WHY IT RATES:Avoya Travel Network reports a record showing for the first quarter of the 2017 calendar year.- Eric Bowman, TravelPulse Senior Editor
Avoya Travel®, one of the world's most innovative marketing and travel technology companies, is pleased to announce that first quarter sales in 2017 were the best ever in company history following a record setting 2016. The company's sales success continues into the second quarter as Avoya furthers its innovative programs to reach and connect more travelers with Independent Agencies in the Avoya Travel Network™ that offer personalized expertise and extraordinary value to the vacation planning experience.
During the 2017 Wave Season, the travel industry's biggest sales period of the year, Avoya generated double digit increases and accelerated gross sales from January to March. Notably, March was significantly up year-over-year and for the first time the best month of the quarter, indicating that the increase in customer bookings will remain strong in the second quarter.
First quarter bookings were very broad-based, with customer bookings for Alaska, Europe, USA / Canada, and other destinations all up more than 20 percent.
Accelerating growth in customer demand is a result of Avoya's recent innovative marketing strategies, which include the Beyond the Web® consumer brand campaign and travel agent programs supporting the record number of Independent Agencies that continue to join the Avoya Network.
Avoya's Beyond the Web campaign has proven to be very effective in promoting the importance and value of travel professionals to the vacation planning and booking process. Continued growth in customer lead generation (Live Leads™) through these campaigns is further evidence that Avoya's been successful in demonstrating to customers and suppliers that travel agents are uniquely qualified and necessary to the planning and booking of vacations and cruises.
In parallel with growing customer demand, Avoya more than doubled Network growth in the first quarter of 2017. The increase in Network membership is a result of the momentum Avoya continues to build from its New-To-Travel program that promotes the benefits of a career in travel, and the many educational and support resource enhancements the company has made to better help Independent Agencies grow their businesses and incomes. Now, more Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network are claiming more new customer Live Leads and providing more personalized, expert service and vacation value to travelers than ever before.
"Following a record-setting 2016, Avoya Travel is thrilled to achieve the best first quarter sales in company history and help fulfill the pent-up demand consumers have to experience a different, better vacation with the help of travel professionals," said Brad Anderson, Avoya President. "We are optimistic that our collective success will grow through the year as Avoya Travel continues to develop industry-first programs that improve the consumer's vacation buying experience while also helping Independent Agencies in the Avoya Network build their businesses."
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