Airtours-subsidiary, Travel Services International (TSI), has announced that “Cruise Control Express,” a unique reservation and customer relationship management system, will be installed for all 1,000 members of its Home-Based Division, comprised of Cruises Inc. and Cruise One.

Cruises Inc. agents began using the system on September 4, 2001 and Cruise One franchises and associates will begin the conversion process in early December. Cruise Control Express is a complete single-application booking and client management tool, offering both real-time availability and instant product information.

“There is growing demand from people to work from their homes”, said John Bloodworth, President of the Cruise Division. He added, “Whether I`m talking to an existing travel agent, or someone simply looking for a new career or a way to supplement their income, they want the personal freedom that comes with working out of a home office. Whether they want to work as an independent contractor or buy a franchise, both allow that freedom and are very affordable.”

With access to Cruise Control Express, home-based agents can benefit consumers by quickly giving them “instant” price quotes. They can also compare up to three cruise line offers and pricing simultaneously. The system has information on over 25,000 sailings and automatically shows availability and cruise ship information, including deck plans and onboard amenities.

“In providing this multi-million dollar system to our members at no cost, we have delivered a powerful tool which capitalizes on TSI`s leadership position in the cruise distribution system. An important feature of Cruise Control Express is that it enables our home-based agents to be more knowledgeable about the product, increase productivity, sales and profits. We are really optimistic about the growth of the home-based segment of our business. With technology like Cruise Control Express in place, our members can deliver competitive pricing, added value features and enhance their earning power,” noted John Bloodworth.

Additional features include “News Bulletin,” which notifies home-based members of the most up-to-the-minute cruise specials and “Card Game,” which provides side-by-side comparisons of up to three products simultaneously on a single screen. Another feature, “Best Price Fare Finder,” gives home-based members the absolute lowest price available by automatically comparing negotiated rates, cruise line system rates, group blocks and last minute specials.

“Our home based agents can earn a very good living and this technology, along with our existing marketing programs, will help them earn even more,” said Vivian Ewart, Vice President of the Home Based Division. Cruise Control Express is part of an extensive set of tools provided to home-based cruise agent members. These include the Mail Magic direct mail program, Operation Goldmine new prospect system, award wining personalized consumer magazines and the individual web sites with leading edge features, such as 360-degree virtual ship tours as well as weekly e-mail direct mail pieces. According to Ewart, “These programs deliver the best of both world`s—high-tech systems and lead generation programs and the personalized service and local market knowledge that is the hallmark of our community based members.”

Travel Services International, Inc., a subsidiary of Airtours plc, is a leading distributor of travel products. The company offers cruise vacations, vacation packages, domestic and international airline tickets and European auto rentals. Additionally, the company is a leading provider of specialized hotel programs and services and incentive travel programs. These services are provided to both travel agents and travelers, and offer a unique combination of specialized expertise, the ability to compare options from multiple travel providers and competitive prices.

Airtours plc has 15 million customers from 24 countries around the world. The Group operates over 80 principal brands, 93 hotels and resort properties, 52 aircraft, four cruise ships and employs more than 29,000 people. The Group has market leading positions in leisure travel in the UK, Scandinavia and North America. Airtours plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

 

For more information on becoming a home-based agent, go to: www.tsicareers.com

 

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