V.com on new tech, conference details & 2016 outlook

“The market never sleeps!” Jose Ferreira, CTO for Travel Leaders Franchise Group, Leisure Group & Vacation.com said yesterday during the company’s annual news conference in Toronto.

Apparently, neither does V.com.

After a successful year of conferences, new memberships and growth within the Canadian team, the consortium’s CMO Stephen McGillivray and Ferreira joined Christine James, vice-president for Canada, yesterday morning to release findings from their latest member survey, and advise what agents have to look forward to in 2016.

Market Update

While the year has kicked off with some prominent challenges facing the industry, James said that V.com remains optimistic on the outlook, with 74 per cent of Canadian member agents confirming that their bookings are equal to or greater than their bookings of the same time in 2015. Similarly, 89 per cent said the same about their cruise bookings.

“Agents may have experienced a soft December because the weather here was simply too good,” James admitted before adding that the company’s bookings are already out-pacing that of last year, with the Caribbean, Mexico (East and West coasts, respectively), Las Vegas and Italy listed as top travel destinations.

The cruise sector is off to a positive start as well, with top destinations being the Eastern Caribbean, Europe (both Mediterranean and river cruising), the Southern Caribbean and Alaska. Meanwhile, 50 per cent of agents polled reported that their river cruising bookings are higher than at the same time last year.

Cuba unsurprisingly, is another destination to keep an eye on; and although not yet fully open to U.S. travellers, James pointed out that government regulations in the country have hoteliers quoting U.S. dollars, which can put off Canadian travellers, given the current exchange rate.

And though the V.com team listed the falling exchange rate among several other potential travel-deterrents, including the threat of terrorism and global health concerns, McGillivray reiterated that communication with members regarding such matters would remain a priority for the company.

“It’s a good thing for consumers to be asking our agents [difficult] questions,” he pointed out. “They certainly can’t go to the web for accurate answers on these issues.”

Introducing AgentMate

It’s been less than a year since V.Com rolled out its online profiling tool AgentSnapshot, and although the latest update on the initiative was positive (it currently features 311 Canadian agents and has generated more than 1,600 client leads), it took a backstage seat to V.com’s newest technology solution, AgentMate.

Scheduled for launch in 2016, the comprehensive CRM system was originally developed for V.com partner Cruise Holidays in 1994 as a simple invoice and accounting package.

Now, according to Ferreira, it’s been reconfigured to include even more features.

“There’s always a quest to find non-GDS desktop packages for agents,” he said of the web-based service, which works as an agent-facing booking tool with a lead management system and a group booking module.

“I think we’ve found it here.”

Enhancements for AgentMate include:

• Support for packaging and bundling invoices
• Online client interaction for inquiries and payments
• Integration with bookings made via CruisePRO
• Email marketing automation
• Content management for websites
• Enhancements to record the history of any trip type and its components (including air, car, hotel and wholesale packages)

Ferreira noted that AgentMate’s expected success within the company is due to the fact that it was built incrementally over a long period of time, addressing needs as they arouse and ultimately assuring a thoroughly-designed product.

“The best products come from implementation,” he said. “Evolution over revolution.”

Agent Personalization

With personalized marketing becoming ever more prevalent in the travel trade, McGillivray revealed that Vacation.com will be offering more ‘agent personalization’ services in 2016.

Proven to increase client retention through deeper engagement, the initiative will aim to attach agent names to direct mailers, pointing potential travellers directly to a specific travel consultant.

McGillivray stated that initial testing with select agencies in 2015 resulted in an average of 85.9 per cent higher open rates, and expects the practice to streamline inquiries – and strengthen agent-consumer relationships.

Conference

James disclosed further details for V.com’s upcoming 2016 International Conference & Trade Show, which will be taking place at the Hilton Diplomat Resort & Spa in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on May 22-26.

Connection forums will be new to the program this year, offering 90-minute sessions with supplier partners and peer-to-peer networking for agents. There will also be an off-site event hosted by the Ft. Lauderdale CVB, as well as pre- and post- conference ship inspections.

And, back by popular demand, Bruce Poon Tip has been confirmed as the keynote speaker.

There are currently more than 125 Canadians registered to attend, with more than 1,600 international guests and 170 exhibitors expected.

Registration for the conference is currently open.

What else is new

Ferreira reported CruisePRO experienced a great year for growth, with an 98 per cent year-over-year increase in net revenue, and an 80 per cent year-over-year increase in bookings.

“We’re preparing to double in size this year,” he said of the program’s continued growth, which will consist mainly of enhancements, such as new Viking Cruises and MSC Experiences integration, expanded cabin information, and more agency-driven enhancements.

“Our major stakeholders are the agencies,” he added. “All the updates we make to the program are at their request.”

Also on the cruising front, Seabourn is the most recent cruise line to join V.com’s 2016 Culinary Collection, a program developed around the influence of food-based and experiential travel.

The Culinary Collection has 68 sailings scheduled for 2016, with eight cruise lines – including Celebrity Cruises, Avalon Waterways and Oceania Cruises – participating.

PHOTO: Stephen McGillivray, CTC, chief marketing officer, Travel Leaders Group; Christine James, vice-president, Canada, Vacation.com & Jose Ferreira, chief technology officer for Travel Leaders Franchise Group, Leisure Group & Vacation.com.