TRAVEL AGENT GUIDE. About Trek Travel Commission and Travel Agent Benefits Trip Information Communication Prior to Trip Cancellation Policy

Transcription

1 About Trek Travel Commission and Travel Agent Benefits Trip Information Communication Prior to Trip Cancellation Policy

2 Contents: About Trek Travel Trek Travel History The Trek Travel Difference Photos/Videos/Testimonials Commission and Travel Agent Benefits Determining which trip is best for your clients Rider Types Choosing a Bike Trip Information Road biking trips versus mountain biking trips Hotel Styles What s Included Trip Styles Tipping Booking a trip for your client Deposit required Client Information Required Communication prior to trip What we send in our guest packets Cancellation Policy...12 For further questions, please contact: Travel Agent Representative Lindsay Juley Ext lindsay_juley@trektravel.com SALES@TREKTRAVEL.COM TREKTRAVEL.COM

3 TREK TRAVEL HISTORY About 15 years ago, the president of Trek Bikes went on a cycling vacation with his friends. He had an amazing time and loved the idea but knew he could do better, especially in terms of the bike. He assembled a team of five people who knew the industry, including our current president, Tania Burke, and in 2003 Trek Travel was born. We began our trips in California Wine Country and Tuscany and since then we have expanded to over 60 unique trips in North and Latin America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Our mission is to show people the world by bike, at their pace, with unrivaled support and flexibility, and to encourage a passion for cycling. THE TREK TRAVEL DIFFERENCE We re in the business of exceeding expectations, and we don t stop until we do. Here are the top 10 reasons how: EXCEPTIONAL GUIDES They aren t just experts in riding; they re trained in delivering uncompromising service in ways you won t believe. THE BEST BIKES Trek is in our name. Bikes are in our blood. Part of what makes a bike vacation great is the bike you re riding. MORE IS INCLUDED Little things make a big difference. We look for ways to include more into every trip, so you can get more out of it. GUARANTEED TO RUN As long as you re going, we re going. We re travelers too, and we realize that your vacation schedule isn t flexible. We won t cancel a guaranteed trip on you. WOW MOMENTS WOW is in our DNA. Is there any other tour operator who evaluates itself on its ability to wow its guests? UNRIVALED SUPPORT Throughout the day our guides give unrivaled support ensuring every rider gets the personal attention they deserve. YOUR DAY, YOU DECIDE It s your vacation, after all. Here, you choose the ride you want to do from three daily options and you decide how you want to spend your day. EXPERT DESIGN The perfect trip is like a play. Every hotel, activity, experience and aspect is finely choreographed. To us, every moment matters. BUILT FOR EVERY RIDER Our guests all share one thing in common: they believe that seeing the world by bike is better. We make sure to have the perfect biking trip for any riding level. LOYALTY CLUB After just one trip with us, we welcome you to the Club. Club TT gets you access to added extras, savings, bonuses, and more. PHOTOS/VIDEOS/TESTIMONIALS We find the best way to paint the picture of our trips and amazing destinations is to see it! Access our Gallery on our website at to look at photos and videos from our trips or to read testimonials from past guests. You can use a filter to search for a particular trip or region or just browse them all. Page 3 of 12

4 COMMISSION AND TRAVEL AGENT BENEFITS % COMMISSION We pay travel agents 10% commission off the base price of our trips on all bookings. Single supplements, bike upgrades, and other extras are not commissionable. TIMELY PAYMENTS FOR YOUR COMMISSION Commission payments are always made payable to the agency, not the booking agent, and are issued the month after travel is completed. You must have completed our required Travel Agency forms in order to receive commission. TREAT YOURSELF? Want to take a Trek Travel trip yourself? We would love to have you! To show our appreciation for your business, we offer travel agents and one travel companion 30% off your first Trek Travel trip.* *This offer excludes all Race and private/custom trips. Other restrictions may apply. Agents may choose one of the following for their travel partner: either 30% off the trip price or a 10% referral commission. Page 4 of 12

