Fred Olsen Travel is set to treat its top-selling agents with a luxury cruise experience, marking a shift in the way achievements are rewarded.
- Nine agents who each sold over £1 million worth of holidays in 2023 are to embark on a four-night cruise on Silver Ray.
- This initiative is hoped to increase the number of high-performing agents in the coming year.
- The cruise, a first for the ‘Millionaires Club’, includes exclusive culinary experiences and excursions.
- The event aims to enhance relationships with partners like Silversea and boost sales of luxury travel.
Fred Olsen Travel is recognising the hard work and successes of its top-selling agents by rewarding them with an exclusive cruise experience. This initiative marks a significant change in how the company appreciates its top performers, transitioning from financial incentives to experiential rewards. The selected agents, who have achieved sales exceeding £1 million in 2023, will enjoy a four-night luxury cruise aboard the new ship Silver Ray, sailing from Venice to Dubrovnik.
The cruise, planned for August, represents the first outing for the agency’s ‘Millionaires Club’. It aims not only to reward the agents but also to encourage more agents to reach or exceed the £1 million sales mark. Paul Hardwick, the retail director, hopes this venture will inspire agents to achieve higher sales, with an expectation to increase the number of agents qualifying for such rewards to around 15 by next year. This change is underscored by a strategic focus on luxury travel, with expectations of increased average sales values.
Connie Georgiou, Silversea’s sales director for the UK & Ireland, Middle East & Africa, emphasises the importance of such engagements, stating that these experiences allow agents to better understand and thus more effectively sell Silversea’s offerings. During the cruise, the agents will partake in a variety of exclusive experiences, including visiting a herbal farm and enjoying a brunch excursion and a wine tasting session, all under the culinary Sea And Land Taste (SALT) programme.
The participating agents are primarily based in shops across East Anglia and the south coast, with the team comprising both full-time and part-time employees. This investment in agent experience is seen not merely as a reward but as a strategic move to boost Fred Olsen Travel’s luxury holiday sales, which saw a total of £7 million last year. The company is aiming for a 30% increase in luxury cruise sales this year.
The trip is jointly funded by Silversea and Fred Olsen Travel, covering flights to the cruise departure point. Hardwick expresses confidence that such investments in people and partnerships will yield significant advantages for the business, showcasing Fred Olsen’s commitment to fostering strong industry relationships and driving performance in luxury travel.
This cruise initiative epitomises Fred Olsen Travel’s commitment to rewarding excellence and cultivating a high-performance culture.
