Apple Leisure Group Vacations has added new self-service features to allow travel advisors the ability to make reservation changes without having to pick up the phone. Plus, the company has updated its change and cancellation policies to provide more leniency and flexibility, while providing agents with enhanced rewards opportunities and travel discounts to help minimize the impact of COVID-19 on future bookings.
“Travel advisors have communicated how stressful and challenging it is to service concerned clients during this time of crisis. We are committed to acting on our partners’ feedback and have updated our change and cancellation policies to be more accommodating and easier to implement,” said Jacqueline Marks, executive vice president, travel agent business, Apple Leisure Group Vacations, in a statement. “We’ve opened up more options for travel professionals in terms of refunds and rebooking, and have implemented intuitive technology and straightforward processes that saves valuable time for our agent partners and puts the power directly in their hands.”
Newly introduced self-service options offer the ability to implement a broad range of changes to bookings for all ALGV destinations. A library of quick, self-help tutorials is now available to guide travel advisors through the process. Dozens of specific scenarios are created and step-by-step directions are offered to help give clients superior service and immediate resolutions.
In order to accommodate travel advisors who booked packages, with or without travel protection, on or before March 8, 2020, ALGV will waive all individual brand change fees for travel now through April 30, 2020. Travel advisors must change their clients’ bookings at least 24 hours prior to departure in order to qualify for these temporary change policies.
Clients can change to any destination provided they are rebooked within 120 days and travel is completed by Dec. 31, 2020. Additional airline and hotel restrictions may apply, and clients may be required to pay any increase in vacation package cost should the price of the new booking exceed the cost of the original package.
“We are working vigorously to support our partner by pushing through streamlined technology at a rapid pace, corralling resources, and analyzing and changing policies to adapt to what’s best for travel advisors and their customers,” noted Marks.
ALGV is also unveiling competitive offers and reactionary discounts. Additionally, travel advisors will receive up to 3,000 bonus WAVES points for qualifying reservations made between March 11 and May 31, 2020, for travel completed by Dec. 15, 2020.
The company is encouraging the purchase of Travel Protection Plus with incentives such as a limited time 1% bonus commission on new bookings which include the valuable add-on. This offer includes the ability to make a one-time change without incurring the 75% policy reactivation fee for changes made through March 31, 2020.
Travel Protection Plus allows clients to change their plans or cancel for any reason on top of numerous other benefits, including up to $50,000 in medical coverage and emergency care, as well as non-traditional features such as a hurricane travel credit. It also provides advisors with commission protection up to $100 per room on reservations including scheduled air, exclusive nonstop vacation flights, and land-only packages.
To access these new self-service features, click here. For more information on Apple Leisure Group’s change and cancellation policies, click here and for more information on the company’s enhanced rewards opportunities and travel discounts, click here.
For more information on this fluid situation, visit Recommend’s Coronavirus Updates Center at recommend.com/coronavirus.
