Recently, a travel agent e-mailed NYCVP and wrote, “I’m new to booking New York City. However, it is something I have got to learn.”
Another e-mailed, “I don’t book a lot of NYC packages and really appreciate any help you can provide in assisting me with booking this.”
These candid and telling comments point to the recent publicity about the phenomenal influx of visitors to New York City last year — a staggering 46 million travelers spending $28 billion.
Understandably, now more and more travel agents want to add New York City to their product line and start profiting from selling it. It would seem, however, some travel agents still feel insecure about selling the Big Apple.
In fact, NYC is an easy sale. Most tourists want to stay in hotels in the “Midtown” area of Manhattan to be close to all the excitement — Broadway theaters, museums, Rockefeller Center, Central Park, shopping and other popular city attractions.
“Midtown,” for our purposes, can be broken down into both “Midtown East” and “Midtown West.” “Midtown West” can be defined as the blocks between 42nd to 54th Streets, comprising Broadway, Seventh and Eighth Avenues.
“Midtown East” is New York’s fashionable shopping area, and the location of both St Patrick’s Cathedral and the world’s most famous hotel — the Waldorf Astoria. It is bordered by 42nd to 54th streets between Fifth and Lexington Avenues.
The “Midtown West” area comprises Times Square and the Broadway Theater District, where most of the theaters are located. It’s the center of NYC’s entertainment area. In a recent article in the New York Times, Midtown was described as “ the center of the world; everyone wants to be there”.
Entertainment in Midtown West is synonymous with Times Square and Broadway — and it’s only a little more than a mile square in size; really quite small. Its small size virtually eliminates the need for ground transportation. However, for those who desire or require transportation, taxis are inexpensive and NYC subways are easily accessible and truly a fun way to get the full NYC experience.
There are lots of fine hotels and hotel rooms in Midtown West — all within walking distance to theaters, museums, sightseeing, fabulous food and tons of the best entertainment in the world. The real trick is in knowing the distinctions and prices that separate them.
At nyctrip.com, the official Web site of New York City Vacation Packages, travel agents can find complete descriptions of over two dozen hotels — and by using the site’s handy booking engine NYC TripQuoteSM, agents can get quick, accurate prices. Also helpful is an interactive map on nyctrip.com that illustrates hotels, subway stations, museums, sightseeing icons and Broadway theaters, so planning and booking vacation packages is effortless.
Add profitability to the mix, and selling NYC can be very exciting indeed for travel agents. The most desired NYC midtown hotels are very rarely inexpensive. Average hotel rooms priced between $200 and $400 per night scare few travelers and with NYCVP’s standard 10% commission (with available volume overrides) for travel agents, that’s a nice sale. Include shows, meals and some very popular sightseeing tours, and the profitability for travel agents increases exponentially.
It’s like selling a cruise or an “all-inclusive” vacation. What other travel product or destination allows agents to earn commissions on everything? Very few, if any! NYCVP’s average vacation package sale is $2,900 per booking with an average stay of 2-1/2 nights.
Most importantly, clients will love NYC! Tom Wolfe, the well-known best selling author, recently termed NYC “a Disneyland” with “no industry other than the excitement of just being here.” While it may be true that many of the 46 million visitors to NYC may come in for the day or for business, vacationers and repeat visitors are very well represented in this number.
One booking often leads to many more. Travel agents, get your fair share of the commission revenue and sell NYC every day!