Fantasy Holidays, a wholesaler well established with East Coast
travel agents, is branching out to the West with its Hawaii
product.
“When it comes to Hawaii, Western agents are not familiar with
us,” said Fantasy Holidays president John De Leo. “To encourage
them to work with us, we are offering Western agents very
aggressive commission levels this year, and we’re providing them
with incentives for volume.”
Fantasy is paying Western agents 15% commission on new bookings
to Hawaii when travel is completed by Dec. 31 (not applicable to
lead properties and fly/drive bookings).
The Fantasy Holidays team has been making individual calls to
West Coast agents, introducing themselves and their Hawaii product
line. The company has started running ads in travel trade
publications and sending faxes and emails to Western agents.
Established in 1980, the Jericho, New York-based firm also sells
California and Italy.
Western agents already sell Fantasy’s Italy product. Offering
Hawaii to the West will complement the company’s product line, said
De Leo, who hopes the move will add volume to the Hawaii
product.
“Unlike travelers from the East Coast, West Coast clients know
what they want when it comes to Hawaii,” he said. “Our job is to
provide the product.”
Fantasy is telling Western agents that it’s an attractive new
choice for them as they sell travel to Hawaii. “We are small enough
to offer great service, yet big enough to be competitive in our
pricing,” De Leo said. “We keep our hold time on the phones to a
minimum.”
Fantasy works with United Airlines, Dollar Rent-a-Car and a
variety of hotels and condominiums on five islands. It offers FIT
packages and customized itineraries, from simple air/car packages
to luxury vacations.
Fantasy’s Hawaii product, available only through travel agents,
includes properties on Oahu, Maui, Kauai, the Big Island and
Lanai.
Its Oahu inventory includes members of the Sheraton, Outrigger,
Ohana, Aston and Hilton.
Its Maui product includes Marriott, Prince, Renaissance, Westin,
Ritz-Carlton, Outrigger, Hyatt and Four Seasons properties.
On Kauai, clients can stay in a Sheraton, an Aston, a Radisson,
an Embassy, a Marriott or a Hyatt property. Other options include
Coconut Beach Resort and Hanalei Bay Resort.
Clients booking vacations to the Big Island can choose Four
Seasons, Aston, Outrigger, Hilton or Prince accommodations, as well
as lodgings at Hilo Seaside, Kona Seaside, Royal Kona Resort and
Shores at Waikoloa, among others. On Lanai, Fantasy works with
Lodge at Koele and Manele Bay Hotel.
Call 800-645-2555.
