Agents have been urged to hone in on the experience element of a holiday to clinch a sale in the touring and luxury sectors.
Speaking on a panel at Fred Olsen’s annual conference, Claire Brighton, account director of the Association of Touring & Adventure Suppliers (Atas), said: “The experiences touring and adventure holidays can offer are so wide-ranging; it would be unusual not to find an experience one of your customers is looking for.”
Agents do not need to explain “straight away” the holiday is by coach, for example, she said, adding that many Atas members limited the time clients spent on board.
Riviera Travel key account manager for the UK and Ireland Lloyd Morris highlighted the authentic experiences available.
“It might be afternoon tea at Reid’s Palace Hotel that you might not be able to do on a [standard] tour of Madeira,” he said.
Mark Godden, sales manager south, Oceania Cruises, said the small ship experience allowed clients to indulge specific interests in a way they could not on other holidays.
“It might be a culinary sailing along the coast of Japan or doing yoga at sunrise. We want to help agents communicate that to customers,” he said.