5 DETERMINING WHICH TRIP IS BEST FOR YOUR CLIENTS Have your client think about the amount of riding they would like to do and on what kind of terrain flats, hills, mountains, a little of everything, or lots of off the saddle time for relaxing. On all our vacations, you can always ride as little or as much as you like, but certain trips lend themselves to the more leisurely bicyclist while others are geared to the avid cyclist. What type of balance are they looking for throughout the vacation with respect to sightseeing, biking, relaxing and any other activities? While some of our destinations offer numerous activities in addition to cycling shopping, sight-seeing, museums, golf, water sports, hiking others are decidedly bike-centric. Lastly, use our Rider Types descriptions to have your clients rank themselves in terms of their cycling experience and then use our helpful Trip Finder tool to look at trips with a similar ranking. If you are booking any guests on an Active level trip (Level 3) or higher, our trip consultants will schedule a call with your clients to make sure they are prepared for the demanding terrain of the region they are exploring to alleviate that responsibility from you. You may also feel free to contact one of our helpful Trip Consultants at any time with questions RIDER LEVEL RIDER LEVEL RIDER LEVEL RIDER LEVEL LEISURE RECREATIONAL ACTIVE AVID My lifestyle is I m relatively fit and am comfortable with hills that are less than half a mile in length. I want to ride on my vacation, but not every day. I enjoy I enjoy slight inclines, but like it to be mostly flat. I also don t mind hopping in the support van when I ve ridden enough. I m comfortable I m comfortable climbing 750 ft. on average on false flats, short climbs, and anything on city roads. Less is ok with me. I can ride I can ride 15 miles on average, up to 35 miles on a long day. My lifestyle is I ride my bike on a regular basis either for fitness, to commute to work, or just for fun. I enjoy an active lifestyle with an occasional physical challenge. I enjoy I enjoy rolling terrain with some bigger hills that are challenging. I feel great after reaching the top. Descending is not my favorite. I m comfortable I m comfortable climbing 2,000 ft. on average on steep rollers and short mountains, but with some breaks in between. I can ride I can ride 30 miles on average, up to 50 miles on a long day. My lifestyle is I ride my bike on a regular basis. Fitness is central to my life. I am comfortable with 2 hour or more rides and a relatively strong pace. I like a physical challenge. I enjoy I enjoy all terrain, with hills and some moderate mountain passes that I can brag about. I like moderate descents. I m comfortable I m comfortable climbing 3,500 to 7,000 ft., in the hills, mountains and everything in between. I can ride I can ride 45 miles on average, up to 70 miles on a long day. My lifestyle is I ride my bike an average of 100 miles per week and enjoy a fast pace for an extended period of time. I love to train, improve, and maybe even race my friends. I enjoy I enjoy all terrain, with hills and big mountain passes. Steep technical descents are fun. I m comfortable I m comfortable climbing 5,000 ft. on average, up to 13,000 ft. on a hard day. There s no hill too long or steep. I can ride I can ride 60 miles on average, up to 110 miles on a long day. Page 5 of 12

6 CHOOSING A BIKE Our bikes are the leading in the industry and a major reason why your clients should choose us over competitors. We understand that not everyone selling our trips is a cyclist themselves, so here are some distinctions between the bikes we offer and some general terms that may come up in conversation: TREK DOMANE 5.9 Our most popular bike option; this road bike has drop bars, a fully carbon frame, and a relaxed geometry. A bike s geometry refers to a bike s frame and affects how the bike fits and how it rides. The Domane has an Endurance fit, which means it is built for comfort and great for longer rides. It has special technology that helps smooth out the bumps in the road, making it the perfect bike to include in our trip cost. This bike also has Shimano Ultegra Di2 Electronic Shifting, which simply means the shifting is electronic instead of mechanical, making shifting as easy as clicking a mouse button. For more details, check out our helpful blog post about the Domane: TREK 7.6 FX HYBRID Trek s most popular upright hybrid that refuses to sacrifice performance for comfort. It has an aluminum frame but a carbon fork, making it one of the lightest hybrids on the market. This bike is great for leisure and recreational level riders who prefer flat handlebars or like to be more upright as they ride. This bike is included in the trip cost. TREK ELECTRIC ASSIST XM700+ It s lightweight and equipped with an adjustable pedal-assist motor that helps riders of all skill levels stay together, play together and make some great memories together. These bikes will be available on a first-come, first-served basis, so reserve yours when you book today. This bike is included in the trip cost. TREK EMONDA SLR New in 2015, our optional road bike upgrade has the lightest production frame in the world, making tough climbs a cinch for your client. Geared towards the active to avid level rider, this bike has a more aggressive geometry than the Domane and is about two pounds lighter. Cost: $300 - Limited Availability. CARBON WHEELS Guests can choose to also upgrade their wheels to the Bontrager Aeolus D3 Clinchers which are top-of-the-line carbon wheels. A wider rim profile and extreme rotating weight savings means extra speed where it counts. Cost: $200. Page 6 of 12

