Unforgettable Travel Group is planning to host agents on small-ship cruises in 2024 as part of a drive to increase its focus on travel agents.
The company operates four brands – Unforgettable Travel Company, Unforgettable Croatia, Unforgettable Greece and Cruise Croatia – and plans to launch a fifth brand in June.
Graham Carter, co-founder and commercial director, said the company has been dealing in a “reactive” way with agents, perhaps if the agency clients found the brand after a Google search, for example.
It has been making £3.6 million a year by booking via agents with this reactive strategy but now aims to be more proactive with a dedicated partnerships team led by senior European specialist Pietro Molica-Lazzaro (pictured).
More: Cruise Croatia announces 2024 small-ship cruising programme
Pietro has been promoted to partnerships manager, having been with the company for four years. Before joining Unforgettable, he worked at Sardatur Holidays and Tastes of Italy.
The company plans an agent portal, plus educational resources, white label social media assets, window displays, trade-friendly brochures, email marketing templates, a loyalty club, incentives, joint marketing and fam trips.
Rather than dedicated fam trips which operate at the start or end of a sailing season, agents will be able to have a cabin on a sailing with customers in the summer months, Carter added.
About 60 places will be made available next year.
“Cruises with guests are best in July and August; we want to keep it real and for the agents to have fun,” he added.
The group has about 400 agents on its database and is looking to work with more of those who sell in the luxury sector.
Carter commented: “We’re seeing double-digit monthly growth from our agent partners. There’s been a huge increase in consumer demand for small-ship cruising, so we know this investment into a trade specific team and agent resources will be worthwhile.”
Molica-Lazzaro added: “Our aim is to build a strong and happy community of travel agents because of the personalised service we can offer them, and the fantastic product we can offer our mutual guests. I feel privileged to be leading on the growth of our agent channel at such an exciting time.”