Pleasant Holidays Debuts Online Tool to Help Travel Agents Close Sales

In an attempt to ease the sales process for travel advisors, Pleasant Holidays has released a sales tool that allows agents to email vacation package and hotel option comparisons to clients based on their specific requests.

The newly released online Hotel Recommendation tool, which allows agents to send up to six recommendations to clients based on their clients’ specific needs and desires, was created to assist in expediting the sales process, according to Jack E. Richards, Pleasant’s president and CEO.

“Pleasant Holidays continues to make significant investments in technology to streamline the online booking process. The [tool] makes is very easy and convenient for travel advisors to quickly email multiple hotel recommendations. Depending on the specific requests of their clients, travel advisors can share up to six hotel options with one room type each, three hotels with two room types each (for example, a lead and an upsell), or one hotel showcasing six room type options from lead to oceanfront villa suite or similar.”

The resource is currently being offered for single destination itineraries in the U.S. and internationally, with the possibility of being expanded to include multiple destination bookings in the future. The development of the tool was the direct result of agent feedback.

“Hotel and all-inclusive resort sales are the largest product for Pleasant Holidays, and feedback from travel advisors indicated the need to quickly and easily provide clients with hotel recommendations based upon the client’s specific requests, including images and pricing. We beta-tested the tool with travel advisors, which resulted in modifications and the final version launched online. We believe there will be a significant increase in conversion of hotel sales when using the tool, which we will continue to refine going forward. Our BDMs are currently demonstrating the online Hotel Recommendation Tool on sales calls and advisor trainings.”

Here is a roadmap for using the tool from Pleasant:

• Travel advisors log into PleasantAgent.com and begin the search for air and hotel packages or stand-alone hotels.
• After selecting the destination, departure city and travel dates, the site displays hotels, all-inclusive resorts, room type and pricing. The “More Room Options” button allows advisors to select from multiple room categories available at the hotel.
• Advisors check the “Add to List” box for the specific room type desired to create a Recommendation List. Each list holds up to six selections total of hotels and/or room types.
• Email functionality integrated within the online Hotel Recommendation Tool allows travel advisors to easily email the Recommendation List directly to their clients.
• Clients receive an easy-to-follow list of vacation options that includes hotels and descriptions, room types, pricing, hotel images, airline flight numbers, travel dates and other information to facilitate the decision-making process. All-inclusive resorts can be combined and listed with European Plan hotels.
• Travel advisors can customize the email with their name, agency, contact information and personal message to help close the sale.