101 Series: Travel Agent Reward Programs

As promised, I wanted to do a DEEP dive into the travel agent reward programs available. Many agents may not know about them. I should preface this by saying that the rewards are NOT good enough to be the only reason for being a travel agent. I look at it as simply an extra perk with the role. I’ve learned a lot in my two years about the different programs. I’ve already reaped the benefits of some of them. This post has taken me HOURS to compile, but I hope you’ll find it helpful. Here goes…

AM Resorts – AM Rewards

If you are a travel agent, there’s a very good chance you are selling AM Resorts. That includes all of the Breathless, Secrets, Dreams, Sunscape, Zoetry, Now, and Reflect Resorts. The AM Resorts are scattered all over Mexico and the Caribbean. All AM Resorts are all inclusive and some brands like Secrets and Breathless are adults only.

If you haven’t taken the course to become a “Master Agent” I highly recommend taking it. You’ll learn not just about the different properties but also about marriage legality rules in different countries. Very helpful when planning a destination wedding.

Agent Website: https://amrewards.amragents.com/
Training: You can become a “Master Agent” and earn heavily discounted per night rates to use for personal travel
Reward: Submit bookings on the site and earn free nights for personal use or cash. Please note if the value of your free trip exceeds $600 or more you will be required to pay taxes.

There’s also contests and drawings where you can potentially win extra cash after you submit your bookings. This is definitely one of the best travel agent reward programs out there. I’ve already redeemed 4 free nights (which equals 15,600 AM Reward points) to use in Jamaica this February at Sunscape Splash for personal travel. I still have a few more points left over. Make sure you are keeping up with all of your AM bookings and submitting them accordingly. Earn every single point you can. This is a great way to visit destinations like Punta Cana, Montego Bay, Playa Bonita in Panama, Willemstad in Curacao, and Puerto Vallarta in Mexico.

Pro tip: The adults only properties require more points per night than the family-friendly resorts. Also, note that points do expire after 18 months. If you don’t USE them, you LOSE them.

Sandals – Points to Paradise

I touched base on the Sandals Points to Paradise in my latest Certified Sandals Specialist post, but wanted to go a little more in depth. When you’re on the travel agent portal, just simply click “Agent Incentives” and then “Points to Paradise.”

For every net room dollar you book, you get a point towards your own luxury included vacation. All commissionable bookings are eligible, whether you book a couple, family, or social group. Your points stay with you no matter where you go in the industry, so you can use them whenever and wherever you want. When it’s time to redeem your points, all you have to do is long on to the portal. View available dates and submit your request in minutes. Super easy!

Agent Website: https://taportal.sandals.com/
Training: My last post goes more in depth but essentially you’ll need to be a Certified Sandals Specialist meaning you have attended your required annual CSS workshop and have at least 1 active booking for the year.
Reward: Earn free room nights for personal travel with every booking you submit onto the travel agent portal. Similar to AM Rewards, more luxurious products require more points to redeem.

Pro tip: You don’t have to book with Sandals directly in order to redeem the points. Although I recommend booking with them directly, sometimes clients require smaller down payments. I get it. So you book Sandals through a supplier like Delta Vacations that requires a smaller deposit. Well, good news! You can still add your Sandals booking into the TA portal to earn your free nights.

Jamaica – One Love Rewards

Another  one of the great travel agent reward programs is not with a hotel brand. It’s with the Jamaica Tourist Board. After you complete the Jamaica Travel Specialist Program, you will be able to redeem points for free gifts.  You can use the gifts for your clients or keep for yourself. The specialist program is really great for newer agents. You’ll learn:

• What makes Jamaica so alluring to travelers
• What the most popular attractions are
• How to match your clients’ special interests and travel styles with a personalized Jamaica experience
• The different resort areas and range of accommodations options

Agent Website: http://www.oneloverewards.com/
Training: Complete the Jamaica Travel Specialist Program
Reward: Earn points to redeem for free gifts for you or your clients, certificate of graduation as a Jamaica Travel Specialist, cash reward for the Top Booking Travel Agent of the Month, 50% discount at Club Mobay & Club Kingston, and eligibility for independent site inspections.

