Custom tour operator Avanti Destinations has just launched three new regional websites, accessible to travel advisors who have not previously registered with Avanti and their clients. The three microsites feature 58 new fixed-price, non-customizable FIT vacation land packages in 18 countries in Asia, Latin America, and the South Pacific. Advisors are able to send or share packages listed on these microsites to their independent travel clients, including prices for different rate seasons.
Why Fixed-Price Packages?
“With the introduction of fixed-price, non-customizable packages, Avanti now offers three ways that advisors can book our FIT vacations,” explained Paul Barry, CEO of Avanti Destinations. “In addition to the fixed-price, non-customizable packages, advisors can select one of our customizable recommended itineraries or they can create a unique vacation from scratch, starting with destinations, travel dates, type of accommodation and our wide range of sightseeing tours and unique experiences, such as cooking classes, wine tastings, Japanese tea ceremony or aboriginal painting class.
“We decided to offer these packages for several reasons. First, there are many new advisors, most of whom know North America and Europe best, but are not that familiar with booking FIT in Asia, Latin America, and the South Pacific. The fixed-price, non-customizable packages make it quick and easy to browse, make a recommendation to their clients, and book without the back-and-forth involved with customized vacations.
“Second, for advisors with clients who have firm budgetary constraints, showing the options for different travel dates – the rate seasons - streamlines the decision-making process. With our customizable packages, on the other hand, which are quoted using dynamic pricing, it can be time-consuming to go nail down the details and build a final price.
“Advisors new to FIT often try to reduce the price of custom FIT vacations by cutting the number of days, downgrading hotels, or eliminating some sightseeing tours and experiences – which are often the highlights of an FIT vacation. The fixed-price packages use recommended hotels and rate seasons that can lower the price without compromising the quality of the vacation. And being able to quickly show clients a few fixed-price packages may also lead to clients deciding that a customable package is more what they are looking for, so advisors can upsell,” said Barry.
What Is Fixed?
The new fixed-price, non-customizable packages – indicated on the microsites by a lock symbol – include accommodations, sightseeing tours, experiences and transfers, including in-country air, but not international air. Hotels are selected by Avanti, not the advisor, although the advisor may select packages that have a specific hotel star rating. The itinerary itself may not be modified, although additions may be made pre- or post-package. International air may also be added. There are a variety of private, shared and small group tours and experiences that are included in these non-customizable packages.
“These are not bare-bones packages,” explained Barry. “The tours and experiences in the new packages are of the same high-quality that we offer in our customizable vacations. The big difference with the packages is that they make transparent the 'rate season' impact on pricing.”
Different prices for packages are given on the microsites, corresponding to different “rate seasons” set by hotels and other service providers (such as for tour and transfer companies). Some countries, even some regions or cities within the same country, have one rate season for the entire year, some more than a dozen. Packages are not available on holidays and other blackout periods.
The new regional websites also list a few customizable vacations in each country, but prices of these are not shown because pricing depends on customization, travel dates and the specific hotel properties and additional sightseeing or experiences desired.
The 18 countries with fixed-price packages are Australia, New Zealand, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam. Avanti plans to offer fixed-price, non-customizable packages in Europe sometime next year for 2026.
Printed Reference Guides Are Back
In response to advisor demand, Avanti is bringing back printed “advisor reference guides,” or brochures, which include the fixed-price packages, although the price is not shown on the print brochure. Instead, a QR code next to each product takes advisors to the regional microsite for up-to-date pricing and details. These guides include maps, information on in-country transportation and seasonality, descriptions of packages, customizable itineraries, sightseeing tours and experiences, and many hotels.
The first printed advisor reference guide is for the South Pacific region (Australia, New Zealand, Fiji) and can be pre-ordered now with delivery sometime later in October. Advisor feedback indicated that print brochures are preferred over e-brochures. To pre-order the South Pacific advisor reference guide, go to www.avantidestinations.com and select one of two covers, Australia or New Zealand.
How the Microsites Work
The three microsites have a simple booking form on the homepage, but instead of using that, advisors can easily find each region by selecting the “destinations” tab which brings up Asia, Latin America or South Pacific, so they can toggle back and forth between one region and another to find the right package for their client. Using the drop-down “packages” tab, the country is selected and all packages for that country are shown on one page, both customizable and non-customizable. The non-customizable packages have a lock symbol and show the lowest starting price. When a package is selected, advisors click on the “prices” tab to display all the rate season dates and prices for that package. There is a “share PDF” tab, enabling advisors to send the package(s) directly to their clients. And to simplify booking, there is a “book now” tab. A map of each itinerary is shown on the package description.
For fixed price packages in Asia, Latin America and the South Pacific, go to asia.avantidestinations.com, latinamerica.avantidestinations.com and southpacific.avantidestinations.com, no login required.
For information on booking unique experiences and custom-built, complex and multi-destination vacations in Europe and around the world for FITs/independent travelers, log onto the travel advisor portal book.avantidestinations.com or call 1-800-422-5053 to speak with an expert travel specialist.
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