City Cruises is looking to stimulate annual growth in trade sales of 10% from this year.
The Thames river tour specialist is developing its technology to help drive up agency sales and make it easier for third parties to make bookings.
Kyle Haughton, managing director, said it was important to create a portal for the trade, but said XML technology was also being developed so agents could integrate their systems with City Cruises so bookings could be made on agent and operator websites.
He said dining sailings have sold well through the trade while day-time sightseeing cruises tended to be spur-of-the-moment purchases.
However, he encouraged agents to see London bookings in a similar light to foreign trips and to think about add-ons.
“For most agents in the north, London will be one of their top five destinations and it should be treated like any other outbound booking.
“Agents should be thinking past accommodation and transport. This is a commission opportunity. The trade is steadily growing for us and I’d like to see growth of 10% each year.”
City Cruises offers a 10% base commission with the chance to earn up to 20%. Call centre staff are also being increased to help agents.
The operator is expanding with extra capacity on the River Thames. It is introducing two new products as well as more sailings for its Riverdays and Show Boat dining sailings.
It has seen 22% growth year on year and is introducing a new Thames Circular Cruise and a second Thamesjet RIB ride to capitalise on its growth.
The new RIB, BlueLightning, will start operations following the success of the original boat BlueThunder which launched in September.
The new RIB will be available for booking from March. During the summer the jet-powered RIBs will operate seven days a week with up to four trips a day during the school holidays.
The new circular route, launching in April, will involve the £250,000 revamp of the traditional Eleanor Rose which will operate a 45-minute round trip seven times a day from Tower Pier.
City Cruises is also increasing capacity by taking the Riverdays lunch and afternoon tea sailing from three days a week to five. The evening Showboat cruises will also increase from fives days a week to seven.