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What Does a Host Agency Do For You? Phone: 407-331-7000 800-741-7245 ex. 8214 Cell: 407-756-6904 Fax: 321-422-7714 [email protected] Travel Counsellors “Let Me Show You How I Can Take Your Business to the Next Level” Welcome! WHAT IS A HOST AGENCY? By definition, a host agency is a company that provides independent sellers of travel back office support, automation, strong supplier relationships, and quality control. In some cases, such is the case with Travel Planners International, they will also offer marketing, continuous education, and business development to assist the independent contractor develop and grow their remote business. The difference between a franchise and a host is that a host allows the independent contractor to maintain just that, their independence; operating under their own name and maintaining their individual independence while reaping the benefits of being associated with a medium to large organization. A franchise requires an independent to give up their independence and operate as a “franchisee” using the franchisor’s name. WHAT CAN A HOST AGENCY DO FOR YOU? A true host agency: • Has your best interest at heart. • Acts as a business partner. • Has strong supplier relationships which allows you to reap stronger commissions for you and better pricing for your clients. • Belongs to a Consortia such as Vacation.com or Virtuoso. • Supplies you with legitimate booking credentials • Offers continuous education opportunities' via live webinars, archived videos, and educator relationships. • Offers technology support for the tools supplied by the host. • Offers customer service to you. • Belongs to some of the many industry associations and is in good standing with those associations: ex: CLIA, ARC, IATA WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER USING A HOST? Just starting out in the travel business: • Gives you credibility and legitimacy • Shows stability • Gives strength in numbers • May help build client base • May help with marketing • May help with technology development and support • May assist with continuous education and industry designations • Allows you to work independently without you being completely on your own. WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER USING A HOST? Already selling travel as an independent or store front owner: • Stronger supplier relationships than on your own • Higher levels of commission and better client pricing • More opportunity for site inspections and FAMS • More access to marketing funds and opportunities • Web site development and optimization • Partnerships that could otherwise be cost prohibitive; i.e.: ARC, consortia, etc. • Are able to maintain current supplier relationships if so chosen • Reduces overhead while increasing revenue • Maintains identity to suppliers and to clients • It is “business as usual” as a host SHOULD be invisible to the clients WHAT IS A CONSORTIA? A consortia, meaning partnership, is typically the bridge between the consumer and the travel agent that connects the two together. It is due to the large number of travel agent members that allow the consortia to offer more competitive pricing and better amenities for the consumer. Consortia's only offer the “deals” to the consumer through registered travel agent members. Most larger host agencies belong to a consortia, giving the agent base more revenue choices, allowing the agent to be far more competitive for the consumer dollar. WHAT TO ASK WHEN INTERVIEWING A HOST AGENCY • How long as the host been in business? • Are there any unresolved BBB complaints? • Are they Sellers of Travel? What states? • What is the average agent retention? • Do they offer Business Development? • Do they offer marketing? • What industry organizations are they affiliated with? • Do they offer support for their agent base? • Are the agent members “allowed” to visit the home office? • Do they pay commissions on time? • Will the host agency give references? WHO IS TRAVEL PLANNERS INTERNATIONAL? • History • • Founded, as a host agency, in 1988 Services We offer a variety of products and services as part of our programs as well as “ala carte”. • • What we can do for you… As a Host: This is all we do! • As an Educator • Marketing and Business Development • • The People Privately owned and operated • Support staff has cumulative travel industry experience totaling over 300 years!!! • • The Future Constantly striving to offer state of the art technology and tools • Diversification on corporate level • Introduction of competitive programs and pricing • WHAT WE PROVIDE….. • • • • • • Operations Marketing Training Business Development Technology Community Do what you love, let us do the rest… •Operations Accounting • Paid twice monthly by direct deposit • Commission Manager • TripBuilder • Customer Service • 24/7/365 Emergency Air Ticketing • Offered through Reservations Center, based in California • ARC Approved • Amadeus, Apollo, Sabre, Worldspan • Corporate Memberships • ASTA, CLIA, IATA, NACTA, OSSN, PATH, Vacation.com, TPOC • E & O Insurance • $1 mil policy with coverage for all ICs’ running travel through TPI • Policy is online and available for our agents review • Sellers of Travel • CA, FL, WA, NV, IA •Vacation Support • Exclusive TPI Loyalty Program • Health • Recommendation Program • FEDEX • Unlock Your Potential… • Marketing • Branding and Logo Design •Exclusive marketing website dedicated solely for your marketing needs. • Collateral designed specifically for your business • Stationery • Business cards, letterhead, thank you notes, rack cards, etc. • Consumer Offers for your clients • Direct Mail campaigns • Vacation.com •Consortia relationship •Engagement program : One time enrollment fee of $35 plus 250 names to be added to agent’s database so agent will qualify, if wanted. • Group Sales Coach • Web site development and enhancement • Webinars •Supplier training •TPI internal training Direct Mailer & Newsletter Sample Engagement Brochure Sample Unlock Your Potential… • Fully Personalized Website • A great tool to give you a web presence without all the work! • 3 Custom pages, 5 hyperlinks, 1 “About Us” page. • Booking engine integration. • If you already have a website or would like your own custom site, we offer Web Design services and web enhancement. Consumer Website Sample Training & Beyond… Training • • • 30-days Unlimited customer service support to get you up and running Ongoing Training Program • Internal Webinars on our tools, technology, and programs • Supplier Webinars specific to their products • Brand U Coaching For inexperienced agents: • Preferred relationship with online educator : Career Quest Training Conferences and Special Events • Exclusive TPI Annual Event, typically held in conjunction with Vacation.com conference • • • • Private TPI events at industry trade shows Exclusive ship inspections, site inspections Exclusive Seminars at Sea FAMS It’s All About You & Your Business… • Business Development • Group Sales Coach • Two lead programs to choose from: • Leads Direct • Leads on Demand • brandUcoaching • Monthly Marketing Webinar • Presentation Ideas & Support • Trade Show support • Cruise Nights • Monthly incentives and promotions • Consumer offers • Sub-Agent program Light Years Ahead of the Rest… • Technology • Amadeus e-Retailer • Agent Hub consumer website with booking tools • 24 hour emergency ticketing • Access to Commission Manager • Exclusive Agent RC • Trip Builder • Dedicated IT support for our tools and technologies • All 4 GDS systems Work Independently, But Not Alone… • Community • Live Chat • Instant Messaging to TPI staff members •Vacation coverage while you are away • Exclusive TPI events • Dedicated Marketing Department • Group Sales Coach •Community Chat Rooms Live Chat Sample A New Beginning… What do we ask for in return? A PASSION for Travel! Understanding that this is YOUR business Proven travel agent sales experience Or to have graduated from an accredited travel school EXCLUSIVE CQT SIGNUP SPECIAL!!!!! • PRO 70 PLAN: NO MONTHLY FEE AND $49.95 SET UP FEE. • PRO 80 PLAN: NO SET UP FEE A Mentor may be added to either account at no extra charge. You will split your commission with your Mentor and must complete 10 bookings with that Mentor. USE PROMOCODE: CQT Webinar Thank You For Listening Any Questions? The Next Step… Please visit our website at www.MyHostTravelAgency.com Phone: 407-331-7000 800-741-7245 ex. 8214 Cell: 407-756-6904 Fax: 321-422-7714 [email protected] Or you may email me at [email protected] or call at 1-800-741-7245 ext. 8214