7 ROAD BIKING TRIPS VERSUS MOUNTAIN BIKING TRIPS ROAD BIKING Most of our classic vacations are road biking trips, meaning your clients will mainly be riding on fully paved roads with some traffic. Our trip designers plan our routes keeping both safety in mind and getting them on gorgeous riding. On some routes, your guests may need to travel on a busier road in order to get to more scenic riding. MOUNTAIN BIKING RIDE CAMPS Our mountain biking trips are typically on single track mountain biking trails, not on paved roads. On these trips, the trails may have obstacles such as rocks and boulders, steep drop offs, and require an intermediate to advanced level of experience and bike handling skills. OTHER TRIPS Some of our trips such as Costa Rica use mountain bikes in areas due to the occasional unpaved road and more varied terrain, but your clients will be riding on roads, not trails. HOTEL STYLES Luxury trips offer hand-selected, four to five-star accommodations, world-class dinners, elegant wine tastings, exclusive tours, and more. From signature spa treatments to Michelin-starred restaurants, you ll be pampered. Explorer trips marry the thrill of adventure bike tours with the serenity of simple pleasures. They are perfect getaways at the perfect price: stay in three to four-star boutique accommodations and have most meals and activities included, with some nights free to enjoy on your own. Value trips are Explorer trips where we ve negotiated off-season and discounted rates with our partners and pass on the savings to your clients. WHAT S INCLUDED Two or more first class guides - If our group sizes get above 20 persons or if the trip is logistically demanding, such as Tour de France trips, we will have additional guides to ensure that your clients always enjoy superior customer service. Use of a Trek bike and gear - We have one of the largest selections of bike styles, frame sizes and equipment to ensure that your client s bike is perfectly fitted. We also carry a variety of saddles and helmets for use, and will provide Trek Travel water bottles for your clients to keep. We also just added the new Garmin Touring Plus GPS device to all our trips except (Myanmar and Costa Rica). Trip Accommodations - Each and every night your clients will retreat to the best hotels in the region. Luxury trips enjoy 4-star intimate settings, explorer trips frequent 3-star hotels, and our cross country trips stay in the best accommodations possible. Most Meals - All breakfasts and most lunches and dinners are included in the price of our trips. On each trip guests are given the opportunity to dine on their own so that they can discover a location independently. Of course, the guides will provide a list of their favorite restaurants to try. Social Hour - On the first evening of our trips, and some evenings thereafter we host a social hour to give everyone a chance to get better acquainted. Snacks and drinks for each day s ride - We have a buffet of treats on our snack table including (but not limited to) recovery beverages and bars provided by our sponsor Cliff Bar & NUUN Hydration (North America) and local products in Europe, healthy local specialties (as well as some not so healthy but oh so good items), refreshing beverages, and, of course, peanut M & Ms. If your clients have any special requests, don t hesitate to let us know. Page 7 of 12

8 What s Included cont... PRIVATE TOURS, TASTINGS, AND ENTRANCE FEES - We don t want your clients to miss anything; it s all a part of being exposed to the region after all. All of the cultural events that are mentioned in your itinerary are covered in the cost of the trip. SUPPORT - We always have one guide in our support vehicle and the other cycling alongside the group. They ll fill up water bottles, change tires, call for a shuttle or shuttle your clients up the hill, provide local insight and make sure everyone is on the right track. Off the bike, the guides happy to help with anything your clients need massage appointments, wine suggestions, or to find that special local treat they are craving. TRANSPORTATION DURING THE TRIP - On our luxury trips we provide transportation both at the beginning and at the end of your trip from our quaint region to our centrally located meeting place. On our explorer trips, we establish a convenient meeting place. While on vacation, we get you from point A to point B. LUGGAGE TRANSFERS - We will ensure that your clients bags are safely delivered to their hotel room. On our luxury trips porterage service is also included. TREK TRAVEL MERCHANDISE - Everyone likes to get a little special something in the mail, so we send you a Trek Travel Gift in a Guest Packet. GRATUITIES We ve covered the monetary thank-yous deserving of our drivers, local experts, and hospitality staff. PHOTOS AND MORE - While it may be the end of one vacation, Trek Travel makes certain that your clients lifetime memories live on. At the end of each trip, guests are provided with a collection of photos that allow them to relive their experience. Also, after participating in one trip your clients become a member of our loyalty program, Club TT. TIPPING Gratuities for the Trek Travel guides are not included in the trip price. Industry standard is 5-10% of the trip price for the guide team. Local currency is preferred and unless your clients want to tip separately, guides will divide tips amongst themselves. Please tell your clients to tip their guides at their discretion, based on the level of professionalism, guest care and service. Page 8 of 12

