Christina Shepherdson, Business Development Manager from Azamara Club Cruises on TCTV webcast to Travel Counsellors agents throughout Australia.

Travel Counsellors is sailing towards the end of the month after dedicating September to providing its agents with bespoke training, support and expert advice on selling cruise holidays.

Travel Counsellors’ cruise month is aimed at providing agents with the tools and expertise to enable them to recommend the best cruises for their customers and take advantage of a budding niche within the travel industry. The highlights of the month included dedicated cruise supplier training, special agent offers and exclusive deals for Travel Counsellors’ customers.

“Almost 70% of our agents expressed an interest in learning more about selling cruising and the benefits this type of holiday has for their customers,” comments Travel Counsellors Australia General Manager Deb Duncan. “As part of the dedicated, ongoing business development support we provide for each of our individual agents, we felt it was important to recognise the growth in popularity of cruise holidays and arm our agents with the tools and knowledge to sell cruising with confidence, extending our offering to our customer base and in turn help agents to grow their home-based businesses.”

The company has broadcast a dedicated cruise slot on it’s weekly TCTV show throughout the month from its head office in Melbourne, with presentations, promotions and incentives from suppliers such as Royal Caribbean including Azamara Club & Celebrity Cruises, Complete Cruise Solutions including P&O, Cruise Marketing Group including Cruise Abroad & Seven Oceans, Natural Focus Safaris with their Alaskan Cruise product and Julie Donaldson from the International Cruise Council of Australasia. A dedicated “cruise” themed customer e-shot has been produced by head office each week for the company’s agents to send out to their customers highlighting a host of offers combining cruises with pre and post-breaks on land.

Area Sales Manager, Jane Tanti from Oceania Cruises comments; “We were delighted to take part in Travel Counsellors’ dedicated cruise month, and provide tailored training to the company’s agents to build upon and strengthen the relationship we have with them. The company’s weekly webcast TCTV seemed like the ideal medium to update Travel Counsellor’s with the latest news about cruise.” 

New South Wales based Travel Counsellor Trish Downs said; “I thoroughly enjoyed having the opportunity to familiarise myself with the choice of cruise companies we have in Australia and I am looking forward to using all the hints, tips and tricks that head office provided to us to ensure that our customers are taking advantage of the fantastic value that can be offered on a cruising holiday.”

Travel Counsellors’ training and support during the cruise month has drawn on expertise provided by the company’s UK division, which have seen cruise sales increase by nearly 5% year on year, with all inclusive cruises becoming more popular as customers look to take advantage of the best value for money options available.