Travellers Choice has welcomed two new agencies to its growing national network, strengthening its presence in North Queensland.
Townsville-based Reguson Travel & Cruise, established in 2013 by Rane Reguson, has joined the group as an Elevate member. The agency operates on an appointment-only basis and brings with it a solid industry reputation, according to Travellers Choice.
“We have limited resources and more than 90% of our customers are repeat or referral”, Reguson said, “so restricting consultations to appointment-only ensures we operate as efficiently as possible”.
Rane was also the first winner of the Emirates Travel Consultant Scholarship at the National Travel Industry Awards in 2014.
“I have friends who are long time members of Travellers Choice and so I was well aware of the support the group provides,” he remarked.
“For me, the main attraction was the marketing support. Like every travel agent, I am time-poor, but I can now rely on an experienced team to look after everything from my website design and content to distributing eDMs and managing my social media platforms.
“Other considerations included the group’s great portfolio of preferred suppliers and level of transparency it offers when it comes to financial issues such as overrides.”
Also coming onboard is NQ Travel & Cruise, a newly launched agency based in Ingham, around 110 kilometres north of Townsville.
Owner Kathleen Lynch is already well-versed in Travellers Choice, having worked for another Queensland member for 16 years.
“I’ve seen first-hand the support members enjoy from every level of the organisation, including right up to [Managing Director] Christian Hunter”, Lynch said, “and it’s been particularly evident through the onboarding process”.
“As a start-up business I’ve needed a lot of support and the team has been incredibly accommodating.
“The biggest relief has been in not having to worry about organising a website. The marketing team has looked after all of that for me, allowing me to launch the business with a professional and well-run website from the get-go, which is phenomenal.”
Both agencies will now have access to a full suite of business tools, products and support as members of Elevate, one of three solution levels Travellers Choice offers members, along with Activate and Accelerate.
In March, Travellers Choice introduced another new member, Travel Your Style, which it says creates a new niche, offering more complex and expansive high-end itineraries.
For more info, visit www.travelagentschoice.com.au.
