WHAT WE CAN DO FOR YOU
In Canada, travel agents & the outbound travel industry has a massive undertaking, coupled with a surplus of responsibilities, and those responsibilities have grown. At Connection Tours, we believe that you’re the single most important source in determining where Canadian travellers travel. You are also the key to the impressions those countries will have on the Canadian traveller. You determine if they will go back.
For those reasons it is imperative that Canada's travel agents are knowledgeable and able to provide the best travel advice for Canadians. Currently, over 23 million Canadians own a valid passport (Passport Canada, 2013). It is our responsibility as representatives of the travel industry to ensure they travel responsibly and safely while getting the most of their travel experiences. In other words, we want Canadian travellers to not only trust, but utilize their local travel agent every time they travel.
FOR OUR TRAVEL AGENTS
ABOUT OUR TRAVEL AGENTS
HOW WE GET YOU BOOKINGS
OUR RESOURCES FOR CANADIAN AGENTS
THE CONNECTION TOURS SERVICES
WHEN TO USE CONNECTION TOURS
OUR SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS
CONTACT US
At Connection Tours, we believe our travel agents should be able to:
We believe Canadian travel agencies should be able to:
- Answer all questions about a destination accurately & on demand…
- Excite and motivate the traveller
- Professionally educate the traveller about the destination they are anticipating
- Keep the Canadian traveller updated on any payment deadlines, transfer times, Visa deadlines, airline schedules, hotel availability, and necessary documentation needed before travel
- Support their clients throughout thier entire trip
- Anticipate needs before their clients ask
- Have an evolving back-up plan
- Create a trip that seamlessly creates repeat business
- All the while, creating an itinerary that fits the client
By partnering direct with the tourist boards and destination management companies in Great Britain, Europe, South East Asia and Costa Rica, we give travel agents the tools, resources, and connections necessary to tailor make any travel experience for their clients taking thier passions, needs and unique requirements in mind.
That means that our travel agents can generate faster quotes, with greater precision, using new and exciting resources that speak to the needs of the individual client. Imagine being able to have the time to focus on your client, and still be able to provide them with an exceptional itinerary that speaks to their needs and wants. This means that when your client gets their itinerary, they know you were listening.
So how do we get you there as the primary source for advice and bookings?
START BY CHOOSING US FOR YOUR NEXT GROUP PROJECT
When a complex itinerary, or special interest group project comes your way with regards to Great Britain, Europe, South East Asia, or Costa Rica, call on us as your destination expert to ensure a professional booking that will not only impress and delight your travellers, but can also ensure and encourage repeat business. We can do this because:
-We Go Direct.
Going direct with a favoured supplier saves you time, money & research. Mitigate both rick and the hands in your exchange by working with suppliers first hand.
-Everything is Customized.
Everything we do is tailor made to your group request. One client’s goals are different than the other. There is no package ‘A’ ‘B’ or ‘C’ to choose from which means that when your client gets their itinerary, they know you were listening.
-We are first and foremost a Destination Resource.
We believe that destination knowledge is the key to a successful booking and repeat business. We partner with tourist boards and local suppliers direct because we think it is important for you to have resources first hand.
-We like to Build Relationships.
From our partnerships in the countries we visit, to the suppliers, to the agents - to their clients. We meet face to face, and prefer using suppliers that we know we can trust. We like to grow and learn together. You in turn, can trust the product you are creating for your client, personally.
-We Seize the Opportunities.
Our Connection Tours team takes advantage of every trade show, every new offering. We read every E-Blast, every e-mail, every newsletter. And then we share with you what we think is most important. Meaning your overload of trade blast emails and overseas appointments can come to an end. We will narrow it down and dig up what would be of most interest to you.
-We’re Constantly Growing and Learning.
Where people travel and how they book has never changed faster. Their demands, wants and needs are changing with them. We commit ourselves to growing with our consumers, offering them educated options. For you, this means exciting and new opportunities & offerings for your client, rarely available online.
-We Make Site Inspections Mandatory.
There is rarely a location, accommodation or transfer service that we have used that our team has not visited in the past year. We pride ourselves in knowing every offering intimately, meaning that when your client asks if you’re sure, you can confidently respond with a yes.
