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Taking Advantage of Last Minute Travel Deals

Booking last-minute vacations is a hot trend in travel that shows no indication of cooling. Resorts and tour operators in popular destinations like Mexico, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and the US have responded, providing great rates and package deals for procrastinating travelers, and agents can easily communicate these flash sales with email, newsletters, social media, blogs, and their websites in order to foster spontaneous getaways.

But how can agents market these getaways in an enticing form? Here are some great ideas on how to convert these last-minute deals into finalized bookings.

 

Legendary Deals of Autumn

With Fall approaching, agents can easily market deals to their clients as “hot” to contrast the cooling weather, such as “As the temperatures cool down, the deals heat up!” Then, using the last-minute deals as a price point, agents can convince clients to take a vacation now. Likewise, clients in northern areas where temperatures dip drastically during this time of the year may also want to retreat to warmer destinations, such as the Caribbean, Mexico, and Hawaii, and can do so using these deals.

Agents may want to remind their clients that destinations are entering their “low” season, meaning prices are competitive and resorts are less crowded and more attractive during this season. If longer vacations are not viable, then special offers on short getaways of four nights or less, including air, lodging, and transfers, are necessary to mention to clients, followed by a reminder of the current last-minute deals agents receive through GOGO Vacations.

 

Not Too Late for Holiday Bookings

 

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Though most holiday bookings have been completed, it’s important for agents to remind their clients that there are still great holiday deals available to their favorite destinations. Giving the clients vacation ideas is another great option, such as mentioning a romantic holiday retreat to Maui or Oahu, or a multigenerational getaway to Hawaii. The important selling point to highlight is that the agent offers a stress-free holiday getaway, where all the planning – from flights to resorts to tours – is expertly arranged. Plus, an agent can help clients take advantage of extras that travelers may not find on their own – like complimentary breakfast and free nights.

 

Head of the Gaming Tables

Las Vegas is a last-minute-booking kind of town and is always a destination to push. The 2015 Las Vegas Visitors Profile asked travelers staying a hotel, motel, and RV park how far in advance they had booked their accommodations. Sixty-one percent of these visitors booked one week to one month in advance and 11 percent reported making their reservations less than a week before arrival. (Some 28 percent booked more than a month in advance.) So that means Vegas is always in style, and with more than 150,000 hotel rooms and a warm climate that allows for year-round enjoyment, agents can remind clients of the numerous entertainment options, exciting activities, and world-class resorts Vegas offers. Packages can include two-for-one show tickets, drink discounts, room upgrades, spa discounts, and more, adding value to those last-minute savings.

This article is brought to you by GOGO Vacations, and was produced in partnership with Travel Agent Central’s sales team. Travel Agent Central’s editorial team played no part in developing the article.