Trafalgar is in search of more agents to effectively deliver its Insider approach to escorted touring, but chief executive Gavin Tollman has warned it won’t “waste time” trying to convert cynics.
Tollman reported solid growth across the board for the firm since it implemented its new "authentic and enhanced" holiday strategy, now entering its third year, with even its “weakest selling” market up 17% year on year.
“Every single agent around the world that took on the Insider message in 2012 grew their business,” he told Travel Today.
“We would like a lot more, but if they don’t buy into it, then we’re not going to waste our time trying to convince them.”
Misconceptions of modern coach touring remain an issue for Trafalgar despite the significant changes it has made in recent years, Tollman admitted.
“But if we look to our future, if there are agents that are cynical or skeptical, there are plenty who are not.
“Our objective is to work with those agents who see it, who want to be successful – we have all the tools to show how to guarantee that success.”
Its sales teams will been armed with a new Agent’s Guide to Trafalgar to be distributed among agents over the coming weeks to show how to sell its range of holidays.
But the firm highlighted the importance of connecting emotionally with the product to be able to sell it most effectively.
“Our top sellers heard it and understood it intellectually and that’s how they sold it, but it wasn’t until they experienced it that it moved them emotionally,” Tollman said. “Where I see huge and potentially hyper growth for our agent partners is when they actually get it emotionally.”
As a result, Trafalgar will continue to invest heavily in agent famils – it took more than 300 agents on famils over the last 12 months, managing director Australia Matt Cameron-Smith revealed.
“Ultimately, we’re looking for agents that want to be a partner,” he said.
