Sunday 4 October 2015

Get Your Sales Cruising!

Cruising has been one of the fastest growing sectors in the travel industry for many years and recent industry figures indicate there is no sign of it slowing down anytime soon. Several cruise lines continue to build larger, more advanced ships and many are adding new itineraries and tour options every day. Savvy Travel Agents continue to make the majority of cruise bookings and earn good commissions doing so.

The popularity of Cruising and the amazing growth the cruise industry has experienced overall have encouraged many travel agencies to switch focus away from other travel products and focus all their resources on selling cruises. Travel Agents can be a great resource for consumers who are trying to choose the right cruise itinerary as well as the right cruise line or cabin type. Travel Agents are even aware of the vast number of special promotions offered by the cruise lines and can help you access the best deals. In other words, they are experts in the cruise industry and have the knowledge needed to help you navigate through the research and booking process.

Today, an online Cruise Booking Engine provides some of the most innovative and cost effective ways to research and book a cruise vacation. Whether a consumer is looking for a quick 3 day getaway to the Bahamas or a two week trip through Europe, chances are there is a cruise line with an itinerary that matches what exactly what they are looking for.

Many consumers start their search for a cruise vacation online, so it is critical that any Cruise Booking Engine contain the information a consumer needs to choose the right cruise vacation for them. Cruise Line, Cruise Ship and Cabin descriptions must be readily available during the shopping process and should be linked to pictures and rich media files for shoppers to view and compare. Detailed descriptions of ship itineraries, ports of call and shipboard activities are also helpful.

Today's Cruise Booking Solution also needs to use mobile friendly technology so it is accessible to potential consumers via any of the devices they may be using to research and book a cruise in today's mobile, online world.

In addition to providing access via a range of different devices, you will want to find a Cruise Booking Solution that comes with the powerful business tools that you will need to properly manage your business. Revenue management tools should allow you to control the selling price while providing the ability to offer special promotions. Robust reporting tools should allow you to track the number of bookings made by each distribution channel. Some of the more advanced Cruise Booking Engines available today will even track the number of searches made for a specific cruise line or itinerary, helping travel agents identify what their customers are looking for online.

Choosing a Cruise Booking Solution can be a critical decision for your travel business. Finding a technology partner that will help you reach today's consumer how and where they shop for a cruise is becoming increasingly more important every day.

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