CANCUN -- Palace Resorts has officially launched its Palace Pro Specialist Program 2.0. The company announced the revamped agent loyalty program at the Grand at Moon Palace in Cancun, host of this year's Palace Resort Global Conference for travel agents and tour operators.
As part of the new program, travel agents will receive additional and upgraded benefits in exchange for their loyalty in selling the brand across both the Palace properties in Mexico and Jamaica, as well as at the newly opened Le Blanc Spa Resort Los Cabos and the soon-to-be-renovated Le Blanc Spa Resort Cancun.
"We are making this program even richer and more financially rewarding," Frank Corzo, vice president U.S. field sales, said during the opening general session.
At the highest level, agents have the opportunity to make up to $6,250 on group bookings, completely separate from their earned commission. But along the way there is ample opportunity to reap some lucrative benefits.
More than 17,000 agents have registered for the original program. The revamped program offers more incentives and support. The new Pro Specialist program levels are as follows:
To become a Pro Palace Specialist Agent, one has to sell one to four rooms per year. Pro Palace Specialist Agents receive a Silver Crown when they book five to 24 rooms per year. A Gold Crown is earned for 25 to 99 rooms per year. A Platinum Crown is 100 to 249 rooms per year. And an Emerald Crown is more than 250 rooms.
In addition to the revised Crown levels, the retention policy has changed. In previous years agents retained their Crown status based on the fiscal year, but the revised program changes that to the calendar year, January-December. For example, if an agent hits Gold Crown status in October, they will remain there for the remainder of the year, and then into the following year, as well.
The Cash is King booking bonus, an additional bonus on top of the room commission and on top of wedding upgrade commissions, has been revamped, as well. Travel agents receive $50 for every stay of three to four nights they register; $75 for five to six nights; and $100 for seven or more nights. In addition, for every 10th booking, agents get an additional $250, all of which comes on a reloadable Visa credit card.
The group bookings program has also upgraded its Cash is King rewards. Pro Agents who book 25 rooms can earn up to an additional $3,00. Platinum agents have increased the room cap from 25 to 35 rooms and can earn up to $4,250. Emerald Agents can claim up to 50 rooms and can earn up to $6,250.
Silver Crown Agents are also receiving 15% commission on wedding extras. Gold Crown Agents receive 18%, and Platinum and Emerald Crown Agents receive 20%.
As an added perk, agents are receiving complimentary airfare that they can put toward their own vacations. Gold Crown Agents receive $150, Platinum Crown Agents $300 and Emerald Crown Agents receive $500 when booking their own stay at Palace properties. Palace is also gifting resort credit for travel agents' own vacations at Palace Resorts. Gold Crown Agents will receive $500, Platinum will receive $750, and Emerald Crown Agents will receive $1,500 in resort credit.
Finally, the Pro program has revamped the way travel agents can use their accumulated free. Nights accumulated through the Ready.Sell.Stay program (sell one room at any Palace resort, earn one night; sell two rooms at Le Blanc, get one night at Le Blanc) can be given to clients when booking a group. For Platinum agents, it's 50% of accrued nights. The maximum number of nights to apply per group is 10% of the room nights. So a group consisting of 50 rooms with a three-night stay generates 150 room nights. Ten percent is 15 room nights.
Agents can also use their Ready.Sell.Stay nights to obtain room upgrades for clients. An amount will be deducted from earned nights, based on the number of nights in a client's stay.
"We are working tirelessly in bringing this ship to shore to make and offer you a reward that you can use to do whatever you want," said Juan Carlos Seminario, senior vice president of sales and marketing. "Thank you for thinking of us and talking about us."