-We Are Goal Oriented.
We want to know what your goals are and help you attain them. We focus on building partnerships, and align your goals to ours, which is to fundamentally grow your business in an effort to better the industry.
-We Are Focused.
In the 27 years we have been in business, we've never spread ourselves too thin. We have kept our focus on only four core destinations which has allowed us to create truly authentic travel experiences in fantastic destinations where trust & integral relationships were needed. This opens you to a variety of opportunities that you may have never thought possible. Go on, take a look, …go exploring with us.
What free resources and opportunities can Connection Tours provide and how do they benefit?
1. Our In-House Destination Clinics
With endorsements supported by our partnered destinations, the Connection Tours team travels across Canada providing complimentary in-house destination clinics, offering a clear and detailed overview of the destination’s offering for the following year. For you this means the chance to go over any programs you might be working on with our destination specialist, to create a program for your clients that works best for your travellers. To request a destination clinic email samantha@connectiontours.ca
2. Our FAM’s
Unfortunately, there is no shrimp & champagne here on this trip. We’re here to learn as much as we can, explore as much as we can, and capture that ultimate “selfie” that are sure to make your client’s jaw drop. Our goal is to have people say “I can’t believe this is real” when they see your pictures and hear your experiences. And that starts with you. Join us, and you’ll be staying competitive, e-mail samantha@connectiontours.ca to request information.
3. Our Webinars
Missed a chance to arrange an in-house destination clinic while we’re in your city? Our webinars are another resource we make widely available for agents & operators across Canada. Access up to date resources & information for the year ahead. As a matter of fact, our next webinar is coming up! We just can’t get enough of Wales who are eager to speak with us on Tuesday December 2nd. Register your office at http://promo.baxter.net/contest/webinars/wales.asp
4. Our Online Resources
Our website might not have all the bells and whistles, but we post something new every day that our Canadian agents, organizations, and operators can benefit from. Whether a special interest itinerary we’re launching, a positive destination-focused project, there is always something new to read up on! If you go to www.connectiontours.ca, you will find the latest most up to date information on all upcoming events, simplified travel & destination FAQ’s, and more. Go exploring, and benefit.
5. Our Itinerary & program management
Our end goal is to provide authentic, customized, and original travel arrangements for your clients, with a completely tailor made itinerary to enrich their life experiences, convincing them to book their travel through their local agent again and again. We strive to provide these free destination resources to our agents across Canada in an effort to support these business goals. We make ourselves available to any agent who requires assistance in the customized packaging of travel arrangement throughout Great Britain, Europe, Costa Rica, or South East Asia.
OUR CONNECTION TOURS SERVICES INCLUDE....
-Groups from 8 to 400+
-Audio & Visual presentations to discuss your group’s destination choices and accommodation options
-Custom designed itineraries specific to your group requests and requirements
-Negotiations and arrangements for all accommodations and on-site special requirements
-Confirmation and issuance of all airline tickets
-All ground transportation services including airport / hotel transfers, day and evening excursions and VIP meet and greet services
-Negotiated rates for vehicles ranging from 7 passenger Mercedes Vitos to 64 seat double deckers and luxury coaches with removable seats and retractable tables for dining and entertainment options
-Connection Tours full assistance in the marketing of your group by means of audio/visual presentations and promotional material
-Professional, experienced and knowledgeable tour managers -Organization of lectures and workshops by local specialists
-Pre-arrangement of your performing group's concert venues
-Exclusive tours and entertainment
-Special event and sport tickets
-Venue space and performance organization
USE CONNECTION TOURS AS A RESOURCE WHEN....
1. WHEN YOU WANT TO TAILOR MAKE A PROGRAM OR ITINERARY FOR YOUR GROUP OR CLIENT
Whether you need professional advice for a complicated itinerary or look that or idea that really captivates your clients, send us an inquiry or explore the destinations we work with. Your clients will be blown away with what you can put together for them and how it will be presented.
2. WHEN YOU WANT A PROFESSIONAL OPINION
Whether you need professional advice for a complicated itinerary or look that or idea that really captivates your clients, send us an inquiry or explore the destinations we work with. Your clients will be blown away with what you can put together for them and how it will be presented.
