Club Med is moving away from phone calls and faxes to distribute its product with a new Web site that will make it easier for travel agents to access information about its properties and book vacations.
The site, www.clubmed ta.com, is the resort’s latest effort to modernize its distribution system and connect with travel agents.
Last April, Club Med started listing its inventory on four global distribution systems (GDS) and on the Web-based travel agent sites VAX VacationAccess and Vacation.com.
Though the old means of booking Club Med vacations are still available, the new Internet site is expected to make distribution easier for both travel agents and the resort.
“We are doing this to show our commitment to travel agents,” said Valerie Bihet, a spokesman for Club Med North America. “It will allow us to work better and better with them.”
The same vacations packages are offered on both the consumer Club Med site and new travel agent site.
But roughly 70 percent of all Club Med bookings are made through travel agents, so the resort is continuing to offer incentives and commissions on all Club Med products they sell.
Agents can earn up to a 12 percent commission if they join the “777 loyalty program,” which involves a short training course on how to sell Club Med products.
The Web site will allow agents to create promotional fliers on Club Med properties to send to their clients, either electronically or by mail.
It also gives agents opportunities to take 360 degree “virtual tours” of the most popular properties and offers detailed information on 80 Club Med destinations worldwide.
The Web site currently is only available for U.S. travel agents, but a similar site for Canadian agents is in the works.
Club Med is also moving to become a totally-inclusive resort as of April 26 by including everything in the price of their packages round-trip airfare, accommodations, meals and snacks, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.
Though Club Med has been an all-inclusive resort for years, alcoholic beverages and snacks were not included in the total price of a vacation.
“This way you won’t have any surprises when you get your bill,” Bihet said.
