TSAX bids to stem losses to Cruiseco

TSAX bids to stem losses to Cruiseco
By admin


 Travelscene American Express is exploring the creation of a cruise club as management looks to stop the haemorrhaging of sales to Cruiseco.

Although the retailer has Travelscene Cruise Holidays in its stable, it is losing a significant amount of business to the cruise consortium. Approximately 50% of Cruiseco’s members are Travelscene Amex agents, creating a major headache for head office.

Travelscene Amex general manager Jacqui Timmins confirmed it was exploring how a cruise club within its network could compete with Cruiseco and keep bookings in-house.

“It is something we are looking at right now,” she said. “We are aware that cruise business goes to Cruiseco from our network and we are looking at how we can bring those sales back into Travelscene American Express.

“Our members do book through Travelscene Cruise Holidays, and sales are growing, but we do lose business to Cruiseco and we get no benefit from those bookings.” She denied the sales leakage was a bone of contention for management, preferring to describe it as “an opportunity”. She also declined to reveal the extent of cruise business it was losing but admitted it was “sizeable”.

“We are reviewing what we can do and looking at why members want to be part Cruiseco,” she said. “We need to have a value proposition that will bring those sales back to the network.”

A launch of a cruise club is expected this year and is likely to include dedicated product and agent training, Timmins said.

She refused to be drawn on whether membership of a future Travelscene Amex cruise club would require agents to leave Cruiseco. But it is thought untenable for agents to be members of two network’s vying for the same business.

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

cruise

Latest News

  • Aviation

Low-cost Indian carrier SpiceJet continues to burn cash

It’s not just low-cost Australian carriers that are facing hardship. SpiceJet, India’s version of Bonza, recently announced a 72 per cent reduction in its net loss versus last year. But, despite this improvement, the airline has posted losses for six straight years. But it has secured board approval to raise up to INR 30 billion […]

  • Attractions

SAKA Museum recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places 2024

AYANA Resort Bali’s newly-opened cultural and events centre, SAKA Museum has been recognised in TIME magazine’s World’s Greatest Places list for 2024. Part of AYANA Bali’s resort destination, the museum integrates Bali’s rich history with state-of-the-art facilities, making it the centrepiece for the island’s spiritual and cultural heritage. TIME magazine’s inclusion of SAKA Museum in […]

  • Cruise

Silversea taps Barbara Biffi as senior vice president for global sales

Ultra-luxury and expedition cruise travel brand, Silverseas, has announced Barbara Biffi as its new senior vice president of global sales. Biffi joined the company in 2007, holding numerous positions and gaining a deep understanding of the brand, the preferences of its guests and its strategic goals, the company said. An Italian national with a wealth […]

  • Technology
  • Travel Agents

Amadeus welcomes FCM Travel as new reseller partner of Cytric Easy

Cytric Easy, the travel management tool embedded in Microsoft Teams, is to be integrated into FCM Travel portfolio. Amadeus and FCM Travel have extended their Cytric distribution agreement to include Cytric Easy. With this new agreement, global travel management company FCM Travel, becomes a reseller of the innovative travel management collaboration solution embedded into Microsoft […]