Barrhead Travel’s Jacqueline Dobson says agents’ expertise will shine during uncertainty
As we career towards our first proper peaks season since the pandemic, it might feel easy to get caught up in swathes of sales messaging.
Free upgrades…flash sales…onboard credit…kids travel free – these are all the usual messages we can expect to have access to. They are fantastic, as they really are a crucial factor in securing bookings and encouraging customers to book early, but they shouldn’t be your only focus.
It goes without saying that this January will be one of the most important booking periods we’ve had for some time. It’s going to set the scene for 2023 and will indicate the strength of consumer travel appetite for the year ahead, which I have no doubt will be high.
Nevertheless, businesses will be keen for a busy January and will be using all the tools in their armoury to persuade customers to book with them.
Avoid race to the bottom
Despite the current climate and the challenges we’re navigating, as an industry we must not allow a race to the bottom for travel pricing and services. This is particularly true for travel agents – whether you’re an independent homeworker or an advisor working for a large agency.
Excessive discounting can devalue our services and the products we are selling. It can be tempting to promise rock-bottom prices or discount beyond your means to secure a customer. But racing to the bottom will neither benefit your business financially nor boost your long-term reputation.
Yes, there’s a place for promotions and offers. They can help garner excitement and, used effectively, can be a brilliant short-term sales tool.
But cheapening travel experiences comes with great risk. What we should be focusing on is driving value.
Too often, we conflate value with cheapness – and, while there’s absolutely a place for cheap and cheerful getaways, most customers will be looking for solutions that maximise their budgets as opposed to minimising their spend.
All-inclusive, cruise and multi-centre trips are a great way to help customers manage their budgets and are proving to be top-sellers at the moment for our own clientele. Looking at how you can build in attractions, transfers, car hire and airport parking are other effective ways to extend monetary value to your booking.
Tap into the human touch
But travel is more than just about money. There’s a deeper connection associated with travel experiences, and the human touch is central to this. Having a real person who can reliably organise your travel plans, who is there at the end of the phone when something goes wrong or who can simply offer some perspective or inspiration for a future trip is invaluable. And demand for hyper‑personal service is only increasing.
The research for the year ahead is promising: customers are not planning on compromising on holidays. It will be the last luxury to go. According to Abta’s recent Holiday Habits report, almost one-third of people will spend more money on holidays as this year – while 46% will maintain this year’s budget, meaning that there’s great scope for selling – and upselling – quality products to your clients. One thing is clear – people want their money to go further.
I believe the best thing we can be promoting this season is our expertise and services. A good travel agent is no longer a commodity but a necessity – and it’s time to bring that message to the forefront of our peaks campaigns.
Travel agents are embarking on a new chapter. This is an era where expertise and financial protection are prized above all else. Clients don’t want to be transient either: in the same way we seek out a great hairdresser or financial advisor, having a reliable travel agent to call upon is priceless.
This January, let’s make a new year’s resolution as an industry to upsell our skills, services, expertise – and leave no room for doubt that by far the best way to book a holiday is with a reputable travel agent.