Pro tip: Make sure to subscribe for their newsletters. You’ll also be notified when there’s upcoming webinars for specific products and tours. So be on the look out for that!

Here’s a sneak peek into the items you can redeem on the agent site. You can order robes, t-shirts, lunch boxes, iPad cover/case, and more. The products change. Sometimes you can redeem for fresh coffee beans from the Blue Mountains.

Goway Rewards

Moving on with another one of the travel agent reward programs. Goway offers you discounts off personal travel and also VISA dollars. They are a wonderful supplier that can package up custom trips for your clients. Goway offers trips in all 7 continents but I mainly use them for Asia and Australia/South Pacific. Everything is packaged up into one little organized bundle. The only downside is that they only give agents 10% commission (on land only of course as we do not receive commission on flights).

However… if you are booking a personal trip with them they will give you 15% commission. I went on a Thailand trip with them in March 2017 and brought 3 friends with me. The per person total for land was $1386.00. So 15% commission from 4 people (including myself) is $831.60. So I was able to knock that off of my total price, meaning I only had to pay $554.40 for 2 weeks in Thailand + airfare. If I were able to get more friends to join in, my land portion of the trip would’ve been completely FREE! Here is my complete Thailand expenses report.

Agent Website: http://blog.goway.com/gowayagent/agent-incentives/rewards-card/
Training: Nothing specific for you to do, but they do offer webinars here and there for you to sign up for. Very informative. You can also sign up for Travel Agent Academy’s Goway course here to really be an overachiever!
Reward: Make a booking with Goway and you’ll receive money on your Universal VISA prepaid card

Reward levels are as follows:

• Air only booking: $5 per passenger
• Land only booking: $10 per passenger
• Air & Land booking: $15 per passenger
• Group bookings: $100 per deposited group + $100 per departed group
• Round-the-World Air-Only Itinerary: $50 per passenger

So it’s not a ton of money but it’s something if you just remember to register your bookings. Also, get a group together and earn yourself heavy discounts. Great way to see the world with others at a discounted rate.

Las Vegas – Track My Bookings

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority wants to track how many Las Vegas bookings your bringing in. They will reward you with free gifts such as a selfie stick, wine stopper with the Las Vegas logo, tickets to Magic Mike Live, free entry to Mob Museum, a mini Welcome to Las Vegas sign, Blue Man group tickets, and much more. Make sure you’re submitting all of your Las Vegas bookings. Here is my blog post on spending 5 nights in Las Vegas! And yes, I did redeem some items for this trip.

Agent Website: https://trackmylasvegasbookings.com/
Training: Complete all training courses related to the nightlife scene, food scene, luxury scene and more. Go in depth on the different hotel accommodations available both on and off the strip.
Reward: For every Las Vegas booking you submit, you will earn points and can redeem them for free items.

G Adventures – Agent of Change

One of the travel agent reward programs near and dear to my heart. As one of the 7 selected 2018 Brand Ambassadors for G Adventures, I really cannot say enough good things about this brand.

They offer small group trips to all 7 continents and never charge a single supplement penalty fee. Meaning solo clients who feel more comfortable in a group setting can book a double occupancy room without paying more. They will randomly be paired up with a same sex roommate.

As if that wasn’t enough, G Adventures is also partnered with the Planeterra Foundation organization to give back to local communities. So you can rest easy knowing your client’s trips are going to be fun, education, and give back to the local communities.

What also sets G Adventures apart from the rest is their use of “CEOs” – local Chief Experience Officers who know the destination very well because they live there. They know all of the hidden gems and local favorites. They have so much passion for what they do and so much pride in where they are from. It’s a wonderful experience.

Agent Website: https://www.gadventures.com/agents/
Training: Sign up for monthly webinars to learn more about their products
Reward: Book 11 people on a single trip, and earn yourself a free spot! There’s also raffles and giveaways for agents who have recently booked a client. You can also apply to be a Brand Ambassador with them to earn a free trip. But note that there are marketing task requirements associated with this. Check out my post on my free Peru trip with G adventures, as one of their seven 2018 Brand Ambassadors.

