Ep10: How To Get The Avanti Advantage

Welcome to the tenth episode of Avanti's podcast: 'On Air with Avanti Destinations'! 

In episode 10, Gina Bang (Chief of Sales and Marketing) sits down with Katherine Jackson (Director of Product and Yield) to unpack Avanti Advantage and what it means for advisors partnering with Avanti Destinations. They trace Avanti's four decades as a business to business specialist in customizable international travel, now covering more than sixty countries. They walk through the tools built to help advisors quote and book faster, from InstaQuote to the full Agent Portal, along with ongoing training sessions held twice a week. The conversation moves into Avanti's four tier loyalty program, tracing how commission rates, dedicated support, and educational trips grow from Explorer status up through Globe Trotter. Gina and Katherine also detail the exclusive hotel amenity program available only through Avanti bookings, along with the new Avanti Insider Tours launching in 2026, small group experiences led by local guides across six European countries. 

Important Links:

Check out our South Korea e-brochure, created in partnership with Korea Tourism Organization.

Thank you for listening! For more information about Avanti, please go to avantidestinations.com.

Thank you for listening! For more information about Avanti, please go to avantidestinations.com.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:02

Welcome to On Air with Avanti Destinations. If you're a travel advisor who is looking to stay ahead of the game, you've tuned in to the right place. Get ready to have the lowdown on hot destinations, what's booking like crazy, and helpful tips that will turn curiosity into bookings. Ready to dive in? Let's go.

SPEAKER_02 0:25

Hello and welcome to On Air with Avanti Destinations, the podcast bringing the world's most fascinating journeys directly to your ears. I'm your host, Gina Bang, Chief of Sales and Marketing. Today we're talking to our director of product and yield. Catherine, let me ask you something. When a client calls a travel advisor about a complicated multi-city itinerary, four countries, two weeks, a mix of boutique hotels and bigger properties, what do you think their first instinct is?

SPEAKER_00 0:55

Honestly, probably a little anxiety. And then they might start thinking about how many tabs they're going to have to open.

SPEAKER_02 1:02

Today we're talking about the Avanti Advantage, what it actually is, what it actually means for your business, and why advisors that work closely with us are closing more bookings, earning more commission, and delivering experiences their clients genuinely can't stop talking about.

SPEAKER_00 1:18

Before we get into the tools and the perks, let's set the stage because some advisors who are newer to us may not know the full picture.

SPEAKER_02 1:26

Avanti Destinations has been around since 1981. That's over four decades as a leader in customizable international travel. We started as a European FIT specialist, but the portfolio has grown significantly. We're now talking Europe, Asia, Central and South America, North Africa, the Middle East, and the South Pacific. More than 60 countries on offer.

SPEAKER_00 1:51

And the thing that matters most for advisors, Avanti's 100% business to business. We never sell directly to consumers. Full stop. That's the foundation of everything. Your clients can't go around you. We are your partner, not your competition. And the range of what we handle is genuinely comprehensive. Air, rail, car rentals, hotels, sightseeing, transfers, unique experiential add-ons. The more complex the itinerary, the more we can do for you.

SPEAKER_02 2:22

That last part is worth repeating. Most operators get nervous when things get complicated. We lean in. Multi-destination, multi-country, mixed accommodation types, that's where we shine.

SPEAKER_00 2:34

Alright, let's talk about what this looks like practically, because knowing we have great product is one thing. Knowing you can quote it in 90 seconds is something else entirely.

SPEAKER_02 2:44

Instaquote. It takes the quoting and booking power of Avanti's full agent portal and puts it in a format you can use anywhere.

SPEAKER_00 3:03

So you're sitting across from a client, they're excited, they want to go to Italy, Florence, Rome, the Amalfi coast, maybe a day in Palermo. You pull out your phone while you're talking, and by the end of the conversation, you have a quoted itinerary ready to share. That's a different kind of value proposition than any OTA can offer.

SPEAKER_02 3:23

And it's not just InstaQote. The full agent portal gives you 24-7 access to itinerary creation, real-time pricing on more than 95% of products, live availability, and marketing materials you can use to keep clients engaged between bookings.

