VIRTUOSO took the wraps
off Composer, a proprietary technology platform designed to meet
the needs of the consortium's travel agency members and its
suppliers. Composer was rolled out during Virtuoso's annual Travel
Mart in Las Vegas last week. The platform is ready to be launched
among the membership over the next two months, said Scott Ahlsmith,
Virtuoso's vice president of global technological solutions. It is
an application that users will download. Composer, he said, is
designed to integrate information from travel agencies, individual
counselors, suppliers and customers as well as Virtuoso's own
products, making all of the information available to counselors at
the point of sale. Virtuoso plans to add a booking component next
year.
PARTNERS IN TRAVEL, a
Carlson-owned host agency, is providing new sales tools and
training classes for home-based agents in its network. The
enhancements include personalized marketing materials, a bimonthly
commission payment schedule and instructions aimed at empowering
agents to sell travel more effectively. "Many of our agents do
extremely well at creating an attractive vacation package to sell
to a group in their community, but need help getting the word out,"
explained Jody Ryland, business development manager. "Our marketing
department can help them take their idea and turn it into a
professional brochure to aid their sales effort." Partners in
Travel agents have the option of personalizing All Aboard Travels
cruise brochures and fliers with their own contact information. All
Aboard Travel is a Carlson cruise agency that also operates as a
host. For details, visit www.partnersintravel.com or call
800-683-9092.
RIDING THE RAILS
Amtrak added
intermediate stops in Orlando and West Palm Beach, Fla., on the
northbound and southbound Silver Meteor routes of the new GrandLuxe
Limited private rail car service it will launch this fall. The
service will operate between Washington and Miami. Its a set of
seven, private cars added to Amtraks trains. Each set accommodates
up to 48 passengers and features luxury sleeping and dining cars,
butlers and porters.
DATEBOOK
The Outside Sales
Support Network's Dallas chapter will feature Sita World Tours at
its Sept. 19 meeting. The meeting will be held from 6.30 p.m. to
8.30 p.m. at Central Market, Dallas. The cost is $7 for OSSN agents
and $12 for non-members. Agents are asked register by Sept. 14 by
e-mailing [email protected].
FAM OF THE WEEK
Germany
Trip: A cruise along the
Neckar and Rhine rivers roundtrip from Bad Wimpfen.
Departure: Oct. 6 from
Frankfurt.
Length: Six nights on the
Charlemagne.
Sponsor: Abercrombie
& Kent, Oak Brook, Ill.
Cost: $1,015 per person,
double. The cruise, all meals onboard, roundtrip motorcoach
transfers from Frankfurt, sightseeing and entrance fees are
included.
Noteworthy: Companions
are eligible. Suites are $250 additional. The single supplement is
$300. Agents must fax to Grace Porter a copy of the agency 2007
IATA list, their business card and a letter from the agency owner
or manager authorizing participation.
Contact: fax: (630)
954-3324.