National Travel Agent Day will be celebrated on Wednesday, May 2.But one veteran travel company, Austin Adventures, is tagging all of May as Travel Agent Appreciation Month.
Throughout the month, the leading artisan of worldwide multisport and family adventure travel scheduled a potpourri of programs just for the travel trade. Events and recognitions include an informative webinar along with month-long and weekly booking rewards and incentives.
“A major reason that we can enjoy and maintain our position as a leader in the world of active and adventure travel are the relationships we have with our travel agent partners. With this new millennium comes a new breed of counselor who is hip and knowledgeable about the market and their clients’ most passionate travel desires,” said Dan Austin, founder and President. “We’ve learned over the years that a good travel agent is worth their weight in gold. Our goal is to make each agent we work with, a hero to their customers -- and our lifelong friend.”
Austin speaks from a history of his company’s fulfilling relationships with travel agents. In 2014, the company was invited to join the Virtuoso Network as a designated Preferred Tour Operator and Partner. And just recently they became a Preferred Supplier with Valerie Wilson Travel. In 2017 Austin Adventures saw their travel agent-sourced bookings double over the previous year. They are on pace in 2018 to exceed last year’s travel agent business.
When asked why travel agents have embraced Austin Adventures as a top resource for active travel, Austin points to these factors;
· His company is expert at obtaining hard-to-get national park lodging at peak times with prime accommodations built into their tour itineraries
· They are a recognized leader in offering creative custom and private itineraries for clients; “if you can dream it, Austin Adventures can build it”
· Behind-the-scenes VIP access they enjoy thanks to the deep relationships the company has established with suppliers and partners
· Regularly acknowledged by the media, Austin Adventures sets a high bar when it comes to top quality family adventures and national park vacations
· Austin Adventures offers its unique brand of travel on all seven continents
· They have been engaging satisfied guests for over 35 years, recognized as a coveted two-time winner of Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Award for Adventure Tour Operators
Month-long Rewards
Throughout May, Austin Adventures will offer, beyond its 12 percent commission,these travel agentrewards, bonuses and incentives:
· A bonus $50 Amazon gift card to agents per person booked
· A $1,000 Amazon gift card awarded to the top selling agent in May
· A $50 Amazon gift card per person booked on agent-to-agent referrals (if one agent recommends them to another agent and a successful booking results, both the referring agent and referred-to agent receive a card)
· A $100 Amazon gift card to the agent who most successfully promotes Austin Adventures on their personal or agency Facebook page – the posting with the most interactions (likes, comments, etc.) “wins”
· A $500 Amazon gift card for most unusual and inspiring custom trip request that results in a successful booking (this bonus reward is on top of all the other incentives and commissions already being earned)
Revolving Weekly Booking Incentives
Every Tuesday morning in May, Austin Adventures will email and post online one or more of these incentives for agency clients to help close a travel agent’s sale:
· One complimentary pre-trip accommodation night for guests
· A $250 flight voucher for each individual traveler (based on specific itineraries)
· Booking incentives (coffee table book, other kinds of gifts and swag) for specific itineraries
· Book a group of 10 and two additional guests will go for free (to be passed on to the client)
· Plus other incentives as suggested by agents and staff throughout the month
For complete details and changing offers and incentives throughout May, please go to: http://info.austinadventures.com/travel-agent-appreciation-month.
Special Travel Agent Webinar
Agents are invited to register for and participate in aThursday May 3, 2018 webinar designed to assist them in product understanding and sales. It will be held from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time. For more information and to register, see: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/64680261331323650?source=aa.
This webinar will provide:
· An overview of Austin Adventures, past, present and future
· The company’s style and approach to active, adventure travel
· Company tools and resources to help agents attract clients and close a sale
· A review of May’s Travel Agent Appreciation Month Rewards and Incentives
· An opportunity for Q&A
“Today’s marketplace, dominated by the Internet has increased access to travel information but in turn has made the human expert more important than ever,” points out Austin. “Agents have access, resources and connections that would take the average traveler a lifetime to build. We love the role the travel agent fills for countless reasons.” Austin points to their Top Five reasons;
· Travel agents help tell their unique story to passionate travelers
· The opportunity for creative, synergistic initiatives like co-marketing and preferred supplier partnerships that will extend both of our brands and reach
· Agents, like Austin Adventures itself, are entrepreneurial, small business owners who can act fast and think out of the box
· Agents display a true passion for quality travel that rivals that of Austin Adventures’ own
· The best agents are travel ambassadors who inspire more people to travel more often, and to seek out new and captivating destinations, cultures and natural worlds
For more information on how Austin Adventures works with agents please see: https://www.austinadventures.com/travel-professionals/.
Austin Adventures’ 2018 catalog is available upon request. Please order ONLINE or call 1.800.575.1540 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. For a full roster of 2018 trips that is frequently updated beyond the print catalog please visit http://www.austinadventures.com.
About Austin Adventures
Based in Billings, Montana, Austin Adventures has spent more than 35 years building an international reputation as a top provider of luxury, small group, multisport tours for adults and families to the world’s most captivating destinations. Acknowledged twice by Travel + Leisure Magazine with the prestigious World’s Best Awards along with other national media accolades and distinctions. Austin Adventures has perfected the art of creating itineraries featuring exceptional regional dining, distinctive accommodations, incredible guides and exhilarating activities, all while keeping all-inclusive rates and services the norm. In addition to scheduled group departures on all seven continents, Austin Adventures has developed a reputation as the leader in customized trip planning and execution. All backed by the industry’s best money-back satisfaction guarantee.
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Media Contacts: Widness & Wiggins PR:
Sara Widness / 802-234-6704 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Dave Wiggins / 720-301-3822 / This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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