Agents should use special occasions as a way of encouraging customers to “splurge” on luxury holidays, according to the senior director of UK sales at Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Paul Beale told a Travel Weekly webcast using anniversaries or birthdays is a “great way” to introduce clients to more high-end holidays, as they are more willing to spend more if they are celebrating.
He said they will “keep coming back” once they have experienced a luxury holiday for the first time.
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“Special occasions like anniversaries or birthdays are a big thing for us as people will splurge on them,” said Beale.
“It’s a great way to capture new people when they want to have that special occasion and then suddenly they’ll realise it isn’t actually as expensive as they previously thought it would have been.
“Once you get people on board, they’ll keep coming back… and they’ll stay forevermore.”
Beale encouraged agents to explain the benefits of booking with Regent Seven Seas Cruises, such as the included flights and shore excursions, as customers will not need to pay any additional costs after embarking.
“One of the most important jobs as a travel agent partner is to upgrade a client’s holiday without making them spend much more, and that’s what they can do [with us],” said Beale.
“They should [compare] what the customer normally spends on a cruise-only booking and then what they spend on board.
“It’s not about what they spend to get on the ship, it’s what they spend to get off the ship, and with us what they pay to the travel agent up front is all they pay.”