Blue Sky Tours was the first in the industry to create a completely customizable Hawaii vacation, says Levi Sanchez, Blue Sky Tours’ marketing manager. “That spirit is still alive today in the care we put into making each booking perfect for our customers’ Hawaii vacations,” he points out.
To create that perfect Hawaii vacation, Blue Sky Tours—which sells only Hawaii vacations—only books travelers through travel agents. “We feel this is most beneficial for our customers. Our philosophy is that if you sell the right vacation package to the right person, they will return from their vacation absolutely fulfilled and seek the expertise of those professionals for their vacation year after year,” says Sanchez.
The company’s “Customer Care” agents, certified Hawaii Specialists, visit the islands at least once a year and have the first-hand knowledge to assist agents in creating custom-designed vacation experiences.
“An advantage of booking through Blue Sky Tours is that we know the product and the destination like the back of our hand. We can help agents put together a Hawaii vacation experience their customers could not find anywhere else,” emphasizes Sanchez. “Agents get the peace of mind that comes with booking Hawaii vacations with a company that does nothing but focus on Hawaii vacations. We sell only through travel agents, so they also can be confident we will not compete with them for their customer.”
Agents can book coach and first class seats on all major airlines flying to Hawaii from across the U.S. with Blue Sky Tours, as well as accommodations, and with over 185 properties on the islands, there’s one to fit every type of traveler or budget. The company offers savings on bundle bookings of air and hotel versus booking each separately, plus rental cars can also be booked through any of five rental car companies. Once accommodations and logistics are set, it’s time to book a little fun. Blue Sky Tours offers activities such as helicopter rides over the world’s most active volcano to night diving with manta rays.
Agents who book through Blue Sky Tours can earn anywhere from 10 to 14 percent commission on the land portion based on the price per person. “Agents can always add a service fee to earn even more through Blue Sky Tours,” adds Sanchez. Commissions are paid when the final payment is received, and agencies who are signed up with the company’s ACH (direct deposit) program are paid within four business days of the final payment, including any agency fees that were included.
The company also offers agents a loyalty program, Mahalo Money, which allows agents to earn cash on each booking made with Blue Sky Tours. The added bonus is automatically added on to a pre-paid Visa card for the agents.
To stay on top of its game, Blue Sky Tours launched the Agent FLEX program last fall, allowing agents to have access to drastic discounts on air/hotel or hotel/car vacation packages with at least a 3-night stay. Agents will need to enter the promo code FLEX when booking online at the operator’s website or via VAX VacationAccess.
Additionally, agents can also easily share trips with their clients through online flyers, which can be customized with their agency information. Also, any promotion on the company’s website can be customized to an e-mail promotion by simply clicking the “E-mail” button on the promotional page. Agents can also create e-mails with a customized message comparing up to six properties, rental cars, and tours to send to their client list.
“Hawaii is a very unique destination. Travelers to Hawaii have the freedom to explore the islands on their own and at their own pace. Blue Sky Tours is committed to helping travel agents help their customers make the most of their vacation investment,” says Sanchez.
contact information
Blue Sky Tours: (800) 678-2787; blueskytours.com
