Why you should never “pigeonhole a client”
Over 600 cruise industry keen beans fronted up to CLIA’s Cruise360 conference last week to hear the experts’ advice on selling cruise.
Cruising kingpin, Larry Pimentel, President and CEO of Azamara Club Cruises, stressed to the agent-filled audience that pigeonholing was an industry sin.
“Don’t ever pigeonhole your client,” he urged agents. “Always requalify the client.”
Pimental recounted a story of a travel agent who booked her client on the same Carnival cruise every time because she loved it, until one day she met her in the supermarket, only to discover she’d booked her own cruise.
Realising she’d not booked with her agency, she asked what the client had booked. Her husband had recently passed away and her children encouraged her to book the luxury suite cruise she’d always dreamed of on another luxury cruise line.
Pimental’s message to agents off the back of this story was to “always requalify the client.
“You don’t know what’s changed in their life, so requalify them to see if you can ‘move up’ in products.
“Once they get a taste of the very best, the usually want to repeat it.”
Adding to this in a panel session, Chris Austin, the Senior Vice President of Global Marketing for Seabourn, said there’s always new possibilities with old clients.
“All of your clients could potentially be luxury clients,” he revealed.
Regent Seven Seas’ Vice President of Sales, Lisa Pile, added an essential tip for agents booking clients.
“Never underestimate a client’s budget unless they’ve specifically told you so,” Pile said.
“You’re storytellers, you need to create that dream and sell the story.
“People make decisions with their heart not their head – I call it emotional luxury.”
Monique Ponfoort, Vice President Asia Pacific, PONANT Yacht Cruises & Expeditions, said it’s all “about relationships”.
“The market is sitting in your hands. It’s about relationships, follow-ups, and buying experience.”
Austin added, “Find out the big anniversaries, birthdays – they may be six years away but you can sow the seed to sell that dream”.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
azamara club cruises chris austin clia Cruise360 Larry Pimental lisa pile monique ponfoort ponant regent seven seas seabournLatest News
Celestyal “doubles down” with new fare structure, digital wallet and adding 47 cabins to Discovery
Celestyal will introduce a new simplified fare structure, a prepaid food and beverage digital wallet and add 47 new cabins to Celestyal Discovery in latest refit, as part of a major over of its offering. ‘Celestyal One’ will replace ‘Experience’ and ‘Experience Plus’ packages and will include the cruise fare, complimentary essential Wi-Fi for all […]
CLIA shares new 2023 Global Cruise Industry Economic Impact Study
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) has shared the highlights from the association’s new 2023 Global Economic Impact Study at the annual CLIA Cruise Forward conference. The study revealed the highest-ever global economic impact from cruise tourism and reaffirmed that 2023 surpassed 2019 as the benchmark year for cruise industry performance. It also confirmed the cruise […]
Air Tahiti Nui announces their new and exclusive flight deals
Air Tahiti Nui has announced they are wrapping up the year with the best gift of all, the release of their “Tahiti on Sale” exclusive flight fares. Whether it’s seeking serene waters or immersing in Tahiti’s cultural richness, these limited-time deals offer exceptional value for those travellers who want to experience the unparalleled beauty of […]
London Transport Commissioner takes an insider look at Sydney Metro
London’s Commissioner of Transport, Andy Lord, has toured the new Sydney Metro yesterday, hosted by the Tourism & Transport Forum. “We’re beyond delighted to welcome Commissioner Andy Lord to the fabulous city of Sydney,” TTF CEO Margy Osmond said. “As a long-standing representative of transport, and now the most senior transport official in London, Andy […]
Fireworks as Brisbane celebrates official opening ceremony for Bluey’s World
Fans of the blue cartoon dog appreciated the fireworks display, but real dogs had to be locked away.
Remarkable wins at prestigious 2024 Brolga Northern Territory Tourism Awards
Flying high at the Brolgas in Alice. Some shelf space will now be required for this well-deserved glassware.
Albatross guarantees all spring, summer and autumn 2025 departures
That's a healthy move saying you are 100 per cent certain you'll get the bookings you need. Get ready to fly.
Fremantle hosts the ultimate weekend party with BeerFest Australia
Ok, so its combining beer and yoga! Purists may have something to say about that, but embrace it, we say.
Australian tourism industry comes together for Tourism Australia-led industry initiative
Did you also look through that video and go: 'I know that face, and that one', 'Oh there's so and so'. We did!
