TORONTO — Costa Cruises’ big push for more business from the North American travel trade is a multifaceted and strategic campaign that now includes, new today, a series of live webinars for travel advisors addressing all facets of the Costa product.
It’s the latest outreach from Costa for travel advisors. Last week the Italy-based cruise line announced a major redesign of its Costa Extra travel advisor portal. There’s also the ‘Costa Cruises Cruisetelling’ training modules, launched this past spring, and aimed at helping North American travel advisors learn more about the cruise line’s Italian heritage, onboard experience and positioning for clients.
There are plenty of Canadian travel advisors who know and sell Costa. For agents who are unfamiliar with the cruise line and its itineraries, these are the tools to help generate awareness, and sales, says Priscilla Reyes, Head of Sales for Costa Cruises North America.
“One of the most common pieces of feedback we receive is, ‘Where can we find more information about Costa?,” Reyes tells Travelweek in a new interview.
Priscilla Reyes
The new webinars, called ‘All Aboard Costa,’ are scheduled every six weeks. Each webinar consists of a live 30-45 minute educational session and concludes with a short Q&A, offering advisors the opportunity to engage directly with Reyes, and ask questions in real time.
As an added incentive, each webinar will feature a raffle, with every attendee automatically entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card.
“Supporting our travel advisors is a top priority for Costa, and our new webinar series is a natural extension of this commitment that includes our new Cruisetelling educational course and redesigned Costa Extra portal,” said Reyes. “Our goal is to connect with advisors each month in a live environment, share what makes Costa so special and provide everything they need to confidently bring Costa to their clients.”
Here’s a look at the topics for the first three ‘All Aboard Costa’ webinars (with the two remaining subjects announced in the coming weeks)…
- July 7: An Introduction to the Costa Brand
- August 18: A Guide to Available Tools
- September 29: Costa’s Winter Destinations
Travel advisors who are opted in to receive Costa communications will be sent an email inviting them to participate in the webinar series.
Webinar details are also available via the agent portal, Costa Extra. Travel advisors who are unable to attend the live sessions or want a review can access each webinar via recording on Costa Extra if they register.
Costa Cruises’ sales team can be reached at costasales@us.costa.it. Travel advisors can also connect with the sales team via CostaExtra.com.
“OUR CANADIAN GUESTS CAN FLY RIGHT TO THE CARIBBEAN”: REYES
Travelweek asked Reyes about the early feedback that Costa is hearing from travel advisors about its revamped travel advisor portal. It’s all positive, says Reyes.
“The refreshed portal is an updated version that provides a more user-friendly experience for our travel partners. With better navigation, the tools and files are now easier to find and use, which will improve the completion of bookings, payments and marketing materials,” she says.
What new functionality on the advisor portal does Costa want to make sure Canadian trade partners are aware of?
“Advisors can easily find marketing tools, which includes videos that can be shared with clients and published on social media. These tools are a great asset,” says Reyes. “They also can now find ship information on exclusive landing pages in the ‘Product & Experiences’ tab of our menu by accessing the ‘Fleet’ page. Our ships have different amenities, so this is very useful. Costa Cruisestelling can be accessed with one click so advisors can delve into the world of Costa. They can also return to the news to read additional useful information.”
She’s also happy with the uptake with Costa Cruisetelling modules. Travel advisors who pass the final quiz receive a certificate as ʻCosta Certified.’ All advisors who successfully pass Costa Cruisetelling will also receive 10% off a Costa cruise booking to any destination in the world.
“We are happy and proud of the Costa Cruisetelling project,” says Reyes. “One of the most common pieces of feedback we receive is, ‘Where can we find more information about Costa?’ Costa Cruisetelling makes it fun and easy to learn more about the brand. Costa Cruises’ educational course has been very well received by the market, and many of our partners have already completed the course and become Costa ambassadors.”
We also asked Reyes about Costa’s itineraries, particularly any hidden gems that Canadian advisors should watch out for. While Costa is very big in the Med, its portfolio is worldwide, sailing with Northern Europe, the Caribbean, South America, Asia and more.
“Our Caribbean itineraries are wonderful ‘hidden gems’ with itineraries through the Greater and Lesser Antilles,” says Reyes. “Costa sails from the Dominican Republic, so our Canadian guests can fly right to the Caribbean and begin their vacation in the region. This simplifies the experience.”
She also wants Canadian advisors to know that Costa sails the Med year-round. “This gives travellers the chance to explore in the fall and winter when the temperatures are cooler and the crowds are less than in the peak summer months. Costa was born in the Mediterranean, so there is something special about exploring the region on a cruise line that knows it best.”
