Cosmos incentivises agents to switch to new bookable trade portal

Tour operator Cosmos is hoping to attract more agents to its new bookable trade portal by offering the chance to win an Apple iPad.

Tour operator Cosmos is hoping to attract more agents to its new bookable trade portal by offering the chance to win an Apple iPad.


The portal, at cosmosagents.co.uk, includes links to the group’s Avro, Somewhere2stay and Cosmos Tours & Cruises brands.


Sales director Gary Anslow said Cosmos had seen trade sales via the portal rise by up to 60% each week since it was soft-launched this summer.


He admitted much of the increase was due to agents switching from alternative channels, but said a “decent proportion” of new agents were also booking.


Agents can book, amend, cancel and review bookings through the portal as well as show clients pictures of hotels and resorts.


Anslow admitted Cosmos had been late to launch a bookable trade site, but said it had wanted to put its new Travelbox technology platform in place first, which replaced its viewdata-based system.


“We are late coming to the party but we wanted to get it right,” he said. “We waited until we had moved to a new operating platform, so the timing was partly driven by that, and we are now on a state-of-the-art platform.”


Anslow hopes the iPad incentive will drive more agents to the portal.


Anslow added: “Sales are accelerating through the portal at a good pace and meeting our and agents’ expectations.


“It’s making it much easier and quicker for agents to book and amend bookings, and means all our product is in one place.”