Riviera Travel has embarked on a strategic initiative to enhance support for home-based travel agents, a move marked by the creation of a new managerial role dedicated to this segment.
- The company has identified a significant gap in support for homeworkers, which it aims to fill with this newly created position.
- Vicky Billing, head of trade and partnerships, emphasised the need for tailored support, such as webinars scheduled for evenings, to cater to the unique needs of homeworkers.
- Trade sales for Riviera Travel surged by 52% year-over-year for January, underscoring the importance of bolstered support for their growing trade channel.
- Riviera Travel’s commitment to enhancing agent support is further showcased by its plan to host 100 agents on familiarisation trips throughout 2024.
Riviera Travel is making strides in strengthening its relationship with home-based travel agents through a newly established key account manager role. This role is exclusively dedicated to homeworkers, reflecting the company’s profound commitment to this group. Vicky Billing, who leads trade and partnerships at Riviera Travel, highlighted the necessity of this position by pointing out the distinct support requirements of homeworkers compared to traditional retail agents.
The necessity for a dedicated role arises from the unique support needs of home-based agents. Unlike retail agents, homeworkers often require assistance that aligns with their flexible schedules, including the provision of webinars during evening hours. This adjustment acknowledges their tendency to work beyond typical office hours and ensures they have access to real-time support whenever issues or queries arise.
This strategic move comes on the back of impressive growth in trade sales, which reported a 52% increase in January compared to the previous year, marking the trade channel as the fastest-growing sales avenue for the operator. Such growth highlights the critical role of providing comprehensive support to maintain and enhance these positive trends within the trade sector.
Further reflecting its commitment to the trade community, Riviera Travel plans to invite 100 agents on familiarisation trips over the course of 2024. This initiative underscores the operator’s dedication to empowering its agents with firsthand experience of its offerings, aiming to bolster their ability to sell Riviera Travel products effectively.
In addition to these strategic enhancements, Vicky Billing, with her extensive 26 years of industry experience, promises to leverage her insights to offer the kind of support to agents that she wished for during her tenure as an agent. Her focus remains on ensuring agents have all necessary tools and resources to thrive, reinforcing Riviera Travel’s supportive stance towards its partners.
Riviera Travel’s new dedicated role signifies a robust commitment to supporting home-based agents, enhancing their operational success and the company’s growth.
