LYNBROOK, N.Y. -- Sceptre Ireland here bucked industry trends by
moving to all-agent distribution earlier this month, introducing
net-rate pricing and halting direct sales to work exclusively
through retailers, just days after announcing it had joined the
U.S. Tour Operators Association (USTOA).
The Ireland-only operator also planned to launch a series of
nationwide trade shows Nov. 10, aimed at boosting membership in its
Emerald Club preferred agent partner program.
Owner Bert Accomando said the moves are a vote of confidence on
Sceptre Ireland's part that the
"supplier-wholesaler-agent-consumer" distribution system "is the
sound and logical way to do business."
"However, as you can imagine, we're anxious," he said.
"Thirty-five percent of our business came from the general public,
but we think that industry distribution as a whole is -- like water
-- finding its level."
Accomando described his 218 Emerald Club partners as "good
businesspeople" who could be trusted to handle markup and final
sales of tours.
Sceptre Ireland tweaked its Web site, at www.sceptreireland.com, limiting log-in capability to
Emerald Club partners and other agents, adding retailer-locator
functionality for consumers and posting a letter explaining its
retailer-only distributorship.
The firm also will refer any consumer inquiry to the nearest
Emerald Club partner retailer.
At the same time, some non-commissionable product similar or
identical to Sceptre's offerings is available direct to U.S.
consumers via two new Web sites: that of the newspaper The Irish
Times,www.ireland.com/travel, and Dooley's Car Rental, at www.dooleysirelandvacations.com.
Both companies are clients of Dublin-based inbound operator
Global Consolidated Services -- just like Sceptre and Aer Lingus'
Aerpackages division.
Addressing the decision to join the USTOA, Accomando said
membership is primarily an opportunity to network, "learn from
others in the industry [and] work their ideas into what our
business should be."
In addition, Sceptre Ireland will actively work to bar
"newfangled conglomerates" such as the now-defunct Far & Wide
from USTOA membership, "unless they want to put up a $1 million
bond for each of their companies," said Accomando.
"The Far & Wide concept is ... flawed," he said. "We're a
service industry; it's very difficult to give service if you don't
have specific knowledge, and it's hard to have knowledge about
50-plus destinations.
"Our focus is very clear: Ireland, and that's all," Accomando
added. "Maybe we're the antithesis of a Far & Wide."
Meanwhile, Sceptre Ireland will continue its own consumer
protection program -- which escrows all client monies until day of
departure -- despite added coverage under the USTOA's $1 million
bond plan. Though this plan is now under industry scrutiny,
Accomando described it as "still a lot better than anything else
out there."
Yet, according to Accomando, "I don't think it's a USTOA issue
that companies like Far & Wide have failed. There's a certain
amount of value and stability within [firms] that are part of
USTOA, and I'm proud to be associated with them."
Agents interested in becoming Emerald Club members can attend
the trade show and seminars being held through Dec. 5. For more
information, call (800) 221-0924, Ext. 323.
To contact reporter Kenneth Kiesnoski, send e-mail to [email protected].