SPEAKER_00 3:39

There's also training every Tuesday and Thursday at 9.30 a.m. Pacific. Free, ongoing, and genuinely useful. Whether you're learning how to navigate the portal, exploring hotel options, or checking booking status, those sessions are there to keep you sharp.

SPEAKER_02 3:56

And for clients who are already traveling, Avanti has built a mobile documents platform, a web-based tool that lets travelers access their detailed itineraries, lets them connect directly with in-country DMC partners, and even shows them nearby attractions and restaurant recommendations in real time.

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Okay, I want to spend some real time on Avanti's loyalty program because this is something advisors need to understand fully.

SPEAKER_02 4:37

Each one unlocks additional tools, perks, and financial benefits as your sales grow. You start as an explorer at $1,000 to $80,000 in sales. At that level, you already have access to our reservations support team, the online sales platform, the virtual sales team, and self-service co-branding materials, plus a 20% travel advisor rate on personal bookings.

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Move up into Voyager territory, $80,001 to $150,000 in sales, and things get more personal. You get a dedicated TC Connect, a travel consultant assigned to manage all your bookings. You unlock more flexible booking requirements, receive an invitation to visit the Ivanki office, access to educational trips, and the booking rate discount for your personal travel jumps to 25%.

SPEAKER_02 5:29

Then Navigator is the next level, $150,001 to $300,000. At that point, you get priority invitations to EDU trips, everything from the previous tiers, and a personalized sales lead funnel.

SPEAKER_00 5:45

And then Globetrotter, the top tier at $300,000 to a million dollars in sales. The 30% travel advisor rate on personal bookings is a significant benefit at that level, with more perks being added throughout the year.

SPEAKER_02 6:01

The progression is designed to reward what you're already doing, booking great trips for your clients. The more you build with us, the more we invest back in you. Let's take a quick break for a message from our sponsors. Have you caught the K-Wave? South Korea's scalding hot cultural movement is calling your name. Get glammed up like a K-pop star with a private Korean beauty tour. Visit celebrity makeup artists trusted by Red Velvet and IVE. Restore your glow with a red ginseng spa treatment. And craft your own custom lip tint with a professional makeup artist. Immerse yourself further with Avanti's K-Wave Tour. Explore Seoul's iconic Insadong district. Take in breathtaking city views from Namsan Seoul Tower, straight out of your favorite K-drama, and then learn real K-pop choreography from the dancers behind Korea's biggest stars. This is Korea Beyond the Screen. Two unforgettable days. One incredible destination. Call 1-800-2-25053 to discuss these exciting South Korea experiences with one of our highly trained travel consultants today. Look for a link to our South Korea e-brochure created in partnership with Korea Tourism Organization in the description of this episode. They came, they sang, they drank Boston dry. For several weeks, the Tartan Army turned an American city upside down. Bagpipes marching to Fenway Park, beloved pubs running dry before the first match even kicked off. One Scottish fan's Dunkin' Run going viral. Boston fell in love so hard, the mayor signed a sister city deal with Glasgow. The Globe ran a thank you letter to tourists. Now the kilts have gone home. Your clients have seen the videos. They've been swept up in the love affair with the Scottish people. So ask them, doesn't that make you want to see where all that joy comes from? Avanti destinations can get you there. Whiskey tastings, real Kaylees, the warmth of the highlands. Call your Avanti travel consultant today and follow the Tartan Army home. Okay, let's get back to our main program.

SPEAKER_00 8:10

Let's talk about what happens when your clients actually arrive at their hotel, because this is where the Avanti Advantage becomes something your clients experience directly and come back to tell you about.

SPEAKER_02 8:21

We build an exclusive hotel amenity program across a curated collection of properties. These are perks that are only available to our travelers. Not available if your client books direct, not available through an OTA, only through you when you book through us.

SPEAKER_00 8:39

We're talking about things like early check-in and late checkout, which sounds simple but is enormously valued by travelers. Daily breakfast, food and beverage credits, spa credits and treatments, special in-room welcome amenities. These are the details that turn a good trip into a remarkable one.

