As travel comes roaring back, leisure and luxury are leading the way, with Canadians robbed of more than two years of vacations eager to get back out there.

They’re ready to go. Are you ready to help them on their journeys?

At a breakout session of the 2022 ACTA Eastern Canada Travel Industry Summit, a panel of seasoned luxury sellers offered advice on identifying and cultivating luxury clientele. It’s a specialization that, when executed successfully, can lead to higher earnings from less work.

The panel was moderated by Denise Harper, a recent addition to the Virtuoso luxury travel network in a Partner Relations role. The panelists were Carla Brake, Director of Business Development, Avalon Waterways, Beverly Vickers, Director Sales & Marketing, Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Aida Silva, EVP Cruise Sales and Supplier Relations, Tully Luxury Travel.

A perennial topic in luxury sales is the stumbling block of travel advisors struggling to sell something they couldn’t afford themselves.

“Sticker shock is still happening. You have to get over this,” Vickers said. “Don’t spend what’s in your wallet. Spend what’s in theirs.” In other words: don't assume that because a product exceeds your budget, it will exceed your client's budget too.

A compelling illustration of this came from an advisor in the audience who had a family booked in an inside cabin on Disney Cruise Line. The client called and asked how much it would cost for a one-bedroom concierge category stateroom.

“Are you sitting down,” the advisor said. “It’s $35,000.” “We’ll take it,” said the client.

That sale sparked an ongoing relationship with a lucrative client. Vickers said the only thing she would change in the advisor's approach was asking if the client was sitting down. “Just quote the price (and let them make the decision),” Vickers said.

Silva, who has spent 32 years working with the company originally founded by Mary Jean Tully as The Cruise Professionals, says she always remembers a piece of wisdom she learned from well-known cruise industry executive Larry Pimentel.

“You can spend $1,000 on a vacation and feel like you wasted $1,000. Or you can spend $2,000 and feel like you had the time of your life.”

“Luxury travel is an investment,” Silva said. “They don’t remember what they paid when they get back. And luxury operators offer amazing experiences that are completely stress-free.”

Selling luxury requires knowledge and expertise. But it can be learned.

“You need to invest in yourself by investing in the luxury and high-end experience,” said Vickers. “Use agent discounts and fams to make it accessible. You need to become the storyteller. Nothing tells a story better than your own experience.”

Brake says luxury product is more profitable for suppliers, so more resources are devoted to the advisors who sell it well. “There’s easier access to BDMs and support services.” Vickers agreed and suggested advisors do some research and “choose suppliers who will support you in your journey and help you learn.”

In terms of finding luxury cruise candidates, Vickers suggests that agents check their database for premium land clients, and offer them a new experience.

“High-end hotels are charging $900 to $2,000 per day. Compare that with what they would spend on a luxury cruise, which often comes with business class air included.”

Vickers also said that per diem pricing is an effective way of presenting options to clients, even if they exceed their stated budget.

“I suggest telling them: ‘This is what you get for $200 per day. This is what you get for $400 per day.’ Just put it in front of people. The worst they can do is say no.”

Brake says using social media can be a low-cost method of mining for upscale clients. “Suggest higher-end choices. Open the conversation. You might be surprised.”

All the panellists stressed that the long pandemic pause gave people lots of time to consider their future travel plans. Brake said: “People are more conscious that life is short. Help them build out a travel plan for the next several years. Show you care and be forward-thinking. Don’t wait for them to ask.”

Silva agreed: “Know your customers. Segment your database. Find out what they’ve done and what they want to do.”

Many luxury travellers are in their golden years, either because it took them that long to accumulate the wealth to travel well, or their careers gave them little time to travel before retirement.

RSSC’s Vickers says some people wait until it’s too late to chase their travel dreams. “Get your clients excited. Encourage them not to wait until they’re in a rocking chair on the porch.”

On a similar note, she advises that agents need to “keep filling the bucket” with new luxury travel prospects, again because of the older demographic. The unspoken fact is that clients sometimes kick the bucket before the bucket list is complete.