With 100 years of experience and a host of diverse brands, from Trafalgar to Contiki, Brendan Vacations, Costsaver, Insight Vacations and Luxury Gold, TTC Tour Brands says it knows a little about recognizing and making the most of booking trends. To that end, the company is offering its insight ahead of the busy summer travel window, suggesting a series of strategies that travel advisors can implement to positively impact the season.

“The market has changed since the industry’s heroic recovery following the pandemic, and advisors are faced with new challenges, from shorter booking windows to clients who require more attention more often,” says Guy Young, Chief Engagement Officer, TTC Tour Brands.

As such, he adds, “Tours are ripe for this moment – offering every element of the experience in one booking – from activities and accommodations to the benefit of travelling with a trusted brand who will be with you at every step of the journey.  This reduces the time and stress it takes to book each part of a trip individually, allowing more time for advisors to devote to building quality relationships with their clients.”

Young also suggest the following four tips for advisors:

• Embrace the shorter booking window – The travel demand is there but guests are taking longer to make a decision. There’s been a noticeable uptick in bookings closer to the departure window with travellers booking a month to two months out from departure date. Advisors shouldn’t give up on a sale as it gets closer to the departure date and should continue to nurture open leads and seek new opportunities to secure a sale. Young notes that with TTC Tour Brands, the space is pre-contracted – meaning it’s available to book no matter how close to the departure date.
• Consider “secondary” destinations – While summer is the most popular time to go to Europe and demand for the destination remains strong, there is a noticeable increase in bookings to North American destinations and other markets including Latin America, Japan and more.
• Work smarter, not harder – Take advantage of the service offered by your tour operator. Young says TTC Tour Brands offers as much support as possible to their advisor partners and that one phone call to a sales agent, travel advisors can book an entire trip with airfare and transfers for their client. Best of all, advisors have huge earning potential because they earn commission on every component of the tour. Additionally, TTC’s Travel Advisor Discount Program (TADP) offers discounts for advisors on TTC Tour Brands itineraries based on the advisor’s gross sales.

Young says TTC Tour Brands understands the importance of the travel advisor role in the booking journey.

“We’ve always been driven by service – both to the traveller and the travel advisor,” he says. “Our ‘Always’ promise is a continued commitment to this community, ensuring our shared success.”