Agent FAMs, Airfare Deals & Name Your Own Commission

Airlines and tour operators are offering up a variety of incentives for agents, ranging from creating their own commission to FAM trips (which can even be reimbursed, if you sell enough trips after) and cash booking bonuses.

On G Adventures’ 2013 FAM trips, travel agents have the opportunity to visit multiple destinations in the tour operator’s Local Living program.

The trips are the same itineraries offered to travelers (so they can experience first-hand what the actual tour is like), and includes the 8-day Local Living Italy: Tuscany San Gimignano, departing Aug. 9; the 7-day Local Living Iceland: South, departing Aug. 10; the 6-day Superior Galapagos: Northern Islands, departing Sept. 2; the 10-day Peru Explorer departing Oct. 26; the 8-day China Express, departing Nov. 30; and the 10-day East Coast Australia in Style, departing Dec. 12. As a bonus, agents who attend a FAM and book eight of their clients within a year of that trip, will receive a full rebate.

FAMs are priced at $499 pp land-only. For more information, visit go.gadventures.com/2013fams. For information on the Local Living Italy FAM, visit go.gadventures.com/2013italyfam. G Adventures will also be hosting a webinar on June 11 at 2 p.m. EST focusing on the 2013 FAMs. To register, click here.

The F1 Montreal Grand Prix is quickly approaching and Kensington Tours is offering agents a $100 agent bonus in cash gift cards when they book one of the customizable 4-day specials.

The tours—2013 Montreal Grand Prix Action and 2013 Montreal Grand Prix Experience—have reduced prices, starting from $1,495 pp, and include entry and tickets to all three days of the race, which runs June 7-9.

“With less than a month to go before race day, space is booking fast,” says Karen Macbeath, Kensington’s championship series and corporate incentive specialist. “These tours feature everything needed to enjoy both Montreal, one of Canada’s most historic and cosmopolitan cities, and the excitement of Grand Prix racing. In addition to premium grandstand seats and seating in the F1 Restaurant, we can customize travelers’ itineraries with behind-the-scenes pit lane access, helicopter rides, the Grand Evening Ball and access to the prestigious Paddock Club.”

Tours also include access to F1 hospitality, chauffeured airport transfers, four-star hotel accommodations and race souvenirs. For more information, visit kensingtontours.com.

Airberlin is launching a fare sale today running through June 4 (so hurry, agents!), with rates starting at $729 (including all taxes and surcharges) from New York to destinations such as Krakow or Warsaw, Poland. The sale also includes travel from Chicago to Copenhagen from $799; Miami to Zurich from $859; and Los Angeles to Vienna from $849. Additional destinations include Barcelona, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Milan and Rome.

Fares are valid for the New York, Chicago and Miami gateways for travel Aug. 16 through Dec. 13, and from Aug. 16 through Oct. 29 out of Los Angeles. For more information, call (866) 266-5588 or visit airberlin.com.

In other airline news, Spirit Airlines has created a Name Your Own Commission program for travel agents, allowing agents to add a service charge to a ticket or package. With the program, travel agents provide their clients with the total price, which includes commission. Once the travel begins, Spirit then transfers the markup to the agency’s account, which can be used as payment toward a future transaction or added on to the balance, with the option of requesting a check or funds transfer.

For more information, visit spirit.com/agent or spirit.com.

If agents have clients planning a rail journey through France, they can save clients 30 percent off high-speed TGV train tickets in first class with Rail Europe’s promotion.

The promotion, available through June 10, is valid for TGV Premier Tickets, which include reclining seats and a choice of meals on board. Tickets start at $99 for TGV Premier. To book, visit agent.raileurope.com and enter code FAST30 during checkout.