Helloworld, VIVA Holidays and Tourism WA team up for bumper Dream Sale campaign
Keeping the momentum going after having just hosted the World Travel & Tourism Conference. So hot right now.
Three days at The Farm, San Benito: Rediscovering wellness and transformation Filipino Style
If you're planning on letting yourself go over the upcoming silly season, this might be a good idea to begin 2025.
You have just 3 days left to buy your earlybird tickets for the 2024 Women in Travel Awards
Apart from who is coming - are you? - one of the more important conversations around here is what to wear.
Liquid & Larder opens at The EVE Hotel Sydney
So many new bars and new dishes to try and so little time. This summer calls for a Sydney staycation
‘I’ve loved it!’ Club Med’s first Home Based Agent conference a winner across the park
A great week in Bali with Club Med. All we can say is we are looking forward to the next one!
Scoot announces new destinations with services commencing from December 2024
We've been talking destination duplication for an age now, and here is a cheap way to try a new tropical paradise.
Virtuoso unveils the Luxe Report | How the affluent are travelling in 2025
We hope the future of luxury travel has us in it somewhere... actually anywhere will do.
Virgin’s new inflight food and drink fiesta – including margaritas!
Is there a round trip where you can try several menu items in a row? Just asking?
Accor signs 27 new hotels in Asia, brings total to 495
We don't envy the regional manager who has to inspect every hotel room in this expanding portfolio.
TravelWorks at the forefront of modern day travel management solutions
Not interested in making the change? North Shore Travel boss Sam Young hasn't looked back since she did!
Volcanic activity grounds Bali-bound Flights as ash and smoke ‘blankets sky’
We strongly suggest you check your client's travel plans and maybe give them the heads up.
Inside Travel Group: The B-Corp Certified adventure specialist putting agents first
So hard to become B-Corp certified in travel, lucky for us there are 13 in Australia.
Eurostar celebrates three decades of rail with 30% off flash sale
One percent discount for every year... One can only guess what the sale will be when Eurostar hits 100!
Scenic Hotel Group appoints Brett Inkster as property development manager
Scenic Hotel Group has appointed Brett Inkster to the role of property development manager – Pacific Islands. A respected senior manager within Scenic Hotels for the past 25 years, Inkster has successfully supported initiatives to enhance operational efficiencies and foster strategic growth in leadership roles across the group’s properties in New Zealand and the Pacific […]
ATIA urges immediate action on aviation reforms in Senate Inquiry
Slot reform is long overdue - and obviously too late for REX and Bonza - but we will leave that to the experts.
Gold Coast to see debut of esteemed Mondrian hotel brand in Australia next year
Beach views, wellness offerings and a dreamy balcony pool. Yep, this one screams Gold Coast!
‘When you wish upon a star’ – Family of 4 rescued by Disney cruise ship
For a brand built upon tales of heroes and princesses, this news story seems all the more fitting.
Rendezvous Hotel Perth Scarborough announces a summer glow-up
It's all happening in WA. If it wasn't so far away we'd have been there a few times this year to see for ourselves.
Qantas announces 72-hour sale to over 60 destinations across Australia
Nothing like a flash sale. Even if you don't have the money or the leave right now, you can still dream!
Qatar Airways continues IRONMAN support with Melbourne race
We were going to participate in the Ironman but sadly we were busy not participating.
Brand USA launches sports-themed famil incentive
This sounds like a pretty cool trip - time to start brushing up on your knowledge of the US.
CATO names Graham ‘Skroo’ Turner as guest speaker at 2024 Christmas Lunch
We imagine Skroo would be a pretty great Christmas lunch guest. Sort of like the uncle who doesn't mince his words.
InterContinental Hayman Island Resort has a new name
Okay spoiler alert for anyone clutching their pearls. The new name isn't that different.
OPINION: Dennis Bunnik – ‘Politicians from both sides have been gorging at the Qantas trough for years’
Dennis certainly has a way with words! An insightful piece from someone who knows the travel industry inside out.
Flight Centre Corporate welcomes REX’s $80m government loan
Flight Centre management are happy about this news. Although not as happy as REX management, we imagine.
To get the most out of France, take the Back-Roads
Just in case you needed more reasons to extend your visit to Europe in 2025, this is it!
CLIA Live tour grows to 8 cities in 2025
Forget Coldplay, this is the kind of tour that gets us TW journos excited!