3. WHEN YOU'RE RESEARCHING A SPECIAL INTEREST OR DESTINATION
Connect with us and you’re connecting with Visit Britain, Visit Scotland, Visit Wales, the Costa Rican Tourist Board, the Thailand Authority of Tourism, and other Destination Tourism organizations, suppliers, & initiatives. That means you receive resources from a first hand source for your clients. The more you know, the more competitive you will stay when selling your destination’s to potential Canadian travellers. Connecting with us through an in-house destination clinic, webinar, FAM, or even a breif meeting on behalf of any of the tourist boards we work with will provide you with a greater understanding, and a deeper insight in the special interests your clients might possess. Whether an educational group, performance group, or tailor made itinerary to one of our specialty destinations, our resources and knowledge to guide you will give you a deeper understanding and a strategic advantage with your clients of that interest.
4. WHEN YOU'RE WORKING WITH A COMPLEX ITINERARY
The needs, schedules, and demands of our modern day traveler is a finicky business. To maintain a competitive edge, you as the agent need to stay ahead of the game, and with that comes a list of travel arrangements with different and at times unique requirements. It is possible to seamlessly arrange an itinerary that has everyone satisfied, but this takes time, experience, & knowledge about the regions involved. Unsure about a complex request which falls with either Britain, Europe, Costa Rica, or South East Asia? Contact us, we’re here to support.
5. WHEN YOU NEED DESTINATION SPECIFIC KNOWLEDGE & EXPERTISE
In the 27 years we have been in business, we’ve never spread ourselves too thin. We have kept our focus on only four core destinations which has allowed us to create truly authentic travel experiences in fantastic destinations that we harnessed trust & integral relationships with. This opens you to a variety of opportunities that you may have never thought possible. Go on, take a look, go exploring.
6. WHEN YOU HAVE A SPECIAL INTEREST GROUP
Since 1987, we’ve made a career out of our military history and pilgrimage tours to the Battlefield’s of Europe. Today, the Battlefield Tours is a thriving community, which we return with year after year to celebrate with our fellow Canadians, no matter the group size. From this experience our team has embraced their own special interest’s which have led to a variety of specially focused destination offerings & support for a wide range of programs such as tours with Music & Performance Groups, Educational Groups, Food & Dining, Aviation Enthusiasts, Health & Wellness, Hiking Programs, and Corporate Incentives, all within our four focused destinations.
7. WHEN YOU WANT TO CREATE THE TRIP THAT NO ONE HAS DONE BEFORE
It seems like everyone is looking for that experience off the beaten track, something that the world has never seen or done before. An experience that really resonates years after the experience. To stay competitive, destinations are really doing their part to provide amazing, completely unique, and completely impactful opportunities for travellers, the problem is, that in such a noisy infrastructure, these opportunities can sometimes be difficult to find or hard to validate once they are found. The key to Connection Tours is that we are always on the road. We are always meeting with the tourism outlets, and then site inspecting for ourselves new opportunities that arise. That way, when you have a client knocking on your door saying they want something TRULY authentic, you know where to find us, and when you do, you will know that you are creating a truly exceptional itinerary for your clients.
8. WHEN YOUR CLIENTS WANTS SOMETHING CUSTOMIZED
It’s a no brainer, if you’d like to cusomtize an itinerary for your clients, to either Great Britain, South East Asia, Europe, or Costa Rica, let us know, and get the support you need for a successful close!
OUR SPECIAL INTEREST PROGRAMS
Our longest running tour program, the Battlefield Tours, is what initially brought the Connection Tours Team together back in 1986. The in-depth research and commitment our team brings year after year has not only developed our Battlefield Tours for Canadians, but created a burst of passion to build and develop several other specialty interest programs. This includes such products as the Connect Solo Traveller program, Canadian Performance Group Tours, Canadian Educational Groups, Corporate Incentives, Health & Wellness, Foodie Tours, as well as Family & Friend Group Trips.
Our dedication to our special interest programs means that travel agents can utilize the knowledge and connections we have cultivated that are focused specifically with the travellers special interests in mind. When there is so much to offer in a destination, it is nice to know that someone is focused on the interests that matter to the client in question.
To learn more about our specialty programs and how you can use them to your advantage at your office, click here
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