Dear Professional Travel Agent,
Thank you for your interest in Incentive Connection Travel. Following is more information about what we offer.
Isn’t it silly to ask you to pay your Host Agency to earn money for them? We have never in 28 years in business, nor will we ever, charge you to work with us. We work together to have a win-win. We earn when you earn. That is your guarantee that we will do everything we can to help you build your business.
Charging you to be part of a Host Agency is almost as silly as any Host Agency advertising that they will give you 100% commission. If they did, how would they pay their bills? Our accountant cannot make it happen for us. So where is the Host’s profit coming from? Nibbling here, nibbling there. Take a look at all the extras. They really do mount up.
We are one of the few support only Host Agencies for the Home Based and Independent Travel Agent. Our only business is serving you and we do not have any inside sales people to compete with you. Your clients are your only asset and always belong to you. We offer 100% support to all new and experienced agents.
We are a host travel agency operated by experienced travel professionals built around our core ICT family values of… Integrity, Agent focused, Results orientated, Teamwork, Excellence and Innovation. With ICT, 7 days-a-week support is always there. Regardless of your question, we respond quickly and efficiently, so you can get back to what you do best – which is – sell travel. We only support our agents/agencies and never compete with you. We are committed to growing your business with our preferred suppliers and our consortium partner Ensemble. With Ensemble’s Marketing Program, you’ll get both direct mail and email marketing tools to compete in today’s travel industry.
There are other host agencies out there that offer 100% commission, but after you closely evaluate and fully compare programs, support and services, the choice will be clear. There is no free lunch. They get their profit from various charges that we do not ask for. Expect more – get more with ICT.
Please see some of the many awards we have earned over the years as a respected top earning agency. Click Here
You will find our full manual and all the information about our agency at: http://www.ictravel.com
If you feel we will suit your needs, just fax the applications in the manual, and we will get you registered in 2 hours.
Please see attached articles written about ICT and our current awards at: http://www.ictravel.com/public-front-page/our-awards-and-accolades/
Some of the features that make us different are
1. We service your needs 7 days a week, evenings and holidays.
2. We charge NO membership fee of any kind.
3. Last year we paid out well over $6,000,000 in commissions.
4. We have a State of the Art Retrieval System for Confirmations, Specials, Fams, etc. Regional Specials (for your area of the country) are updated daily.
5. You receive 70% to 80% of all commission on all bookings plus overrides. Our agents average 12.6% commission on all bookings due to our preferred relationship with our suppliers. (15%, Princess, LTU, Aerolineas Argentinas, Apple Vacations, Funjet, 16% Holland America, Celebrity, RCCL, Travel Impressions, Delta Vacations, 16% NCL, 19% Varig, 20% LanChile, etc). We have over 125 Preferred suppliers and private contracts as well as a Consolidated Air program. We are a Select Agency with Ensemble Travel, with the complete Amenities program offering free Shore Excursions, Cocktail Parties, Prepaid Gratuities and more.
6. Our Professional SABRE Reservation System including Sabre Cruise, Sabre Vacations, Bargain Finder Plus, Flight Finder and every Sabre enhancement, is only $25 per month and offering the capability for booking Air, Hotels, Car Rentals, Tours, Cruises, Insurance and Consolidators. Sabre is optional and-most new to the industry agents do not need it. You can add it at any time if you feel your clientele warrants it. We give you Sabre Cruise and Sabre Vacations free with or without the Sabre GDS.
7. We have the only online video library with the finest Training, Supplier and Destination Videos, available for your use 24 hours per day.
8. Free ClientBase Plus
9. Extensive back office support resulting in accurate & timely commission payments
10. Many up front airline commission agreements together with attractive back-end incentives with preferred carriers
11. Discounted hotel, car rental and leisure programs with bonus commissions
12. Exclusive ongoing Supplier Training, Webinars, Educational Familiarization Trips and Site Inspections (many with commission incentives and bonuses), conference calls, Suppliers Certifications and more.
13. Personal support and assistance with access to marketing tools for your success.
14. Free Sabre Training
15. Free dedicated Agent Only portals and web sites are available for all suppliers. Optional customized client web sites are updated daily with all supplier and Ensemble Consortium specials and promotions.
16. Free marketing program (e-marketing and direct mail) and business development specialists are always ready to help you grow your business.
17. Better Business Bureau A+ Rating (See attached)
18. Most important……we have been in travel in Phoenix since 1981.
Differences:
Want documents sent to alternate address? NO CHARGE.
Forget to Invoice a booking? NO CHARGE.
Send documents to your client? NO CHARGE.
Monthly fee? None
Annual Fee? None
Support Fee? None
Summary:
- Real Time cruise booking system – Free
- Access to every major cruise lines with real time booking – Free
- 7 Day per week support – Including all Holidays
- Professional support & ticket fulfillment
- CLIA, ARC & IATAN membership
- Access to sales and commission reports
- No ticketing fees
- Marketing an Business Development
- Top Tier Supplier Commission
- Seminars-at-Sea and Annual Conference
- Thousands of Blocked and Escorted Cruise Cabins
- State-of-the-Art Booking Tools
- WebEx Training
- Dozens of daily Emails keeping you up to date on Specials and essential Industry Happenings
- Agent Port – Free
- Trams Client Base – Free
- Select Traveler Amenities Program – Free
- Monthly commission checks
- No Annual Fees
- No Monthly Fees
- IATAN and CLIA cards with qualification
- Free Agent Only Web Site
- Free Ensemble Select Agency Membership
- Many more powerful tools, features, and benefits…
“There are 3 categories of agents: Those who Make Things Happen…..Those who Watch Things Happen……And the largest segment, those who sit back and wonder….What is Happening?”
Which one are you?
“Hi Harvey, Feel free to post this if you like. I have been a travel agent for 15 years. I worked inside for 6 years. When my son was born (9 years ago), I started working from home. I have worked for 3 different companies, and there’s not one than can compare to the support and opportunities that ICT provides us with. I don’t know if many agents have tried to be independent agents with other companies before joining ICT, but here’s a small list of things they are benefiting with from ICT: Faxes from suppliers – we can look at them almost immediately – at other agencies, you are lucky if you get them, and you have to drive to their office during their business hours to find them. Documents – documents are sent directly to you (you pay for the shipping) – I was an independent agent for a company with several offices – sometimes my documents ended up sent to the wrong office or lost by the agency. Emails on every piece of information and opportunities out there – Other agencies only share with you what they want. Sometimes you are not notified of ship inspections, seminar or fams because those are only for their inside sales people. Ensemble – This is so amazing. The last agency I did travel for, belong to a different consortium (very similar to Ensemble). I was not allowed to use their resources like website, the marketing plan. They did offer for me to give them my clients names and then they could add them to their mailing list to receive the flyers (my name and number not listed). Commissions – ICT pays higher than most agencies. Most start at only 50% and your business cards have to have their agency name – not your agency name (always promoting their business). Payment – ICT always pays our commissions promptly – most other agencies dont. The support is amazing with ICT and I could add more to the list, but I don’t want this email to be too long. This was not a solicited email, but I feel that agents need to realize what a wonderful opportunity they have with ICT. I know that sometimes we receive a lot of emails, but it only takes a few minutes to read them and save what pertains to you and your business. If not for your benefit, at least read the emails as a courtesy for a company that does so much for you.”
Montserrat DeGaetanoTravel Specialist, TRAVEL FOR FUN
Interview with Joanie Ogg, past president of NACTA
http://www.ictravel.com/clientuploads/Public%20Items/Ogg%20Interview.pdf