If, as Benjamin Franklin maintained, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest,” then a couple of Caribbean countries are eager to help travel counsellors cash in through the latest developments in their specialist programs.
Jamaica
The Jamaica Tourist Board says it is refreshing its Travel Agent Specialist ‘One Love Rewards’ program and website to better assist interested travel professionals in selling the destination to their clients. In addition to offering a wealth of benefits, the course provides product information and useful tips essential to selling Destination Jamaica for leisure vacations, destination weddings, special interest markets, tour groups and more.
“Our travel agent partners are integral to our ability to spread the word that Jamaica should be a traveller’s destination of choice and we value them very highly,” said Donovan White, Director of Tourism, Jamaica. “Therefore, refreshing our ‘One Love Rewards’ program allows us to provide our Travel Agent Specialists with the very best and newest tools they need to effectively sell Jamaica to both first-time and repeat visitors.”
Available in English, French and now Spanish, the dedicated online training program features a series of informative training modules that showcase Jamaica’s history, culture, landscapes, cuisine, and attractions. Together, the modules help participants learn how to match their prospective clients’ special interests and travel styles with a more customized travel itinerary through Jamaica’s tourism product. An engaging overview of Jamaica’s regions, including Montego Bay, Negril, Ocho Rios, Port Antonio, Kingston, and the South Coast, is offered to help increase potential sales, as well as the opportunity to become a Wedding Specialist to increase destination wedding sales.
The redesigned, designated portal offers up-to-date information of products, promotions/offers, new attractions and events, the ability to connect with suppliers/partners, and downloadable brochures and videos.
Updates to the ‘One Love Rewards’ Jamaica Travel Specialist portal include:
• New more responsive design with a refreshed look and feel
• Better mobile experience
• Spanish version site and fully translated course
• Refreshed and updated courses and course content
• Newsfeed to read the latest Travel News about Jamaica
• Travel advisors can now modify/update their email address as well as any other personal profile information themselves in the portal
• New products and merchandising in the store (coming soon)
• When entering a booking, agents can check the box “request Main Street Jamaica coupons” and receive an email with exclusive coupons
• Agents can see their courses and certificates in one place with the new student dashboard making it easy to find and download
• Upgraded technology with the new learning management system education platform allows for a more interactive and engaging experience for the travel advisor
Whether a long-time veteran of Jamaica’s Travel Agent Specialist program or a first-time visitor, there’s something new and exciting to learn for everyone.
For more information, visit the travel agent microsite on visitjamaica.com.
Grenada
The Grenada Tourism Authority (GTA) has launched a new travel agent specialist program. Powered by the Recommend Education Center, the Grenada Travel Expert Program is an e-learning program that allows the travel agent community to acquire the knowledge necessary to become an expert in selling the destination.
As interest in international travel continues to make its comeback, the GTA says it recognizes the importance of the travel advisor’s role in meeting this demand and thus developed the program to aid them in sharing the destination’s allure with their clients. Additionally, agents will be privy to new developments such as vital updates to Grenada’s Pure Safe Travel protocols, new hotels, and attractions as well as airlift updates.
Travel agents who elect to participate in the Grenada Travel Expert Program will learn about the destination’s topography, its 40 white sand beaches, 15 waterfalls, 30 dives sites and more. To incentivize agents, the GTA will be offering a myriad of benefits including:
• Personalized Grenada Travel Expert Certificate of Completion upon graduation
• Continuing Education Units (CEU) from the Travel Institute or Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA)
• Monthly Cash Rewards to the top three agents recording the most room nights
• Quarterly Cash Reward to the top booking travel agency
• Booking Tier Member Recognition Benefits (Gold, Platinum and Diamond)
• Annual Grand Prize to the travel agent recording the most room nights in a calendar year (agent receives an all-Inclusive vacation for two including airfare, accommodation, meals, and transfers)
• Top 20 agents invited to an Annual VIP Fam Trip for presentation and award ceremony
• Access to exclusive promotional materials such as Grenada Travel Expert recognition logos
“At the heart of the Grenada Travel Expert Program are the tools for travel agents to convincingly sell Grenada to their clients,” said Christine Noel-Horsford, Director of Sales, USA, Grenada Tourism Authority. “Our goal is to utilize this platform to build a solid core of agents, keeping them engaged and well informed with current news and product updates. This intimate knowledge about Grenada will ensure agents are planning curated trips for their clients. The aim of this program is to increase bookings to the destination and our incentive programs will further push agents to aggressively make that happen.”
To become a Grenada travel expert, log on HERE.