Around 15,000 UK agents have engaged with Virgin Voyages and signed up to its ‘Seacademy’ learning platform since its launch, according to the line’s UK boss.
The line’s only vessel to have launched so far, Scarlet Lady, was based in Portsmouth last summer rather than Miami as a result of the pandemic, giving the trade a chance to experience the ship first-hand.
Associate vice president Shane Lewis-Riley told a Travel Weekly webcast the line had attracted “a huge proportion” of agents and trade sales had increased by a “double digits” percentage in the last six months.
He said: “Because of our UK sailings we’ve had a significant increase in our trade distribution. We’ve had a lot more travel agents sign up to do business with us.
“The ones that are signed up to do business with us really want to accelerate their partnership.”
Lewis-Riley said agents recognised that Virgin Voyages offers “really strong earning potential” and that the line “took care” of customers during the pandemic.
“That’s paid dividends now,” he said. “We kept our team active, we did not furlough our team, we were timely with refunds, we protected commissions, and we offered $200 future voyage credit.
“All of those things have made people realise that, if that’s how Virgin Voyages can be there for them in the dark times, think what we can do with them when the times are good”
Increased trade engagement encouraged Virgin Voyages to expand its UK-based team from four to eight people, added Lewis-Riley, who revealed the line is increasing commission to 22% during Wave.
The new appointments include two business development executives focusing on the north and south of the country.
Of the 15,000 agents signed up to Seacademy, Lewis-Riley said “a large proportion” had not booked a Virgin Voyages sailing yet.
However, he added: “We‘re going through the education process to get them over the line for the first time. What we do know is when people book that first voyage they book their second, third and fourth.
“The hardest part is getting them over the line that first time.”
Scarlet Lady will be joined by Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady next year. Valiant Lady has already been delivered to the line and will launch early next year with a series of sailings out of Portsmouth from March to May.
Resilient Lady – the line’s third ship – will offer Greek Island sailings from August to October next year.
Looking back at 2021, Lewis-Riley said: “We recovered the year well. We never expected 2021 to be the year that it’s turned out to be.
“In the first half of the year, we thought ‘what on earth are we going to get out of it’ but we managed to have an amazing year.”