Avalon Waterways is launching a dedicated brochure for the UK market at the end of the month, on the back of agent demand.
It is also re-launching its popular Suite Rewards concession programme to get agents to experience a river cruise sailing for themselves.
Sales and marketing director Janet Parton said: “We listened to our travel agent partners about what they needed from us and one thing that kept coming up time and time again, was that they needed a brochure.
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“We stopped producing them for lots of reasons and there was a feeling internationally that we wouldn’t need to do it again. But for the UK market, it seems to be really important. So not only are we producing a dedicated one for this market, we have also given over the back page to why clients should book their cruise with a travel agent.
“It talks about how agents are the experts, how they are personal advocates and how they know the products and what would suit their customers better than anyone,” she said.
“We have invested a lot in this, but it appears to be the one thing agents say they need so we hope it will help them to sell more Avalon cruises.”
Nicki Tempest-Mitchell of Barrhead Travel agreed with the move, saying: “When I went ‘back to the floor’, it was clear that customers really wanted brochures. They want to take them home and look at them together round a coffee table. That hasn’t changed.”
Avalon is also re-instating its Suite Rewards programme to try and get more agents to experience its ships. The offer means agents can sail on pretty much any river cruise in 2023 for £665 per person, which includes all food, drink and excursions.
Parton said: “Our Suite Rewards programme allows agents to sail with us on their own holidays for a fraction of the price, and get everything included. We know they will be able to sell Avalon better once they have experienced it for themselves.”
She added that Avalon would also be running a fam trip later this year.
She was speaking from on board Avalon View where the line was hosting representatives from Barrhead, Advantage, Miles Morgan Travel and Cruise.co.uk on a three-day sailing from Budapest to Vienna.