Travel Agent - May 26, 2008 - (Page 80)

BUSINESS OPER ATIONS TRANSPORTATION Going for Gold Hertz’s incentive program encourages agents to book car rentals BY GEORGE DOOLEY THE RECENT LAUNCH BY HERTZ (WWW.HERTZ.COM) of its new Agent Gold Rewards incentive program for travel agents underscores a reality for the company: Travel agents are delivering value revenue to one of the world’s best-known travel brands. Hertz Gold will offer professional travel agents strong incentives to increase sales of Hertz’s full range of car rental products globally, and reward them with an easy-to-use point system to earn diverse rewards. Pam Wright, division vice president, travel industry and partnership sales for Hertz, views Hertz Gold as an affirmation of the vital role professional travel agents—including homebased independents—play in giving Hertz a competitive edge in both leisure and corporate car rental sales. Agents enrolled in the new program will earn 10 reward points for each qualifying rental of three days or more, with points deposited into an online account. Information is available at www.hertzagentgold.com. Rewards include high-end luxury items, concert tickets, jewelry and household items. Wright, herself an agent and former ASTA executive, today presides over a comprehensive program of business-building support for travel agents. This includes a professional sales staff, promotional resources, education and training, as well as booking systems all backed by a world-class product. Equally important, Wright and Hertz maintain strong working relationships with the industry, including agency consortia and host agencies. Notable among these are Hertz’s longstanding exclusive relationship with AAA and a recently announced exclusive partnership with Vacation.com (www.vacation.com). A Ford Fusion from Hertz’s Green Collection Incentives and Options Wright, a 24-year veteran of Hertz, believes that travel agents are well positioned to encourage car rentals as part of packages. “Car rental sales should be an important part of every agency and agents’ revenue stream,” she says. “They can prove profitable.” With 1,500 off-airport locations and three car collections with broad appeal, Hertz brings enormous resources and a high-integrity global brand that clients know and respect. Its Green collection focuses on fuel-efficient, environmentally friendly cars; the Prestige Collection includes high-end luxury vehicles; and the Fun Collection includes vehicles tailored to travelers seeking exciting driving experiences. Booking car rentals is easy. Travel agents can use either the four GDS systems or book online at www.hertz.com. This includes policies on commissions and other programs impacting agents. Hertz pays agents a standard commis- rental “Carshould be an sales important part of every agency. —PAM WRIGHT 80 | TravelAgent May 26, 2008 sion of 10 percent on non-discounted rentals and 5 percent on discounted rentals. There are also special incentives, including rewards for agency referrals and productivity rewards. Agents handling small-business clients should also look at Hertz’s program that rewards both agents and business clients. Wright also sees online technologies, including booking tools like Vacation.com’s EZguider, as helpful in getting agents to promote car rentals for their clients. Dynamic packaging tools also help build car rental sales, and agents should be alert to rental opportunities on preand post-cruise tours. In addition to the new Agent Gold incentive program, Wright expects to expand Hertz’s online training resources for agents in the year ahead. “We invite professional travel agents to explore our programs, services and support, and to partner with us,” she says. “We have the brand [that] leisure and corporate travelers respect.” As proof of the program’s value and efficiency, Hertz reported record first-quarter 2008 revenues of $2.04 billion worldwide, a 6.1 percent year-over-year gain, and reported a record $8.69 billion in revenues for 2007. I ” CONNECTING YOU For more information on transportation, visit www. travelagentcentral.com/transportation-services http://WWW.HERTZ.COM http://www.hertzagentgold.com http://Vacation.com http://www.vacation.com http://www.hertz.com http://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation-services http://www.travelagentcentral.com/transportation-services

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Travel Agent - May 26, 2008

Travel Agent - May 26, 2008 Online Now Contents Contributors From the Editor Las Vegas: New Luxury Lounges and Gourmet Restaurants Lure Non-Gambling Vacationers Europe: Bettoja Hotels Provide a Personal Touch in Italy Pacific/Asia: Kyoto Blends History and Culture in a Serene City Pacific/Asia News and Notes Mexico: Food and Service Entice at Four All-Inclusive Riviera Maya Hotels Special Supplement: The Best of Portugal with Pestana and Pousadas Mexico Deals Caribbean: Region Makes Great Strides in the Ecotour Niche Caribbean News and Notes Cruises: A look at the Swiss Sapphire River Cruiser from its Christening and Inaugural Sailing Norwegian Cruise Lines offers something new Cover Story: Selling Golf Hotels: Golf Resorts with the Budget Golfer in Mind Resorts on Florida’s Gulf Coast Offer Getaway Deals for Summer and Fall Going for Gold: Hertz Incentive Program Encourages Agents to Book Car Rentals Tours: Summer Tour Packages Make the World Affordable for Your Clients Agent Profile: Connie Majors Goes the Extra Mile Members Know: American Express Joins the Networking Bandwagon Agenda: Fam Trips, Deals & Incentives, Calendar What Makes a Professional Agent? Hawaii Tourism Adjusts to Changes Asia is the Hot New Cruise Destination The Latest Caribbean Trends In the Spotlight Classified Marketplace Editorial Index Advertising Index Trendwatch

Travel Agent - May 26, 2008

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