9 TRIP STYLES Classic Our collection of what you may recognize as our Luxury and Explorer bike trips. They offer the experiences, rides, tastes and memories that we re known for, in a variety of price points and styles. Whether it is luxury living in Italy s wine country or hands-on adventuring in Costa Rica, here you ll find the trip that s right for your clients. The ONE Collection Unpack once. Remember it forever. ONE is a collection perfect for travelers looking to become one with a destination. Your clients stay at one perfectly-situated, jaw-droppingly world-class hotel like Blackberry Farm, or a villa in Barcelona, for the duration of the trip, allowing them to completely rest, relax and unwind at their own pace without changing hotels. Each boutique accommodation is handpicked for its sumptuous amenities, attentive, friendly staff, incredible array of ride options, and access to everything your clients want to do. Family We ve got an entire selection of preplanned family vacations to adventurous destinations like the San Juan Islands, Prague to Vienna, Costa Rica, and more. They re guaranteed to wear kids out (while providing a little adults-only time), and sure to leave your client s family with memories for years to come. Great for kids 8 and older and discounted pricing is available for children under the age of 12. Race Experience the world s most famous races with the unrivaled support of Trek Travel. Get up close to the action with live VIP stage viewings, guaranteed access to the Trek Factory Racing team, and race access to ride the course before the pros. With 10+ years of experience working with pro teams and our long-standing relationship with Trek, your clients will receive once-in-a-lifetime experiences with our race trips. Ride Camp Ride camps are perfect for the independent cyclist looking to maximize training and minimize worries at a great price. They are stripped down versions of our classic vacations and focus all on getting in great rides with long mileage options and challenging climbing. Geared towards active to avid level riders, they are a perfect way to train for a race or warm up their legs at the beginning of the season. Private/Custom Our Classic vacations offer you the easiest way to earn commission, however for those clients who have particular needs, our private and custom trips may fit what they want. Private Trips Our Private bike trips allow friends, families or corporate groups to enjoy a regularly scheduled Trek Travel vacation exclusively with their crew alone. Just let us know how many, what date and which itinerary your client s interest. We will take care of the rest. Private trips are priced off of how many people travel. We quote you a net rate and then you will add your mark up for commission (max 15%) on top of that quote. Private pricing is as follows: 2-3 guests, add $2,500 over advertised price 4-5 guests, add $1,700 over advertised price 6-7 guests, add $1,200 over advertised price 8-9 guests, add $700 over advertised price guests, add $300 over advertised price 12 or more guests price as advertised Custom Trips Do your clients have something special in mind? Want to ride off the beaten path? Contact us about putting together a custom trip. You tell us where your clients want to go, and we ll work with you to build a vacation from scratch, including choice of riding, accommodations and dining options. We also have a portfolio of trips that are designed and ready to go, called Ready to Book, to help spark the imagination. Page 9 of 12

