Agent credits Cunard fam trip for £30k in bookings
Josie Klein
An agent has celebrated securing more than £30,000 worth of Cunard bookings one week after attending a fam trip. Christina Astill of GoCruise &
Travel sailed to the Norwegian fjords on Queen Mary 2 on the first of eight fam trips Cunard is offering this year. In the week after her return, Astill
booked a new-to-cruise customer a Queens Grill Suite on Queen Anne worth £21,000 and, after showing an existing river cruise client photos from her trip, enticed them to book a world cruise segment on Queen Mary 2 from Southampton to Dubai. Astill highlighted the value of
educationals and encouraged other agents to view them as more than just a holiday. “I wouldn’t have got either of these bookings were it not for the fam trip,” she added. Her success comes weeks after
Ben Bouldin, Royal Caribbean International’s vice-president for the EMEA region, warned agents must be held accountable if they attend fam trips and do not make sales. Astill said: “I only attend fam
trips when I feel it will be beneficial to my business and this trip was a prime example. I applied because my Cunard knowledge was a bit rusty and
Queen Mary 2; left, Christina Astill
These fams are so important as clients trust our first-hand experience and opinions
the trip far exceeded my expectations. “The enthusiasm of the hosts was
infectious and I was determined to pass that on to my clients. “These fams are so important as
clients trust our first-hand experience and opinions. “Agents should work hard to share what they have seen during these trips
New operator Holiday Best plans to launch to the trade this month
A start-up operator aiming to offer “real package holidays” plans to launch to the trade this month. Holiday Best has secured an Atol for just under 81,000 passengers and offers holidays worldwide. It went on sale to consumers for this summer in July and from May 2024 will offer its own charter flights with Southwind Airlines from nine regional airports to Antalya and Dalaman in Turkey.
8 3 AUGUST 2023
and not just treat them as holidays.” Cunard UK sales director Tom
Mahoney said: “This booking illustrates the importance of first-hand product experience. “We were delighted that Christina
had an opportunity to travel on a voyage with us and refresh her understanding of Cunard and our recent product enhancements. “Cunard has offered over 160
fam trip places this year alongside our extensive UK-wide ship visit programme and we’d encourage all interested agents to register so they can similarly sample the fantastic Cunard onboard experience for themselves.”
Celestyal ‘could add winter programme’ if fleet expands
Celestyal Cruises’ global chief commercial officer has hinted the line could begin operating in winter if it gains more vessels. Speaking on a Travel Weekly webcast, Lee Haslett said the line has the “potential” to expand its three-ship fleet and could start a winter programme and sail in destinations beyond its Greece heartland.
Barrhead group to host 32 agents on ‘thank you’ fams
Top sellers at Barrhead Travel and Brilliant Travel are to be taken on VIP trips as a thank you for their hard work. Barrhead’s top-20 sellers will
be invited on a one-week trip to spend two nights in Miami and five nights on a Virgin Voyages cruise in the Caribbean. The trip will be supported by
supplier partners Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Voyages, If Only and Do Something Different. Brilliant Travel’s eight top
performers from its Managed Service Travel Partners stores and four top-selling homeworkers will go to Crete for three nights in September. Barrhead Travel Group
president Jacqueline Dobson said: “This is to recognise the sales staff. It’s a thank you, first and foremost.” The Brilliant Travel trip will
be hosted by Jet2holidays and Grecotel Hotels, with stays at the Amirandes Grecotel Boutique Resort and Grecotel Creta Palace. Brilliant Travel director
Linda Pyle said the trip marked the start of “a new chapter” post-pandemic, with members’ sales up 56% on last year. She said: “Many of our top performers are having an extraordinary year with continued growth and success.”
Carter leaves Oceania after 18
years to pursue ‘personal goals’ Oceania Cruises vice-president and managing director EMEA Bernard Carter has left the line after 18 years. Oceania confirmed Carter had left to “focus on his personal goals”. During a transition period, UK and Ireland sales director Louise Craddock and her two counterparts in the EMEA region will report to senior vice-president of global sales Nikki Upshaw.
travelweekly.co.uk
PICTURE: Michel Verdure
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