Travel agents will find a variety of new tools and benefits in the revamped Palace Pro Specialist Agent Program 2.0, which was announced in August during the fifth annual Palace Resorts Global Conference at The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun.
The upgraded program is part of the company’s strategy to work more effectively with travel agencies, according to Frank Corzo, vice president of U.S. field sales for Palace Resorts.
“As a brand, we value the importance and grasp the severity of the constant changes in the industry, which is why we make sure to give travel agents the vital tools they need in order to be at the top of their game while closing their bookings,” he said. “Providing agents with the necessary tools and incentivizing them with benefits provides them an added boost of confidence and empowerment, which allows them to take charge of their negotiations when closing bookings and gives them inspiration to sell more.”
Palace Pro 2.0 features a variety of changes designed to help agents more effectively sell Palace Resorts — and to reward them more when they do, Corzo says.
“Initially, the Palace Pro Specialist Agent Program took the heavy marketing approach,” he explained. “But now, we have redesigned the program to incorporate more valuable tools and several negotiation approach tactics that we believe our agents will benefit from on a higher spectrum.”
The revised program includes new multiple status levels for agents, each of which provides a variety of tools and benefits, including monetary incentives. Advisors can now earn annual credit for groups and weddings, and they can apply total or partial credit amounts toward expenses such as cake or flowers, so that they can provide additional value-added elements to help close a sale. They can also earn at least 15 percent commission on wedding extras, with Gold Crown Agents earning 18 percent and Platinum/Emerald Crown Agents earning 20 percent.
As a brand, we value the importance and grasp the severity of the constant changes in the industry, which is why we make sure to give travel agents the vital tools they need in order to be at the top of their game while closing their bookings.
Based on their participation in the program, advisors can receive up to $1,500 in resort credit for their own personal stays at Palace Resorts properties and receive status-based air credits of at least $150.
Much research was done before implementing the new version of the agent program, according to Corzo.
“During the revamp of Palace Pro 2.0, we tapped into elements based on historical data gathered year over year, and we tweaked the program to incorporate not only useful day-to-day operational suggestions, but also tools that help agents gain benefits from as many aspects as possible,” he said.
Corzo thinks the new program gives Palace Resorts a bigger advantage over its competitors.
“Of course, there are other travel agent programs in the industry, and there is no question about whether or not they are good,” he said. “However, there is a dividing line that separates these other programs into two sectors: educational and loyalty programs. At Palace Resorts, we pride ourselves in having found the perfect balance to provide our agents with both aspects. Loyalty is what we give our travel agent partners. As a brand, we believe that knowledge is power, which is why we find ways to continue the educational growth of our agents through our Pro program.”
With two recently opened properties — The Grand at Moon Palace Cancun in 2017 and Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos in 2018 — Palace Resorts is on a quest to improve its positioning in various ways, Corzo says.
“Palace Resorts as a company has evolved tremendously and has become the leader in the all-inclusive sector by consistently raising the bar,” he said.
The Details
Palace Pro 2.0
www.palaceproagents.com
