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How easy is it to sell an Albatross tour?

Kim Salter from TravelManagers discusses how easy it is to sell an Albatross tour and the personal support she receives from Albatross, which is not common elsewhere.

I had not had many dealings with Albatross Tours before I joined Travel Managers as my previous agency had always pushed their preferred suppliers. I must admit at first I was apprehensive as I did not know their products or had heard of anyone who had travelled with them before.

My first dealing with Albatross Tours was when I worked at a Europe Expo in 2009. I asked an elderly gentleman (84 years old) if he was planning on travelling to Europe next year and he said he and wife would be, definitely with Albatross. He was so adamant that he would be travelling with Albatross Tours I was blown away. He told me he had a long discussion with Euan, the managing director and owner of Albatross Tours and that there was no other option. Euan had sent him over to us to book the tour in and help with flights, an apartment in Pairs after the tour and travel insurance.

Obviously I snapped the gentlemen’s hands off although I did not feel confident booking a client on a product I knew hardly anything about, my reputation as a Personal Travel Manager was at stake.

 As my dealings with this particular client moved on further I became even more nervous. The client was asking so many specifics about the apartment that I was booking - “what is the coffee pot in the apartment like? Does it have a microwave?” Alarms bells rang out that this booking would ultimately become a problem and the client would not be satisfied no matter what I or Albatross tried do to. As the client departed I was waiting for the complaints during his trip and after his trip. It was a welcome home call I was not looking forward to.

As I reluctantly called the client on his return I was pleasantly surprised to hear that the tour was absolutely fabulous, the tour manager was extremely accommodating and knowledgeable, the attention to detail was excellent. This was coming from a “fussy” elderly gentleman!!! There was a small problem with the apartment (of course) but not a hint of negativity regarding the Albatross Tour.

That was 2 years ago and since then I have booked many more. I now understand why the client was so adamant in booking with Albatross as I have now had the opportunity to meet Euan and be a guest at a client presentation. I have never met an owner/director with so much enthusiasm for what he does. The staff at Albatross are not really sales reps, they provide a passion for travel which I have not seen with any other supplier. They win hands down for me. They provide a personal service in a way in which I want my clients to experience, obviously ensuring that each guest’s personal requirements are responded to.

I love that Albatross offer an early bird deal for Europe but the client only needs to pay the deposit to get the discount, not the full balance. I have found this a huge benefit when trying to convert bookings. Their reservations team are extremely friendly, they are have been flexible with payments and communicate in anyway which suits me. They pick up the phone in 3 rings however now I know them I usually just email because I know their turnaround time is usually within an hour or two.

I think the best benefit of having booked with Albatross Tours is that they have large focus on repeat and referral business, and this means my clients come back to me to book it. My 84 year old client (now 86) and his wife have booked a second tour this year and they have also referred their daughter and son in law.

I met a couple of ladies recently divorced and looking for a trip of a lifetime, I had no hesitation in recommending the Albatross product to them this year.

The support I have received from Euan, Stephen and the reservations team has been phenomenal and I have a great respect for the relationship I have built with them. I could not imagine ever being able to have this personal relationship with any other tour operator. If you want excellence, enthusiasm, attention to detail and a personal service then Albatross Tours is the supplier you have been searching for.


Kim Salter
Personal Travel Manager