New trade panel helps Virgin Voyages make ‘meaningful’ changes

Virgin Voyages says a new agency advisory panel has helped the cruise line and its distribution arm, Voyage Store, to improve the way they work with agents.

The panel, developed with Virgin Voyages’ UK sales team, is a dedicated forum for agents to provide feedback on Voyage Store – the preferred distributor of Virgin Voyages packages to the trade.

Voyage Store gives agents access to a 24/7 online quoting tool, weekly marketing materials and a dedicated support team.

It also enables agents to include flights from main hub and regional departure points; to add pre- and post-cruise hotel stays and transfers; and earn 16% commission on the full package.

The panel includes a mix of retail agents and homeworkers, alongside representatives from Voyage Store and Virgin Voyages.

They met recently met at Virgin Red HQ in London, where agents offered feedback on how the platform supports their day-to-day selling, as well as identifying opportunities to improve ease of use and conversion.

Subsequent sessions are set to take place on an annual basis with a different range of agents.

SJ Walker, Virgin Voyages’ UK sales director, said: “We’ve always had a close relationship with our First Mates [agents], and the panel takes things a step further by giving them a direct line into how we shape our tools and the way we work.

“What’s been really valuable is the level of detail in the feedback. It’s not just big-picture ideas, it’s the practical things that make a difference when agents are quoting and converting bookings day in, day out.

“That’s already led to meaningful changes in Voyage Store, and there’s more to come.

“For us, it’s about making it easier to sell Virgin Voyages. If we can remove friction and give agents something that works the way they need it to, that benefits everyone.”

Feedback gathered through the panel has already led to enhancements within Voyage Store, including the addition of more regional departure points, plus updates to marketing materials to better reflect how agents present quotes to customers.

Pictured from left, top row: Greg Warner (Not Just Travel), Vanessa Knights (Just Travel Ltd), Kieran Miller (Magical Traveller), Yatin Patel (Aqua Voyage), Daniel Griese (Independent Travel Experts) and Jenny Lyons (Virgin Voyages). Bottom row:  Rachel Martin and Claire Whelan (Voyage Store), Katrina Pike (Hays Travel), Nathan Rose (Not Just Travel) and Sean Snazell (Hays Travel)