It’s All About Agents In May

May is all about travel agents and in 2021, suppliers are making it clear that travel agents have been beyond helpful during the past 12 months as the industry — and the world — battle the COVID-19 global pandemic.

And it’s always nice to say ‘thanks,’ to your friends and partners and that’s exactly what suppliers are doing this May.

Here’s a round-up of some — definitely not all — of the special treats on offer to agents this month:

A Month-Long Celebration At TTAND

The Travel Agent Next Door is turning Travel Agent Day into Travel Agent Month to show appreciation for its agent partners.

The monthly events kicked off earlier this week (May 5) with Flemming Friisdahl, TTAND Founder and Rhonda Stanley, VP Talent Development, hosting a “Travel Agent Day” webinar dedicated to TTAND agent partners.

During the webinar, The Travel Agent Next Door launched an appreciation video which included heartfelt messages from consumers who wanted to say a special thanks to their travel agent.

Check out the video at https://vimeo.com/544646484/184ec476d3

The webinar concluded with a Travel Agent Trivia contest with almost 200 agents registered.   The trivia was focused around world geography and TTAND questions and challenged agents to participate with the chance to win the top prize of $150. The trivia contest will be a 2-part series with a total of $450 in prizes.

Events will continue throughout May as The Travel Agent Next Door encourages agents to share some of their favourite travel stories from their career on the TTAND private Facebook group “The Isolation Page” –where TTAND has hosted numerous engagement initiatives throughout the pandemic.

During Travel Agent Month, TTAND will release MORE appreciation videos from Preferred & Approved suppliers. BDMs recorded custom messages dedicated to the agents of TTAND to wish them a happy Travel Agent Day and thank the agents for all they have done.

Said Friisdahl: “We truly believe that our partners deserve more than just a day to celebrate their hard work. The past year has been challenging and we want to make sure they know just how valued they are.”

As well, the Travel Agent Next Door has also partnered with BizXcel to organize a virtual networking event for agents to connect after 200 agent partners voiced interested in the event. The event will take place May 20 and will include a keynote speech from Gary Gzik, focusing on discussing the impact of the pandemic on businesses and how partners can take actions to not just survive but thrive during this time. This will be followed by a networking session.

Silversea Rewards Agents With A Month Of Special Offers

Silversea Cruises is marking Travel Advisor Appreciation Month by rewarding its Very Important Partners (V.I.P.) with a selection of rewards for the month of May. V.I.P. Celebration Month has been designed as a gesture of sincerest gratitude to the cruise line’s community of travel advisors, who have proven invaluable throughout the last year in particular, working tirelessly to provide clients with personalized service, knowledge, and support.

Silversea Cruises thanks Travel Advisors for their continued support and recognizes the instrumental roles they play in the cruise line’s success, as well as the growth of the ultra-luxury cruise sector.

Mark Conroy, Silversea’s Managing Director for the Americas, said: “Travel Advisors are not only our trusted partners, but they an extension of our Silversea family. They play an invaluable role in helping us to connect luxury travelers with the authentic beauty of the world. V.I.P. Celebration Month is our way of thanking our partners for their professionalism and support over the years, and at the same time, creating new incentives to help Travel Advisors boost their luxury travel sales and grow their businesses.”

To that end, throughout May, U.S., Canadian, and Latin American travel advisors can bask in Silversea’s appreciation with the following V.I.P. offers:

Earn A Complimentary Cruise 

The three travel advisors with the highest volume of sales during the month of May will be rewarded with a complimentary Silversea cruise aboard one of the line’s brand-new ships. Award recipients will be announced in early June. Cruises will be awarded as follows:

• Top Classic Sales Reward: European voyage on Silver Moon
• Top Expedition Sales Reward: Galápagos Islands expedition voyage on Silver Origin
• Top Combined Sales Reward: European voyage on Silver Dawn

For every Silversea voyage booked in May, Travel Advisors will receive a $100 gift card. Travel advisors must register at Marketing Central on www.My.Silversea.com.

In conjunction with V.I.P. Celebration Month, Silversea is offering exceptional value to its travel partners’ clients with Early Booking Bonus savings of up to 20% on select cruises when paid in full by May 31, 2021.

Sweetening the deal for clients is an all-inclusive luxury that is unsurpassed. Fares include round-trip air, transfers, and complimentary shore excursions (at least one in every port), paired with such luxurious amenities as spacious, ocean-view suites, delectable gourmet cuisine, complimentary wines and spirits served throughout the ship, complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi, included gratuities, a butler for every suite, and much more.

For more, go to www.silversea.com/taappreciation

May Is All About Agents For Club Med

For the sixth year in a row, Club Med will be celebrating travel agents during the month of May.

From May 5 through June 2, 2021, agents are invited to participate in fun and exciting challenges via the dedicated Facebook group for Canadian Travel Advisors, Club Med Janet and Samantha, Amazing you! The activities will be posted every Wednesday and agents will have until the following Tuesday to complete the challenge where they will be given different ways to virtually travel to Club Med on exciting missions.

Each week, participating travel advisors will have the chance to win a one-week stay for two adults at a Club Med resort. Every Wednesday, the winner from the previous week’s challenge will be announced.

In addition to the weekly challenge winners, at the end of May, one lucky winner will be rewarded with the Grand Prize.

All participants of the previous challenges will be entered into the Grand Prize draw, where the champion will receive a one-week trip for two at a Club Med resort and will be invited to the first FAM Trip at Club Med Québec Charlevoix, which is scheduled to open on Dec. 3, 2021.

Go to www.ClubMed.ca for more.

Fam Times For Agents With Riviera River Cruises

As part of its Travel Agent month celebrations, Riviera River Cruises is offering promotions for $499 or free FAM cruises for advisors and up to €400 in onboard credit for their clients.

During May, advisors who book a client on a 2021 or 2022 European river cruise of eight days or more will be eligible for a FAM cruise of their choice for $499 per person for themselves and a travel companion.

Additional bookings made in the 90 days after the FAM can result in refunds for both the advisor and their companion. The onboard credit promotion provides advisors’ clients up to €400 in credit per cabin for use on drinks in the lounge and restaurants, spa or salon treatments, souvenirs from the boutique or even gratuities.

Sail on over to https://www.rivierarivercruises.com for more.

AmaWaterways Says Thanks To Agents

AmaWaterways has announced special Advance FAM rates on 25 select sailings in Europe embarking October through December 2021.

Travel advisors can now reserve their seven-night AmaWaterways river cruise more than five months prior to their departure, and with a new “Sail With Me” incentive, advisors are also able to earn back the cost of their stateroom by making three new FIT bookings on the same sailing.

New client bookings under the “Sail With Me” bonus offer must be made between May 1 and May 31, 2021.

Travel advisors who wish to take advantage of the Advance FAM rates and “Sail With Me” incentive need to register on AmaWaterways Travel Advisor Portal and submit their Advance FAM application. AmaAcademy graduates enjoy FAM rate savings and also qualify for a bonus commission offer.

Sail on over to the cruise company’s Travel Advisor Portal at www.AmaWaterways.ca .