Suppliers rolled out giveaways, cash prizes and booking
incentives for retailers for Travel Agent Appreciation Day on May 2 and for an
entire month dedicated to recognizing and thanking their partners.
Throughout the month of May, Gogo Vacations and sister
brands Worldwide Traveler and Go Groups are giving away a total of four trips
and additional cash prizes. All agent bookings made and paid in full in May are
automatically eligible and entered to win. At the end of the month, four
winners will receive a five-night, all-inclusive hotel stay for two, two
airline tickets valid from the continental U.S. to Alaska, Canada, the
Caribbean, Mexico or Central America, and $1,000 in gift cards.
Additionally, Gogo is awarding one stay from each of the
following hotels each week -- Casa de Campo Resort & Villas, Unico 20°87°
Hotel Riviera Maya, Grand Velas Los Cabos and
Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa -- with winners scheduled to be
selected on May 11, 18, 25 and June 1.
AMResorts on Monday kicked off 31 days of incentives for a
travel agent appreciation campaign it is calling "Amazing May." The
campaign includes special rates for top-selling agents at participating Zoetry
Wellness & Spa Resorts, Secrets, Breathless, Dreams, Now and Sunscape
Resorts & Spas properties.
Travel agents can submit a short story and photo of their
proudest moment selling AMResorts for a chance to win a three-night stay at an
AMResort property. The company is also giving away 27 tablet devices to agents
that participate in its AMRewards program who make the most bookings this
month, and is offering double the points for AMRewards-qualifying bookings for
select Sunscape Resorts & Spas hotels.
Travel Impressions will gift one million in points to agents
in its LoyalTI First program. The top five agents who book the most FIT
vacations between May 2 and May 31 to any destination for travel any time will
win grand prizes of between 25,000 and 250,000 LoyalTI First points.
Mark Travel is giving the top-booking agent for each of its
brands a $125 cash prize as part of its Agent Bonus Cash Program.
To show its appreciation, throughout the month of May,
Austin Adventures is offering a bonus $50 Amazon gift card to agents per person
booked; a $1,000 Amazon gift card awarded to the top selling agent in May; a
$50 Amazon gift card per person booked on agent-to-agent referrals (if one
agent recommends Austin Adventures to another agent and a successful booking
results, both the referring agent and referred-to agent receive a card); a $100
Amazon gift card to the agent who most successfully promotes Austin Adventures
on their personal or agency Facebook page -- the posting with the most likes
and comments wins; and a $500 Amazon gift card for the most unusual and
inspiring custom trip request that results in a successful booking.
Additionally, every Tuesday morning in May, Austin
Adventures will email and post online one or more incentives for agents and
their clients, including a complimentary pre-trip hotel night for guests; a
$250 flight voucher for each individual traveler (applies to specific
itineraries); a coffee table book and/or other kinds of gifts for specific
itineraries; and if they book a group of 10 people, two additional guests will
go for free.
JG Black Book Collection, which represents accommodations
and tour operators, is getting in on the action too. Throughout May, $100
American Express gift cards will be offered to agents for every 3-night minimum
booking confirmed and deposited in May with one of the collection's
participating partners. Participating JG Black Book partners include Azura
Boutique Retreats in Africa; CasaSur in Argentina; Chedi Andermatt in
Switzerland; The Chedi Muscat in Oman; a collection of boutique apartments and
hotel in Rome; Gangtey Lodge in Bhutan; Heritage Tours in Europe and Africa;
bespoke operator Peirce and Leslie in India; The Principal London; Revealed
America for upscale national park trips; Sheldon Chalet in Denali National
Park, Alaska; and the Stafford London hotel.
Agents can email the JG Black Book team at
VIP@jgblackbook.com with inquiries and reservations related to this offer, or
they can go direct to participating partners for inquiries using the promotion
code JGTAAD18 in order to track bookings.
Taking a slightly different approach to "giving back"
to travel agent partners, Canadian tour operator Exodus Travels has pledged
that for every agent booking made during the month of May, the tour operator
will send one child on a day trip with the Inspiration Project.
The Inspiration Project provides local children with the
opportunity to experience the same adventures as visitors to their countries.
This year, Exodus has committed to sending 2,018 disadvantaged kids across the
world on educational day trips. In Kenya, children are taken on safari in the
Naboisho Conservancy to see wildlife and learn more about conservation and the
environment; in Peru, kids visit Machu Picchu; in Sri Lanka they go to the
ocean; in India they travel to Taj Mahal; and in Jordan their get to experience
Petra.