Have you ever felt like the feedback you gave in those post-flight or post-stay surveys fell on deaf ears? This may no longer be the case, at least if you book your trips through Virtuoso travel advisors. In fact, what you tell your post-trip pickup advisor could end up helping create the next adventure for you and possibly thousands of other travelers.
Matthew Upchurch, president of the luxury-focused travel agency network, said the group uses the personal relationships its advisors have with their customers and combines it with big data to understand where you want to go and what you want for future trips.
Luxury travel agency network Virtuoso plans to use post-trip feedback collected by advisors and big … [+] data to create unique travel products that would only be available through its members. (Photo by JONATHAN NACKSTRAND/AFP via Getty Images)
Success could mean a 180-degree swing from the way travel products are typically developed and marketed.
“Today, we’re primarily waiting for our partners to tell us what they have,” Upchurch said at a press conference during Virtuoso Travel Week, which takes place this week in Las Vegas.
“By engaging our travelers to tell us more about what they want, we can go out and source travel, and that becomes exclusive content (for Virtuoso agencies to sell),” he predicts.
For example, based on customer feedback, Virtuoso could create its own customized Northern Lights viewing programs.
During a recent gathering in Vienna, Virtuos executives were able to use data gathered from post-trip customer interviews with their advisors to show tourism officials the types of experiences customers are looking for when they visit the Austrian city.
Upchurch said the most important part of the process is showing clients that advisors are listening and taking action. He said customers feel, “If I spend any time (giving feedback), what am I getting back in value?”
The first new programs created from this initiative could be seen in the next two years.
According to a recent survey, Virtuoso customers will spend an average of $26,257 on travel this year. That’s up from $20,645 before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The number compares favorably with unadvised, so-called do-it-yourself travelers. Annual travel spending by DIYers fell to just $6,186 this year from $7,184 in 2019.
Top advisors have long created customized itineraries and experiences for clients on a one-off basis or, on the other hand, sold off-the-shelf programs.
The initiative fits into Virtuoso’s strategy of offering products not available through other agency groups. It recently signed an exclusive distribution partnership with Virgin Galactic, giving it 50 of the roughly 200 remaining seats for sale before the space travel operator limits future sales. The 90-minute flights cost $450,000 per seat.
David Kolner, executive vice president of Virtuos, said at a press conference that there is a huge opportunity for growth for the network. He cited figures from Knight Frank that predict the UHNW population will increase by 28% over the next five years.
Upchurch believes the new exclusive products will help increase his advisers’ cash. Describing the organization, he said: “We are a Hollywood agent. The counselors are the stars.”
After Covid initially halted travel and then a long and painful period of restrictions and closures, Virtuoso’s future bookings revenue is currently tracking 47% higher than 2019’s record levels, according to Kolner.
The vast majority of travel agents don’t book Airbnb, and many oppose the company’s reported ambitions to expand into air travel, according to an online Travel Agent survey conducted last week.
Is it worth getting a travel agent?
A travel agent can organize things, negotiate with services and personally handle any complications that may arise. Instead of trying to book rooms in the same hotels and seats on the same flights with multiple credit cards and names, let a travel agent do the dirty work.
What are the disadvantages of using a travel agency? Cons: Unless your trip is complicated, a travel agent can be overbearing. If you’re a seasoned traveler, you might find the process simpler than you think. This may interest you : Cheap travel this summer? Tips to protect your budget as a cost surge. And when you rely on a travel agent, you have to communicate, wait for business hours, and otherwise deal with someone else’s schedule.
Are travel agents worth it 2022?
As we move into 2022, it’s still just as crucial to use a travel advisor to book your vacation. Agents get the latest news on all travel delivered straight to their inbox, with the most important websites bookmarked and ready to access when you call them to start planning.
Is it cheaper to go through a travel agent?
Seaton says booking through a travel agent usually won’t cost you more. To see also : United States Department of Agriculture—Applicability of the Congressional Review Act to the 2021 Frugal Food Plan Updates.. She says some agents will charge you a nominal planning fee, while many agencies like hers don’t charge anything extra for their services.
Is it a good idea to use a travel agent?
One of the best ways to use a travel agent is as a proxy if something disrupts your trip. They can help you with lost luggage, in case of natural disasters, if you get stuck in a location before traveling, etc. On the same subject : Las Vegas real estate agent attacked a model home, police say. They are here to help you get your journey back on track.
Why travel agents are still relevant today?
Anything from bad weather to lost luggage or a family member falling ill can disrupt your vacation plans. Travel agents provide the reassurance that someone is there for you to help you iron out any bumps in the road and give you guidance on how they can help you move forward.
Do people still use travel agencies in 2021? Ms. Burk said 20 percent of her business so far in 2021 comes from clients who are either new to using her agency or, like Ms. Spielman, new to using a travel agent. “A lot of people got burned last spring.
Do people still need travel agents?
If you’re like many budget travelers, you probably started booking your own trips online in the early 2000s and thought travel agencies were dead. That’s actually the furthest thing from the truth. Of course, travel agencies and agencies are not as common as they used to be, but they are still in demand.
Do you think that a tour operator and or travel agency is still relevant today explain your answer?
Tour operators are a key factor in the success of the tourism industry. Tourists count on tour operators to turn their dream vacations into reality. Booking a tour is an easy way for a traveler to experience a foreign country and make sure they hit the best spots.
How do travel agency make money?
A travel agent makes money by charging fees for separate elements of the trip. For example, instead of charging a commission for booking airline tickets or hotel rooms, travel agencies make money by charging a service fee for each segment booked.
Do online travel agencies make money? How do OTAs make money? Online travel agencies make money by taking a commission from the airline, hotel, car rental or cruise line when you book. (At Scott’s Cheap Flights, we do not take any commissions from airlines when we send offers to our members.
How does travel agency work?
How much money do travel agencies make?
The pay isn’t necessarily exorbitant — the median income is $38,700 a year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, but according to Pindar, it can actually be much higher. “Agents make anywhere from $50,000 to $100,000 on the low end and up to $250,000 to $500,000 a year,” says Pindar.
