Exsus Travel is planning more fam trips and events for agents after seeing sales through the trade increase 25% this year.
Agents’ share of the luxury operator’s business has increased from 90% to 95% this year as a result of the growth.
Hosting the luxury operator’s annual lunch and awards ceremony for agents, Managing Director Habib Rehman told them: “We are seeing significant growth in our business, and that is thanks to you people.
“But we don’t take your support for granted. We know there are many other tour operators, sadly for us, working hard to get your business, but that is fine because healthy competition is good for everyone, it keeps us on our toes, it makes us work hard, and it ensures your customers are getting a good service.”
Sales and Finance Director Sinziana Renciuc said Exsus had seen an increase in the number of agents selling its holidays for the first time this year, adding that it is planning ‘more and more’ agent activities, including fam trips.
Habib later told Travel Gossip: “We always see a big uplift in sales after events, they work very well for us.
“One of the reasons we have seen a big increase in sales is that instead of just working with the big agencies, we have been doing more events for the actual staff who sell our holidays, so that they can get to know us.”
Exsus agent events include afternoon teas and webinars with prizes as an incentive to attend. “We have 40 to 50 agents attending our webinars, so they are really successful in reaching agents who are making the bookings,” added Habib.
He said Exsus has also become ‘more price conscious’ and has taken on more suppliers, including more with online pricing, so it can give agents better and faster quotes.
“We have realised that to get an agent’s business, you have to be really nimble, you need to provide a quote within hours, not days, and we can do more price comparisons between operators to make sure we are giving agents the best deal,” he added.
Habib attributed some of the growth in bookings to cruises, which Exsus recently started selling for the first time. In addition to selling its own cruise packages, it will take over bookings from agents who want to add pre- and post-cruise tours or hotels, while still allowing them to retain their commission.
“We are being flexible and working with agents to give them what they want,” added Habib.