Pro tip: At the end of every year, G Adventures sends out an application for US and Canada agents to apply to. It is for their annual Brand Ambassador position so be sure to look out for that in the next coming months and apply! Even with a few hundred applicants, you still have a chance to be selected. I was one of their seven Brand Ambassadors for 2018 and it was an incredible opportunity.

AIC Hotel Group – Amplified Rewards

The AIC Hotel Group includes hotels located throughout Florida, Mexico, and The Caribbean. Properties include Hard Rock Hotels, Eden Roc in Miami, Nobu Hotel, and UNICO 20° 87°.

The award-wining Amped Power Agent program gives agents exclusive access to the ultimate insider extras. The more you book, the more perks you get for you and your clients. Amplified Rewards allows you to earn bonus incentive on every booking you make with AIC Hotel Group.

Agent Website: https://en.myamplifiedrewards.com/
Training: No specific training but great agent tools available on the site https://allinagents.com/
Reward: All of the different properties offer different rewards but essentially you earn cash money. A booking with UNICO 20° 87°, for example, will earn you $75 cash for a 3-4 night booking. If they stay for 5-6 nights, you’ll earn $150 cash. No strings attached.

Palace Resorts – Cash is King

Palace Resorts offers two travel agent reward programs. “Cash is King” rewards program with bonuses on top of commission. Below you will see the tiered structure on extra cash money on top of the commission you’ll receive. So book a room with 3-4 nights and earn $50 cash. The good news is… you’ll earn per room not per booking. Yay!

In addition to the “Cash Is King” Palace Pro Agents also can earn complimentary nights. This benefit program is called “Ready. Sell. Stay.”

Agent Website: https://www.palaceproagents.com/en/benefits/
Training: You’ll need to undergo training to becoming a Palace Pro Agent. Very informative training. You’ll learn all about the Palace Resorts and Le Blanc Spa.
Reward: Cash Is King program where you will earn cash for the number of nights your client stay. Ready Sell Stay program where you will earn free room nights based on a minimum of 3 nights booked for your client.

Aruba Certified Experts

Become an Aruba Certified Expert (ACE) agent. This destination specialist program features a curriculum accredited by the Travel Institute in the US and CITC in Canada. Plus ACE agent qualify for fam trips organized by their sales team. You can enroll in the Travel Agent Academy ACE program here.

Agent Website: http://agents.aruba.com/
Training: Yes, enroll in in the Travel Agent Academy Aruba course
Reward: Earn quarterly production rewards of $100, $250 or $500 by regularly reporting your Aruba production. Even if your Aruba production is small you still have a chance to win a valuable VISA gift card through their monthly random drawings.

Pro tip: An ACE ID card is available to all agents who have fully completed the current ACE course through the Travel Agent Academy. This card will identify you as an ACE agent making you eligible to receive certain comps and discounts, while on the island.

Please note: This program is only for North American agents.

Disney Travel Agents

Definitely one of the less favorable travel agent reward programs, Disney doesn’t really offer any rewards for their bookings. The only reason I am adding it to the list is because you will likely sell a lot of Disney anywhere and it is advised that you complete the (very lengthy!) training.

Disney does pay a 10% commission to travel agents across the board. They just don’t have any specific rewards for agents. Quite frankly, they don’t really need to. That brand pretty much sells itself.

Agent Website: https://www.disneytravelagents.com/
Training: In order to be an authorized Disney travel agent, agents are encouraged to obtain and maintain certification.
Reward: The knowledge you need to properly sell Disney

I’m currently going through the training courses now. I’ll have an updated blog post on my learnings and anything else that may help you go through it if you haven’t yet.

Marriott – Hotel Excellence

Hotel Excellence! (HE!) is Marriott International’s award-winning, online library of training for travel professionals and a key component of Marriott’s Preferred Travel Agency (PTA) program.

Available in 10 languages, the training covers hotel industry knowledge, sales tips, Marriott’s portfolio of brands, pricing and commission policies, and more.

Agent Website: https://hotelexcellence.marriott.com/
Training: Complete the extensive Hotel Excellence! training
Reward: Gain access to Fam-Tastic rates, their lowest industry rates, so you can experience the brand for yourself. I’m talking ~$40 per night low at Marriott’s around the world.

