How Travel Agents Can Convert Single Trip Travellers to Loyal Customers

It is good news when a travel agent succeeds in convincing a customer to make a holiday booking. However, getting the same customer back for their next holiday is even better. Customer loyalty is one of the key factors which could help travel agents to develop their businesses successfully. When the customer is satisfied with the holiday he/she gets, the customer will come back and recommend the travel agency to other people. This means that the customer will become loyal to the travel agent and will give the latter many opportunities for business in the future. However, such loyalty cannot emerge spontaneously; it is developed step-by-step during all interactions with a customer.

Understand the Traveller

It is necessary to understand that customers have different expectations from holidays. There are customers looking for cheap holidays, while there are those who prefer expensive but luxurious and comfortable holidays. Different people also need different services. For example, families usually care about convenience; couples need romantic vacations, while individual travellers are interested in having something flexible and adventurous. Instead of offering the same vacation packages to everybody, travel agents can ask some easy questions to understand the customer better.

Go beyond selling the package.

Customers do not only recall the package that they have bought but also remember how easy and pleasant the whole journey was. A travel agent can provide additional value by assisting with:

Destination choice

Guidance with visa documentation

Accommodation booking

Local experiences

Transfers

Insurance

Restaurant and activity suggestions

In-journey assistance

By providing customers with all needed support, agents make them see them not as booking services but as reliable travel partners.

Personalisation Matters

The personal touch can make an ordinary travel package into a special one. An agent, instead of selling the standard Europe package, can develop a unique one depending on the interests of the customer. A gourmet will be suggested some culinary adventures, while an adventurer can get a totally different package. Even small gestures matter in making customers feel appreciated. It is worth remembering such customers' preferences as the hotels they choose, travel dates, favourite destinations or countries they have visited earlier.

Maintain Contact Post-trip

Relationships between the travel agent and the client shouldn’t just be for when the client is on his trip. The travel agent could send a simple message checking on the experience the client had and also give tips on other interesting destinations the client may want to visit in the future.

E.g., “Enjoyed the experience in Bali? Here are three destinations that could interest you on your next trip.”

The travel agency will maintain contact with the client but without being too commercial about it.

Remain Relevant through Content

Travel agents could remain relevant to former clients through social media, blogging, newsletters, and WhatsApp communications by providing them with useful information. This information could range from destination guides, travel tips, visa requirements, seasonal trips, packing tips, and more. The aim would be to keep inspiring them on their travels such that the travel agent is already on their mind when they begin planning for their next holiday.

Make Happy Customers Your Brand Advocates

Happy Traveller can be one of the best marketing devices for your travel agency. Travel agents can encourage their clients to publish their reviews, pictures and experiences right after they complete their journey. These reviews may be published on social media or even the website of the travel agency. Experience of real travellers will be perceived as a trusted source since future clients always want to know what other people thought of their trip before booking one.

Build Loyalty Through Trust

In case of travel, the client trusts you with his/her money, time and vacation experience. Thus, transparency becomes crucially important. Providing information on prices, inclusions, exclusions, cancellation terms, timelines, and travel requirements will avoid misunderstandings. Honest and helpful assistance from an agent will help you to maintain a good relationship rather than ruin it.

Opportunities of Travel Agencies in the Long-Term Perspective

A successful travel agency doesn’t consist of the number of bookings that it has. It is built on relationships with clients. One-time travellers can become loyal clients. A loyal client can become your brand advocate.