SPEAKER_02 8:58

And the properties span the globe: London, Paris, Rome, Florence, Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket, Buenos Aires, Lima, Cusco, Sydney, Auckland, Queenstown, dozens and dozens of properties across every region of Vanti Cubers.

SPEAKER_00 9:19

There's a whole afternoon tea program, complimentary tea times at select hotels in England, Scotland, Ireland, and Thailand. It sounds indulgent, and it is, but that's the point. Your clients remember those moments.

SPEAKER_02 9:41

These aren't random perks. They're carefully selected benefits that add tangible, memorable value to every stay, and they cost your clients nothing extra.

SPEAKER_00 9:51

The advisor talking point is simple. When you book through me, you get access to benefits you can't get anywhere else. That's the Avanti Advantage, and it's yours to offer.

SPEAKER_02 10:03

Okay, new for 2026, and this is generating real buzz, the Avanti Insider Tours.

SPEAKER_00 10:11

These are small group experiences, exclusively for our travelers, led by expert local guides across six countries England, France, Italy, Spain, Scotland, and Ireland. Eight cities total.

SPEAKER_02 10:25

And when we say small group, we mean it. Maximum eight participants, minimum one. These tours run twice a week from May through October with guaranteed departures. They will not be cancelled even if they're not filled.

SPEAKER_00 10:39

That last part is significant for advisors. Guaranteed departures mean you can confidently build these into your clients' itineraries without worrying about last-minute cancellations. That's a level of reliability that adds real value to your planning process.

SPEAKER_02 10:55

For clients who've done Europe and want to go deeper, not just see the sites, but understand them, feel the context, have a guide who knows the neighborhood they grew up in. This is exactly what they've been asking for.

SPEAKER_00 11:08

And for advisors, these tours consistently lift booking value. Adding a meaningful experience to a hotel-only itinerary changes the whole conversation. You're not just selling nights, you're selling memories.

SPEAKER_02 11:24

Let's bring it home with something practical. We've been talking about what Avanti offers, but what does this look like when you're actually sitting with a client?

SPEAKER_00 11:34

Three moves. First, lead with the experience, not the product. Don't open with Avanti has great hotels in Florence. Open with what would make this trip feel completely different from anything you've done before? Then let the Avanti product be the answer. Second, use the amenity program as your differentiator. When a client asks why they should book with you instead of going direct or using a booking site, the answer is concrete. When you book through me, you get breakfast included, spa credits, early check-in, and in-room welcome amenities that aren't available anywhere else. That's not a soft value proposition. That's specific and real. Third, use InstaQuo. Don't leave the conversation without a number in front of them. Experiences, amenity upgrades, insider tours, these all lift the value of the booking while delivering more to your client. That's the rare combination that builds long-term advisor-client relationships.

SPEAKER_02 12:40

And remember, the more complex the trip, the more Avanti earns its place. Multi-city Europe Itinerary, Multi-Country Asia trip, pre-and-post-cruise land components. We have a dedicated pre and post-cruise site, offices in Portland, Barcelona, and Manchester for extended time zone coverage, and local DMC partners in every country they operate in.

SPEAKER_00 13:04

You are not doing this alone.

SPEAKER_02 13:06

That's the whole point. The Avanti Advantage is real, and it's built specifically for you, the Travel Advisor, Commission on Nearly Everything, a loyalty program that rewards your growth, tools that let you quote and book in real time, exclusive hotel amenities your clients can only access through you, small group insider tours that elevate any itinerary, and a support infrastructure that travels with your clients every step of the way.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

Whether you're a new Avanti partner just getting started, or a globetrotter who's been building with us for years, there's something in this program that directly improves what you can offer. And in a competitive market, that matters.

SPEAKER_02 13:49

Thank you to our listeners for tuning in. To learn more, find us at Avantidestinations.com. Call 800 422 5053 or join a training session any Tuesday or Thursday at 9 30 a.m. Pacific. Thanks for listening.