LITTLETON, Colo. -- For travel agents trying to get into the
expanding drive market, Cosmos, the sister company of Globus,
introduced a product that enables agents to earn 13% commissions on
drive vacations that take a single phone call to book.
The new Cosmos On the Road packages are designed to combine the
flexibility of independent travel with the advantages of a tour
operator's buying power and experience.
The product is for clients who don't want to travel by
motorcoach, said Globus & Cosmos chief operating officer
Phillip Gordon.
The core of the packages is vouchers for hotels that are
prebooked on the driving route at discounted rates.
Hotel brands include Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, Sheraton, Best
Western and Ramada Plaza.
Clients can use their own cars or rent from Alamo. Flights can
be included if needed to get to the starting point of the
itinerary.
Each package includes a TripKit, which lays out an itinerary
with driving instructions, maps, local history and suggestions for
sightseeing and activities along the route.
The packages pay 10% commission on air and 13% on land
components.
A representative meets with customers in the origin city before
they embark and briefs them on the itinerary.
Daily mileage does not usually exceed 200 miles per day, with
the average at 150 miles. A help line is available 24/7
For the rollout, the company is offering a dozen basic North
American itineraries, which can be tailored with pre- and
post-tours and options.
Prices are based on the number of travelers, hotel
accommodations and type of car.
Children under age 11 can share a room with two adults for free.
According to Gordon, the per-diem cost can be as low as $50 per
person, per day, for a family of four.
Trip durations run as long as 11 nights for the Pacific Coast
Adventure, which travels from Seattle to San Francisco. The base
price of this program is $786 per person with four people sharing
one room and a compact car.
The same package with two rooms and a minivan costs $1,144 per
person.
Although the product is well-timed to meet the increasing demand
for trips closer to home, Gordon said it's a logical progression
even without post-9/11 travel anxieties.
"Our aim has been through recent years to broaden our product
offering," he said, "to be able to reach out to different market
segments.
"The typical escorted motorcoach tours may not be an ideal
travel mode for young families," Gordon added.
"Here's a product and travel style that is able to cater to
travel styles of young families with two, three or four
children."
For additional information, agents should contact Cosmos at
(800) 221-0090 or visit www.cosmosvacations.com.