10 BOOKING A TRIP FOR YOUR CLIENT THERE ARE TWO EASY WAYS FOR YOU TO CONFIRM A SPOT ON OUR TRIP FOR A CLIENT: Call us Mon-Fri 8am-6pm CST and we can get them booked over the phone. Fill out our booking form online with your client s information but use your agency phone number and . Please include a note in the Message to Trip Consultant of your name and travel agency. We will then call you to get the payment details for your clients deposits and complete their booking. DEPOSIT REQUIRED PER PERSON IN ORDER TO CONFIRM YOUR CLIENTS ON A TRIP Classic Trips (most of our trips fall under this category) - We require a $750 deposit per person, with the final balance due 90 days prior to the trip start. If you are booking your client within 90 days we will require full payment. Tour de France and Cross Country - We require a $2000 nonrefundable deposit per person at the time of booking, with final payment due 120 days prior to the trip start. If booking within 120 days, full payment is required. Ride Camps - We require payment in full at the time of booking. Our preferred method of payment is by client credit card. We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. We can also accept wire transfers and checks when necessary, some restrictions may apply. WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED FROM MY CLIENT IN TERMS OF PERSONAL DETAILS? If you do not have all of the below details at the time of booking, we will reach out via as it gets closer to the trip to make you aware of any details we are still missing. The more you can provide at the time of booking, the better. Name Street Address City, State, Zip/Post Code Country Phone (cell preferred) Rider Level Date of Birth Height Bike frame size and model preference (if they don t know their frame size we can approximate by height) Clothing Size Do you clip in when you ride?* (Y/N) Would you like to use one of our helmets? (Y/N) Emergency Contact Name Emergency Contact Number Emergency Contact Relationship Medical Conditions Medications Allergies Dietary Restrictions Passport # Passport Expiration Passport Place of Issue *WHAT DOES CLIPPING IN MEAN? This is a term used by cyclists when they use special cycling shoes that clip into the pedals, allowing for increased power on their pedal strokes. It is common for experienced cyclists to clip in when they ride (it would be a red flag if someone did not clip in on an avid level trip). If your client does not clip in, no problem. We can provide either flat or caged pedals for them. If they do clip in, they will need to bring their own pedals and shoes on the trip and the guides will put their pedals on their bike during the bike fit on the first day. Page 10 of 12

11 COMMUNICATION PRIOR TO TRIP TIME OF BOOKING - You will receive a confirmation for your clients reflecting their deposit taken, final balance amount and due date, and a re-cap of all of their details you have provided. Any information we still need will show blanks, so that when you have the details, you can simply reply to the confirmation with the updated information. Attached to this will also be a bike fit form. This is an optional form for your guests to complete, and consists of three easy measurements they can take on their current bike. We use this information to provide to the guides in advance of their trip so that when they arrive, their bikes are already similar to what they are used to at home. If this form is not completed before the trip, the guides will do a comprehensive bike fit on the first day of the trip to make sure they are comfortable. An online release waiver form will also be sent in a separate . There is one for each person traveling, and have to be completed before they can travel with us to state they are aware they are taking an active vacation. We can also provide an agency invoice upon request to show commission amounts. 90 DAYS Final Balance will be charged (we ll remind you by ahead of time.) 45 DAYS We ll you to confirm your clients details and ask for any missing information. Once your information is complete we ll send a guest packet by mail with some Trek Travel cycling apparel for the trip! ONE WEEK You ll receive the guides mobile numbers in an one week before the trip start date along with reminders about the trip. In the event you don t receive this please contact our guest services team at guestservices@trektravel.com or call us at WHAT WE SEND IN OUR GUEST PACKETS All trips except ride camps include a special Trek Travel gift. Below are what your clients can expect to receive depending on the trip they take: LUXURY TRIPS Trek Travel jersey and pair of Trek Travel socks EXPLORER Trek Travel jersey VIP RACE ACCESS TRIPS Road ID, Trek Factory Racing Team Kit (bib shorts and jersey), Trek Travel jersey and socks FAMILY AND SPECIAL EDITION TRIPS Varies depending on the trip NON-RIDERS ON ANY TRIP Trek Travel T-shirt Page 11 of 12

12 CANCELLATION POLICY It is very important to review our cancellation policy with your clients, as things may come up that require them to either switch travel dates or cancel entirely. We offer a choice to either receive a refund depending on when they cancel, or to transfer what they ve paid over to a future trip credit to use with us towards another trip. If they choose this option, they have up to one year from the original departure date to use the credit. CANCELLATION POLICY* DAYS TO DEPARTURE REFUND FUTURE TRIP CREDIT* More Than 90 Days All but $100 cancellation fee 100% of deposit Days 75% of trip price 90% of trip price Days 50% of trip price 65% of trip price 30 Days or Less No Refunds 25% of trip price * Most of our trips fall under the above cancellation policy, with the exception of our Tour de France, Cross Country, Ride Camp and Special Edition trips. For more details on specific cancellation conditions, refer to our policy on our website here. We highly recommend your clients to purchase travel insurance. If your agency does not have a travel insurance policy you can sell them, ask us about our travel insurance policy with Travelex and we can provide a quote. Disclaimer: We try our best to keep this manual up-to-date, however our website will always have our most current information. Should there be a discrepancy, please use the information on our website. Page 12 of 12