to do business with it.
Cruise Plus launches after a period in which Travel 2 has been developing cruise product with preferred suppliers. It goes live on August 5. Partners include P&O Cruises, Cunard, Royal Caribbean International, Norwegian, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Silversea Cruises, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Azamara Club Cruises.
“Cruise has always been part of our portfolio. Over the last six to 12 months we have lined up better deals with several good partners and packaged that up for agents,” Freeth said.
Travel 2 has trained eight call centre staff in the tours team in Glasgow to focus on tailor-made cruise.
Gordon McCreadie, sales, marketing and commercial director, said there were no plans for a brochure this year. “This will add value in long-haul destinations – cruise as part of a bigger itinerary,” he said.
In another sector, car rental, Travel 2 does not plan to create a standalone product but is stressing to agents it has a strong presence following the trade exit of Holiday Autos.
“When a player pulls out of the market, as regrettable as that is for people involved, there will always be business to pick up,” Freeth said.
He added: “We’re looking at how we can be stickier to our agent partners. You have to build up trust for them to trust you with their clients’ hard-earned money. Travel 2 has that trust.”