Travel agency owners and managers who buckled down and adapted to the new business realities in 2009 and 2010 are finding themselves in a very positive position in today’s marketplace, said Lindsay Pearlman, executive vice president and general manager of Ensemble Travel Group at the organization’s annual conference held at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress in Orlando, Fla., Oct. 20-23.
Pearlman cited new North American initiatives such as the Ensemble South Pacific Specialist Program — launched earlier this year for both U.S. and Canadian members — as a home run when it comes to revenue generators. According to Pearlman, 49 percent of Ensemble members participating in the Tahiti, Fiji and Australia fam trips this past spring reported overall revenue growth from the hands-on experience, while sales activity averaged three bookings per agent.
In terms of cost savings, Ensemble Travel Group marketing programs such as the new Ensemble Boutique is less expensive for members to tap into than doing it on their own, said Pearlman. The program, which will be launched first in Canada, provides a platform for ordering business services — such as printing and magazines — by leveraging the organization’s North American buying power while significantly lowering the final cost for members.
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Ensemble Travel
www.ensembletravel.com
