In a surprise move, Vacation.com, a leading travel services marketing organization, has entered into a multi-year commitment with Travel Planners International (TPI). The deal focuses on creating a closer alignment between the two companies by enhancing membership and driving profitability. TPI said it looks to further enhance profitability by providing independent contractors access to Vacation.com’s results-driven direct marketing program. Vacation.com recently announced a similar agreement with Nexion, another major host agency.
A full service host agency supporting independent contractors and travel agencies, TPI has been a valuable Vacation.com member since 2000, consistently ranking as one of the organization’s most productive members, Vacation.com said. By committing to a multi-year relationship, TPI’s home-based agents can continue to use Vacation.com’s industry-leading direct mail and e-mail marketing solution, Engagement.
“Currently a significant number of TPI’s ICs regularly use Engagement to generate revenue, and that’s just the beginning,” said Jared Braunstein, Vacation.com’s vice president of sales. “Our goal is to encourage more of their motivated sales force to participate in the program, driving the success of both TPI and our Preferred Suppliers.”
Engagement fits well with TPI’s membership due to its unique flexibility, which gives independent contractors the ability to market directly to their customers under their own agency name, even though they centrally fulfill the booking through TPI. “This flexibility is a valuable asset for any agency that has ICs who are true sellers and want to actively market their services,” added Braunstein.
Ken Gagliano, TPI president and Vacation.com Advisory Board member, agrees that Engagement is an effective tool that should be utilized by more TPI members. “We are committed to the success of our home-based agents, and that’s why we encourage them to actively participate in Engagement,” he said. “It has proven to be the most effective way for our IC’s to send exclusive offers to the clients who are most likely to respond, even more so now that it can target clients with the discretionary income to travel.”
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