NEWS for the consortium’s annual forum. Ben Ireland and Benjamin Coren report from Cadiz


Advantage launches tool to package up cruise bookings


T


he Advantage Travel Partnership is to launch a cruise repackaging tool this year in a bid to help


its members improve their margins on cruise bookings. By connecting cruise and airline


partners, Advantage’s new tool will be used by agent members to create bespoke cruise packages. It will be powered by in-house


tour operator Advantage Holidays and start with an ocean cruise offering this year followed by a tool to repackage river and luxury cruise holidays in 2020. Making the announcement at


the Vivolution-themed conference in Cadiz, Spain, group commercial membership director Paula Lacey said: “Historically we’ve never had the internal technology to repackage cruise. Tis product can offer some


This product can


offer some incredibly competitive prices when they are combined with flights


incredibly competitive prices when they are combined with flights.” Advantage will also launch B2C


magazines for its members. Navigate and Explorer will be targeted at the cruise and touring sectors and can be overbranded with members’ logos. Lacey also announced plans for


Advantage to carry out a survey of members to pinpoint individuals’ requirements, and member profiling to identify agencies’ specific needs. Part of the enhanced offering will be a new Regional Communities


programme. Launching in the autumn, the new and revamped initiative will include monthly regional community conference calls with business development managers and Advantage head office staff. Tere will also be Facebook Live transmissions. Another initiative will be a


Member Preference Centre allowing businesses to choose the products that are most relevant to them. Te Regional Communities


programme will also reintroduce cluster meetings and dinners, plus a buddy system whereby a new member will be partnered with an existing member in their region. “Tis gets us closer to you and


puts you closer to your suppliers,” said Lacey. “One size doesn’t fit all; there will be different requirements in different parts of the country.”


Julia Lo Bue-Said, Advantage


Is facial recognition


the future of travel? Facial recognition technology offering tailored deals, businesses from different sectors sharing floor space, and incentives for local influencers to plug businesses were among the predictions in a debate on the future of the high street. Reality Training’s Bob Morrell and Jeremy Blake split delegates into groups to brainstorm ideas before sharing them with the room.


Reduce the risk of


cybersecurity breach Members were urged to beef up their cybersecurity to help reduce the risk of their websites being cloned or customers’ data being stolen. Alejandro Fernández-Cernuda Diaz, of the Global Cyber Alliance, said using secure browsers and signing up to his organisation’s Center for Internet Security-approved Security Toolkit for Small Businesses could reduce risk by 85%.


AI will ‘take away


Below: Travel Weekly’s Lucy Huxley hosts Luxury Family Fortunes


admin for agents’ The increased use of artificial intelligence and chatbots online will not mark the end of travel agents, according to a panel discussion on the role of AI in the travel industry. Michael McSperrin, global head of facilities and support services for Alexander Mann Solutions, said: “It will take away the admin work and will enable us to focus elsewhere.”


Madeira to host 2020


Advantage Conference The Portuguese Atlantic Islands of Madeira will host the 2020 Advantage Conference on May 15-18. Advantage chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said told delegates the event will be held at the new Savoy Palace Hotel in Funchal, due to open this year.


travelweekly.co.uk 23 MAY 2019 11


PICTURES: Nick Robb


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