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| Tuesday, 21 August 2012 |
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| GOWAY HOSTS SOUTH PACIFIC EXTRAVAGANZA | |||||||||
| Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Tahiti and Papua New Guinea products presented to mixed audience of agents and consumers | |||||||||
| Zachary-Cy Vanasse | |||||||||
During a cocktail reception, the agent community met with Goway's destination experts and suppliers, and was given the exclusive first look of the South Pacific products. Afterwards, consumers joined the agents in a Delta Chelsea Hotel reception hall where Goway representatives and suppliers presented on product, flights and destination options. According to Paul Badics, business development manager, Goway, the tour operator believes that there is real value in bringing travel agents and consumers together for an event such as the South Pacific Extravaganza.
“A lot of these [consumers] have either travelled with Goway before or are either friends or family referrals. So we want to keep in contact with those consumers because they are the business that keeps coming back to us," Badics said. "At the same time, of course, it’s important to reach out to the travel agent community, as the vast majority of bookings come through agents.” Goway encouraged travel agents to invite their clients for the evening as well, in an effort to educate and entice everyone in one fell swoop. “It’s kind of a double-bonus from Goway's [point of view] because agents learn about the products and the destinations, and at the same time the consumers become more excited and learn more details about the potential trips. Then travel agents have a much better chance of closing the sale,” said Badics. The evening drew between 50 and 60 agents, with approximately 150 consumers, presenting Goway with what Badics felt was a strong cross-section of the two important bases. “We’ve been [bringing agents and consumers together] for a few years and we’ve been doing it in different cities around Canada. We’ve done it with different products like Australia and New Zealand, and also for Africa and Latin America etcetera, and they’ve been pretty successful.”
Badics explained that one of the important factors contributing to the event’s success is the in-destination suppliers that there to present first-hand information. “We bring in suppliers from all over Australia and New Zealand and to get them to come across the ocean and come here to Canada," Badics said. "Of course [bringing consumer and agents together] gives them as much exposure as possible. So it’s a win-win for everybody." Cruise suppliers, adventure travel companies, airlines, hotels, tourist boards, and more were among the suppliers taking advantage of the South Pacific Extravaganza. Goway presented on its range of tours available throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as the Cook Islands, Fiji, Tahiti and Papua New Guinea, including escorted tours, self-drive packages, and custom and independent itineraries.
The tour operator also discussed some of the current agent incentives. For example, agents who make 10 bookings (20 passengers total) on an inclusive vacation to Australia, New Zealand or Fiji, flying internationally with Air Pacific, will receive two free tickets on Air Pacific to Australia, New Zealand or Fiji. In addition, the agents that sell the most Air New Zealand air and land vacations will win two free Air New Zealand tickets. For additional information on the Goway agent incentives, visit gowayagent.com. Monday evening’s South Pacific Extravaganza was the third stop across Canada. The event was held in Victoria and Vancouver last week and continues on with a date in Saskatoon this evening, followed by Calgary and Edmonton on Wednesday and Thursday respectively. |
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