Travel advisor Reece Oslinker has started a group called the Professional Association Travel Sellers (PATS) Preferred Supplier Alliance that aims to connect a small group of advisors with a curated group of suppliers.
The alliance, Oslinker said, is meant for travel advisors looking for more customized, personal service from suppliers. They will also receive the benefits of higher commission levels, starting with their first booking; prompt service via a dedicated contact at each supplier; fam opportunities; and training webinars.
“I think it fits the small advisor who is looking to continue to have their own identity but needs a group like this to get a little more support,” he said.
Oslinker is the owner of Smooth Sailing Cruises in Stoudsburg, Pa.
The alliance’s membership will be limited to around 100 travel advisors and 20 suppliers. There will only be one supplier per niche, whether that be a type of travel, like river cruising, or a destination.
Oslinker said he decided to curate the group because it was something he would find useful as an advisor. He books some travel through a host agency, but he also holds his own IATA number so he can book directly with suppliers.
“My goal was always to prefer to book most of my business directly, but the negative was I was really losing out financially by booking certain products directly” when his host agency offered a higher commission, he said.
Oslinker said he hopes the alliance will give advisors a little more freedom when they want to book directly with a supplier.
Membership for the first year is free. After that, it will likely carry a nominal annual fee around $50, according to Oslinker. The group communicates primarily through a dedicated, private Facebook group. The fee for suppliers to join the alliance is $250 annually. Most skew to the upper premium to luxury market.
“We’re not going to be trying to compete with the Signatures or the Virtuosos or the Ensembles, none of the groups that you’re very familiar with,” Oslinker said. “We’re going to be a very small group of niche suppliers.”
So far the PATS Preferred Supplier Alliance counts about 50 advisors as members. And it has partnered with Riviera River Cruises, AST Tourism (Turkey and Greece), Great Britain & Ireland Travel, PlanitEasy (CRM software), Bookolis (Mexico transfers and excursions), Regal Wings (luxury air), Koveli Travel (Maldives), Tembo Wild (Kenya), Sophia’s Travel (Easter Europe and heritage travel), East Voyages (India), Runway Health (travel medical), IWorld of Travel (Middle East and South America), Top Travel Italy, TravelSafe Insurance, Downtown Travel (an air consolidator), Lori Gold’s Mexperts (advisor training), Iberostar Resorts and Aryyve Vacations (a Caribbean wholesale packager).
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