Goway talks new travel agent promotions

As Goway Travel kicks off their high season, PAX recently stopped by the tour operator's Toronto offices for an update on the latest agent-focused incentives rolling out this fall, including their Passport To A Free FAM promotion.

To qualify for Passport To A Free FAM, travel agents have until March 31 to book within any of Goway’s six operating divisions (Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, South America, Europe & Idyllic Islands). If they successfully book a group, they have their choice of a wildcard.

“On any of our operating FAMs, we leave space for a Passport winner,” Shirley Rourke, Goway's general manager for the Pacific region told PAX, adding that the Passport to A Free FAM promotion saw nine winners last year; to date, travel agents have had the opportunity to visit Ireland, Peru, and parts of Africa, to name a few.

Goway Travel currently has 60 destination specialists operating all over the world who are committed to representing their set territories. “We have several destination teams and the Passport to A Free FAM promotion is getting agents to not be so shy about selling to new destinations, said Adam Hodge, marketing manager for Goway. “They [travel agents] can’t be an expert in everything, and we want to help travel agents sell. We’re the perfect combo: establishing a direct client relationship and then starting a conversation with our destination specialists gives you the perfect trip.”

Image courtesy of Goway Travel, Globetrotting.com

Goway Travel has a long history of practicing and perfecting the art of relationship building in the industry, both with their own destination experts and within the company. Goway's new Icons of Australia campaign, out now, was designed with travel agents in mind. In conjunction with Qantas and the state tourism boards of Australia, Goway’s Icons of Australia features 10 iconic itineraries that offer a $55 bonus to travel agents who successfully book a group on any of the six distinct packages offered.

Image courtesy of Goway Travel, Globetrotting.com

The agent incentive from the Icons of Australia promotion is in addition to Goway’s regular rewards program. If an agent books land or air, or land and air, they earn $30 on their rewards card. The rewards card works like a credit card, and once funds are loaded on, the travel agent can use the money for anything.

This week, Goway also has plans to launch their new South Pacific Sampler promotion, which is “a fabulous trip that includes four nights in New Zealand, four nights in Sydney and four nights in Tahiti,” Rourke said. The South Pacific Sampler is versatile for both eastern and western travellers, with set departure times and economical pricing. “This is a great way for someone who has always wanted to go to the South Pacific to see it, and we have add-on airfares from all North American cities,” Rourke said.

Image courtesy of Goway Travel, Globetrotting.com

“Tahiti truly is one of the most beautiful, idyllic places on this earth,” added Bruce Hodge, president and founder of Goway Travel.

“The best way for an agent to keep track of all of our deals and great incentives as well as our FAMs is www.gowayagent.com,” Rourke said. “If an agent wants to start to promote a destination, they can have a look at the flyers, blast it out to their database, get the inquiries in, and then they just call our destination specialists and we help them close the sale. At Goway, we don’t have reservation agents, we have destination specialists.”