Sceptre Tours Appreciates Their Travel Agents

Sceptre Tours is on a mission for 2010...it is working closely with travel agents across the U.S. to show them how in addition to the commissions they earn on individual bookings, they can really impact their bottom line by selling groups — and earn upwards of $13,000 in commissions!

"If an agent is going to put in the time and effort to sell a client on a tour of Ireland, why not ramp up their earnings by booking a group instead," notes Chris Accomando, President of Sceptre Tours. Here are his tips to help agents increase their commissions and sell more groups:

•Qualify your group and know what your clients want. By understanding their budget and interests, you can either match them with an existing escorted tour, or Sceptre can work with you to customize a tour just for a specific group.

•Seek out local groups that have a common interest (e.g., local clubs and organizations, senior clubs, schools, local "fundraising through travel" opportunities such as Hospital Care Foundations, churches, etc., museums or library groups, garden clubs, active adult communities, etc.).
•Find group leads through a local community publication.
•Designate a "pied piper" — a local personality like a TV, radio, or sports personality to lead the group or a musician or band.
•Use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter to have the group members market the trip.
•Promote advantages in group travel (e.g., all-inclusive, hassle-free, travel with friends or people with similar interests, once-in-a-lifetime experiences, how clients can maximize vacation time and sightseeing opportunities, Sceptre's tour guides provide an easy, fun, and informative experience so all they have to do is sit back and enjoy the trip).
•Host a "Destination Evening" with invitations sent to your existing database as well as email marketing, direct mail, website promotions, and publicity to your local papers.
According to Mr. Accomando, agents who learn to sell groups can reap big commission rewards. For example, using Sceptre's Emerald Isle 11-day escorted tour with a land price of $1,769 per person, based on double occupancy for travel in August, here's how the earnings break down for the agent at 15% commission:
•Book 10 passengers, the agent earns $2,654 and the 11th passenger receives 50% off the land rate.

•For 16 passengers, the agent earns $4,256 and the 17th passenger goes free on the land.

•At 32 passengers, the agent earns $8,491, and the 33rd passenger goes free.

•With a full coach of 50 passengers, the agent earns $13,268 plus two free land spaces.

•The agent also earns 5% commission on the air if booked with Sceptre.

Both Sceptre's Group Department and their District Sales Managers will work with travel agents to provide the necessary support and marketing materials to help agents book more groups.