Experienced advisors who use a program from one of Virtuoso’s three itinerary management partners - Axus, Travefy, and Umapped - grew partner revenue by 29 percent, according to a new study by the global luxury travel network. By comparison, their counterparts who choose not to utilize these tools only realized an 8 percent increase, which the company says underscores the value of technology in improving advisor efficiency and profitability. Itinerary management tools automate the process of creating a client’s trip, pulling information from preferred partners into an organized, polished schedule. Advisors can also showcase their expertise and knowledge by manually entering details to customize the client’s travel experience.
Virtuoso said the company's advisors report the tools enhance their professionalism, help them locate itinerary gaps or errors, easily incorporate supplier bookings and information, and enhance collaboration with colleagues and partners. The Virtuoso Itinerary Management Productivity Study also found that 58 percent of Virtuoso advisors using the tools increased the number of trips they planned for clients, with 27 percent even doubling the number of trips. Advisors using one of these three trip builders have finalized more than 1,000,000 trips collectively in the four years since Virtuoso began offering itinerary management tools.
Virtuoso said it has seen notable growth in advisor adoption of itinerary management tools, with usage increasing 49 percent in the past year. Because Virtuoso offers three different tools, advisors are able to select the one that works best for their needs and preferences. Member agencies enjoy above-and-beyond advantages through the network’s preferred relationships with the tools, which include Virtuoso-only features like integrated content and promotions for exclusive hotel and cruise experiences, as well as special pricing.
Axus, Travefy and Umapped are all graduates of Virtuoso Incubator, a program helping startups improve tools that enhance advisor productivity and client service. Founded in 2015, the Virtuoso Incubator program provides the network’s travel agency members with a competitive advantage as they adopt cutting-edge tools and increase their technology savvy, Virtuoso said.
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