After 15 years as an online wholesaler,
TravelWorm may still not be a household name, but the Las
Vegas-based company is out to more actively expand the reach of its
Hawaii product.
"We can service
agents anywhere, and we'd like to see our agent base grow, and to
encourage bookings from agents we've developed what we call
flexible pricing," said TravelWorm CEO Ben Rafter, who refers to
the company an "online distributor" rather than a wholesaler.
TravelWorm offers
agents either net-plus pricing or set commissions.
"We think it allows
them to determine how they want to go to maximize their
commissions," he said. "The flexible-pricing option assures agents
they can maximize their commission possibilities. But just as
important is our ability to provide agents with an experience to
sell."
Having initially
established a following in the western U.S. with Vegas packages,
TravelWorm has developed Hawaii as another key destination. Rafter
identified typical TravelWorm customers as younger, more
adventurous travelers typically in their 30s.
Rafter attributed
success in that niche to the familiarity of thirtysomethings with
Web bookings as well as the company's aim of "introducing people to
the other side of Hawaii."
"We offer all the
packages the hotels are offering, but we also go one step further
by customizing itineraries from scratch to create a unique vacation
experience," he said. "Hawaii is the perfect place for that type of
vacation, which is our focus. We want agents to sell the whole
experience; we can customize family gatherings or what we call
Celebrity Packages."
The company's
toll-free reservations phone lines provide a specific prompt that
connects retailers to agent-dedicated staff. There is also separate
log-in for agents at TravelWorm.com and an emergency telephone
number.
"We work with several
hundred travel agents, and they're a fairly significant part of our
business," said Rafter.
"Many people, even if
they're familiar with the Internet, prefer to use an agent to put a
package together. We'd like to expand on that base, particularly
with agents outside our core market in the West, which is a mature
market for us."
Better times ahead
Thanks to the many
deals on offer for 2008, Rafter said he expected next year to
surpass 2007.
"I think Hawaii
reached a ceiling as far as room rates are concerned," he said.
"The discounts we're seeing are a sign ... and I think there's
still some flex in the market, particularly at the upper
end."
A typical TravelWorm
booking is priced at $150 to $225 per night. Quality properties are
available in that range, once free-night programs are considered.
For example, TravelWorm sells a five-night itinerary priced at
$1,200 for two, with air from Los Angeles.
Rafter said there is
increased interest in Waikiki among the thirtysomething
set.
"People are starting
to realize that it's a new Waikiki," he said. "Value-oriented
travelers will still find good deals in Waikiki, with free nights,
free parking and other value-added incentives.
"The value message
plays well with Waikiki. All the talk and the promotions that have
been offered during this period of transformation and the quality
of the upgrades have brought it a lot of new attention."
Maui is TravelWorm's
second-best-selling destination. Most of the company's customized
packages are booked for the island, which Rafter said has "star
appeal." It lends itself to themed Celebrity Packages, in which
visitors pattern vacations on celebrities who have vacationed
there.
The Big Island and
Kauai remain harder sells, according to Rafter.
"Hawaii has evolved
into a very sophisticated and diverse destination," he said. "The
accommodations options are great, with activities and
food-and-beverage options that are world-class."
For more information
on TravelWorm's products, call (888) 700-8342 or visit www.travelworm.com.
To
contact reporter Allan Seiden, send e-mail to [email protected].