La Coleccion – Agents Cash Incentive

La Colección is a collection of 12 award-winning resorts offering the very best in world-class hospitality all located in Mexico. Properties include the Live Aqua resorts, the Fiesta resorts like Grand Fiesta Americana and Fiesta Americana resorts. It also includes the Explorean Resorts.

Agent Website: https://www.agentscashincentive.com/
Training: No specific training required
Reward: Earn 1 free night at the resort you’ve made 1 booking with. So for example, I’ve made a total of 9 bookings with Live Aqua Beach Resort Cancun, so I have 9 free nights to redeem there (up to 3 nights at a time). I’ll also caveat that there is a minimum tax fee you pay for your stay there. You’re still saving hundreds though so it’s worth it.

Pro tip: Create a word document that contains all of the username and passwords to all of the reward programs’ sites. That way you can keep them all straight. It can be very overwhelming.

Playa Hotels & Resorts – AgentCASH

Playa Hotels & Resorts has a newly redesigned travel agent loyalty and rewards program called AgentCASH. As a Preferred Travel Agent you’ll gain access to their vast resource center, sales tools, exclusive agent offers and competitive agent incentives.

Playa Resorts include the following all inclusive properties: Hyatt Ziva, Hyatt Zilara (adults only), The Royal Playa del Carmen (adults only), Sanctuary Cap Cana, and all 3 Panama Jack Resorts.

Agent Website: https://agents.playaresorts.com/
Training: Complete certification programs to ensure you are the most knowledgeable resource for your client.
Reward: Earn $30 cash for every qualifying booking you submit

Karisma Resorts – Agent Rewards

Another one of the more popular travel agent reward programs is with Karisma Resorts. This portfolio of properties focuses on the “Gourmet Inclusive” specialty with renown chefs and no ordinary a la carte dining experiences for guests.

Enroll in their agent reward program and register your bookings to earn rewards!

Agent Website: http://www.karismatravelagents.com
Training: There are three awesome training programs you can complete: vacation consultant, wedding consultant, and honeymoon and anniversary consultant.
Reward: Booking bonuses, invites to FAM trips and discounted rates on their resorts are just a few perks.

Atlantis – Ambassador Rewards

Once you complete the Atlantis Ambassador training program, you are on your way to earning exciting rewards. The rewards are earned through a point system. Each room must be registered by a Certified Atlantis Ambassador and will be posted to the Rewards account after travel has been completed.

You’ll earn points per room per night for the Beach Tower, Coral Towers & Harborside Resort, Royal Towers, The Cove and The Reef. The points range from 1-5 with the higher point value earned on bookings with The Cove and The Reef. You’ll earn 2 points for any dining plan you sell and you’ll 1 point for selling an activity such as the Dolphin Cay Interaction.

Agent Website: http://www.atlantisambassador.com/Rewards/
Training: You must complete the Atlantis Ambassador training program to earn rewards.
Reward: You can redeem your points for different things. You can redeem 25 points for $25 VISA/MC gift card or an Atlantis onsite gift card. For 50 points, you can redeem an Ambassador Site inspection and 2 complimentary day passes. You can redeem 1 free night at Royal towers for 100 points. The highest amount you can redeem is 225 points… which equals 1 free night at The Cove including dining plan for 2.

Please note: This reward only pertains to the Atlantis in the Bahamas. It does not for the Atlantis property in Dubai.

IATA and Supplier Discounts

So I certainly covered the most popular travel agent reward programs. You’ll want to make sure you’re registered with each of these partners. Not only to earn freebies but also to earn knowledge. It will allow you to sell more confidently to clients.

I would also encourage you to register with the suppliers you book on a regular basis with like Delta Vacations and Travel Impressions as they have their OWN travel agent reward programs. I know Travel Impressions’ program is called LoyalTI First and you can redeem points for some really neat products like kitchen appliances, bicycles, digital cameras, book bags, and more. Additionally, having an IATA accreditation alone will offer you benefits to enjoy.

As travel agents, we work very hard for the commission we make. These perks add a little more incentive to keep pushing and selling. It’s a nice “thank you” from our partners. If you have any additional rewards programs to add please leave a comment below to help others.

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