Travel Leaders Network has introduced 19 new travel suppliers and tourism partners to its network over the past year, the consortium said in a release.
That number includes the newly-reinvented cruise line Crystal Cruises, whose new owners have been busy wooing the brand's former partners prior to bankruptcy.
Cruise Week recently reported on an interview it had with Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, about reinstating Crystal as a preferred partner, even while hard feelings about agent and client losses lingered.
Sharpe told Cruise Week that if he "had just purchased Crystal Cruises, I wouldn't have named it Crystal Cruises. I'd have named it A&K something or other, but by making it Crystal, they created an assumption by those that were [burned] by Crystal that they should repay clients and agents' commissions.
"Now the new owners are finally doing what they should have done at the very beginning -- giving those people who lost money some kind of future cruise credit."
"And that's why you changed your mind?" asked Cruise Week.
"That's it 100 per cent," replied Sharpe.
"Fact is, none of that debt is theirs, but our members and their customers were desperate for a solution or at least some way to recoup their lost funds. At the same time, I knew I had advisors and customers who were so loyal to the brand that they were simply looking for any olive branch as a reason to re-engage."
So far, the renewal of preferred status has been a success for the consortium.
"We had a big first month [when Crystal restarted], before we signed the [preferred supplier] agreement. We all heard about these Crystal guests who were simply crazed over the brand (really the people onboard) and they rebooked immediately.
Then, "Once we signed the deal, we had another great bump of customers, who now with our endorsement felt even better," about booking with the brand.
Travel Leaders Network's other new suppliers and tourism partners from the past year include:
- Micato Safaris
- Asiana Airlines
- National Geographic Expeditions
- On The Go Tours
- RIU Hotels & Resorts
- Marival Resorts
- 5Continents
- Core Travel Technologies
- Travefy
- Travel Alaska
- Experience AlUla
- Dominican Republic Tourism Board
- Jordan Tourism Board
- The Nordics
- Qatar Tourism
- Saudi Tourism Authority
- Switzerland Tourism
- Visit California
“Our advisors’ success truly depends on TLN’s quality supplier partners offering their unwavering support, outstanding product and solutions. We value these partnerships and their dedication to our travel advisors,” said Christine James, Travel Leaders Network’s Vice President in Canada.
“As an organization, we are committed to helping our member agencies benefit in terms of sales growth, support solutions, enhanced commissions, added revenue and exclusive benefits from the largest group of travel suppliers in the industry.
More information about Travel Leaders Network is available on its website.
