by Robin Amster
Last updated: 11:24 AM ET, Wed October 18, 2017
As it approaches its 50-year anniversary in 2018, the Ensemble Travel Group reported that 2016 was a record year for profit sharing for its 850 U.S. and Canadian travel agency members.
The member-owned consortium, "came back from the recession with a vengeance, delivering the strongest seven-year performance in our company's history," Ensemble Co-President Lindsay Pearlman told attendees at the group's 2017 International Conference underway at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
Agents are Strong in a Changing World
Pearlman and Co-Founder Libbie Rice recalled Ensemble's founding for the estimated 900 members, suppliers and guests on hand for the conference.
What is now Ensemble was founded in New York during 1968 as GIANTS by ten travel agency executives with the goal of gaining both more buying power and more influence with suppliers.
The theme of this year's conference is, "Think Big. Think Best, Think Ensemble," although Rice noted that, "More or bigger doesn't always mean better-small is the new big."
"For us, it's the small steps that collectively make us big and make us who we are as we kick off the year-long celebration of our 50th anniversary in 2018; it means operating creatively," said Rice.
Rice and Pearlman detailed new developments for four Ensemble tools: its new Ensemble Extranet, Aviate airline booking tool and air program, Navigate integrated booking platform and its enhanced marketing strategy.
Officially launched in August, the rebuilt extranet has seen a 42 percent boost in users compared to the same time last year, along with an increase of 102 percent in page views.
Developed in-house, the platform reduces the time agents need to locate information and book clients. It's a fast search engine with a mobile-friendly design that gives agents the ability to market to clients easily, according to Rice.
The extranet's search capability draws across all travel products to integrate content and special offers into results while also featuring a new member profile section synced with Ensemble's consumer-facing travel websites, Pearlman added.
Rice and Pearlman announced a new support desk for Aviate. Launched in September, Aviate helps agents with fare quotes, ticketing and interpreting air contracts for self-ticketing. Members can reach the desk via phone, email or GDS queue.
Ensemble is also working on a facelift for Aviate's front end to make it more intuitive for users.
Navigate, designed as a one-stop source to increase members' business, now features a formal team created in May to bridge the gap between its internal infrastructure and suppliers. Also new is a river cruise module.
On the marketing front, an enhanced strategy, under Ensemble's new Vice President of Marketing Carl Schmitt will "change the way you do business," said Rice.
"The intersection of technology and human connections-this is how Carl describes our business," Rice said. "An enhanced marketing strategy will help you deliver that human touch.
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