Could cross-selling leisure be the low-hanging fruit TMCs need right now?

Posted 23/09/2021 by Matthew Chapman

Traditionally TMCs and corporate travel professionals have perhaps been a bit sniffy about the leisure space. Lots of talk about lower margins, cut-throat competition, lack of loyalty and so on.

But now that leisure travel is recovering steadily whilst business travel remains still heavily impacted, perhaps it is time to be a bit more humble?

Increasing and diversifying revenues is key to survival and that should start with the low-hanging fruit first. Could cross-selling leisure travel to your corporate clients be the solution?

Doing this shouldn’t be such a challenge when you consider that the employees of your clients already know how to use your platform and have their details registered on your system. As long as you go about this in a compliant and appropriate manner, what would many travel intermediaries give for that opportunity? That’s often what drives M&A.

Consider too that many high-rollers don’t book their travel, their PAs do. If you let them know you’ve created a leisure service they´ll be early adopters for sure.

As you no doubt have some special negotiated rates and offers available this could be a significant attraction to users. Especially when they are going ‘bleisure’ and adding on a few extra days to that business trip (and wanting to accumulate loyalty points seamlessly).

Proud of your customer service and emergency hotline? Think you provide a better service than an OTA? You bet! Well leisure customers who got burnt during COVID will be very appreciative.

Some companies also offer employee benefits programs with elements that can be redeemed for travel products. Why not become the platform they use?

Anyone reading who works in the leisure side of things and is thinking ‘hands off my customers’, remember that this can work both ways. Leisure travellers also book business trips and if you have their data you should be considering ways of fulfilling their needs.

Ultimately the cost in terms of time and resources to make the leap is really quite low compared to the benefits it can bring. We’re working with several clients to do this currently and would love to share our experience with you. Contact us today?

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