NTA Chief: Use Our Tools to Boost Tour Sales
by Nick VerrastroIncreasing tour sales is “pretty easy and can be quite profitable” for travel agents, says Cathy Greteman, chair and CEO of the National Tour Association.
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Greteman ought to know – she is both a travel agent and a tour operator. She is president of Star Destinations, a tour company in Carroll, Iowa. The business encompasses retail travel agency Town & Country Travel and Windstar Lines, a Midwest motorcoach company with 50 coaches.
In an interview with Travel Market Report, Greteman discussed ways that travel agents can boost tour sales and increase profits.
Cultivate partnerships
One key to increasing tour sales and profits, Greteman said, is to build relationships with tour operators who provide the products and experiences that clients want.
The NTA sees relationship building as a two-way street, she said, which is why it has been reaching out to agents through a partnership with the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA).
Earn 10% to 15% on cruises
Another key to increasing agency profits is to book clients on NTA members’ escorted cruise groups, Greteman said. She noted that many NTA tour operators pay 10% to 15% commission on the cruises they offer.
“Over half of NTA tour operators pay a standard commission of 10% to 15% on all that they do,” Greteman told Travel Market Report.
Booking clients on cruise groups escorted by NTA member operators also provides added value, as clients will receive “a lot of personal attention,” as well as the ease of traveling with everything taken care of. “People want that simplicity; they want travel to be easy,” she noted.
Sourcing the right product
NTA’s website is a good resource for agents looking for niche products, customized tours and deals, said Greteman, who noted that the site includes an area where tour operators post groups they need to fill.
“Savvy travel agents should be looking there, because you will get customized programs at good prices and that pay commissions. It’s a win-win for everybody – client, agent and tour operator.”
Fulfilling niche requests
When clients want specialized experiences, NTA’s website can help agents locate tour products that fulfill specific requests, Greteman said.
“We have operator members from all over the world and they specialize in unique products. Some specialize in wine country tours, garden clubs, literary tours in Great Britain and on specific authors, such as a walking tour in Limerick based on [the book] Angela’s Ashes.
“Travel agents can come here to find those operators who really custom design tours when they have customers looking for something unique. The travel agent will be the hero.”
“There is a great opportunity for agents to build strong relationships with NTA-member tour operators who have the niche programs they are looking for.”
Attending NTA events
Greteman encouraged agents to attend the NTA’s business builder meetings. The meetings provide opportunities for agents to meet face to face with tour operators, destination representatives and other travel suppliers from around the world and become familiar with their diversity of products.
Upcoming Business Builder events include Contact, Aug. 1-3, in Newport, R.I., and the 2011 Convention, Dec. 5-9, in Las Vegas. Visit ntaonline.com.
