Jamie Biesiada
In perfect timing for the holidays, several suppliers have recently announced initiatives that will likely prove helpful to advisors.
Here are a few of them.
Classic, Lucia team up
Busy, as always? It's time to get some help.
Enter Lucia, the freelancer marketplace where travel advisors can look for help with everything from marketing, to administration support, to itinerary creation and beyond.
And now, if you're among Classic Vacations' network of advisors, you can benefit from a discounted subscription to Lucia. That discount is already in place; further phases of Classic's partnership with Lucia will include a deeper, more integrated partnership.
"Lucia offers the advisor community the help they need when they are looking to grow and further achieve their goals and dreams," Classic CEO Melissa Krueger said in a release.
Explora, Approach Guides partner
If you're selling Explora Journeys, that sale might have just gotten a bit easier: The MSC Group brand has partnered with Approach Guides. That partnership gives travel advisors access to dynamically co-branded websites to help with marketing and sales.
Approach Guides is a content optimization platform focused on the travel industry. It has a number of offerings and partnerships within the agency space.
Its partnership with Explora will enable advisors to "engage and inspire clients by sharing links to any journeys, destinations or experiences on the Explora Journeys website." While clients browse, they stay in an environment branded to their advisor. There, they can see trip details and real-time pricing. Calls to action lead right to the travel advisor.
"Advisors are going to love how the website not only helps them boost sales, but also raises the level of service for their luxury clients," Approach Guides co-founder and chief marketing officer Jennifer Raezer said in a release.
Disneyland releases full schedule
For the first time, the Disneyland Resort in California has released the dates for its major events and festivities in advance.
If you've got Walt Disney World Resort lovers who have never been out West, this could be the perfect way to tempt them to try the original Disney park: tie their visit in with a special event.
• Lunar New Year at Disney California Adventure Park, Jan. 23-Feb. 18
• Celebrate Gospel at Disneyland Park, Feb. 17 and 24
• Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival, March 1-April 22
• Star Wars Season of the Force at Disneyland Park, April 5-June 2
• Pixar Fest, April 26-Aug. 4
• Halloween Time celebrations, Aug. 23-Oce. 31
• Plaza de la Familia, Aug. 23-Nov. 2
• The holidays, beginning Nov. 15
Disneyland also recently announced the themes and details of its Disneyland After Dark events, which could be another draw to the resort. This year features more nights than ever.
The events are held after-hours and require separate tickets to enter. They offer access to some attractions, usually with shorter-than-normal wait times, as well as special entertainment, character appearances and more. The parties are three hours.
Sweethearts' Nite at Disneyland Park will be held on select nights in January and February. The new Disney Channel Nite at Disneyland Park will be held March 5 and 7. And Star Wars Nite and Pride Nite are returning to Disneyland Park; Star Wars on selects nights in April and May, and pride on June 18 and 20.
Happy selling!