Happy New Year everyone, so excited for the 2025 vacations that you all have planned through me already, and new clients are already onboarding for travel plans in 2025 & 2026! Exciting journeys ahead! However today I have an official announcement about Mr. Travel Agent, LLC. The decision I made, in which I'll explain everything below, was decided to make sure my clients benefit the most, even at a cost to the agency.
Lets Dive Deeper,
In November of 2024 my host announced a new affiliate agreement & terms going into 2025. The terms were detrimental to affliates going forward in 2025. While I will not go into actual sales numbers, those are confidental to us. We were presented with the announcement that unless affiliates increased revenue by up to 100% or had already met this certain level for 2024, an additional affiliate loss of 10% would been taken monthly from revenue streams. While I will not disclose the percentage level Mr. Travel Agent, LLC was at before this announcement, (Mr. Travel Agent, LLC would need to grow by 40% in 2025, not 100%) the knowledge that I was not at this level to avoid the increase, would mean in 2025 I would lose an additional 10% of annual revenue was quite crushing and a blow to my agency going forward. Penalizing smaller affiliates who don't produce as high as larger ones is truly not right. I'm a one stop luxury travel agency entrepreneur, I do everything for every single client myself, I don't have IC's or employees (yet) to boost my overall volume. While yes I want to grow, become bigger, and perhaps have a few IC's down the line. I'm focused on my clients first and slowly growing the agency at a pace I can handle. These so called levels/tiers they set should be based on each individual agency size, and not an across the board spread.
I had 1 month to determine if I was going to agree to these new terms, or leave Avenue Two Travel and secure new affiliation. What a way to move into the holiday season, right? How stressed and worried I was in November & December. I had to drop everything I was doing and start considering my options. At first for about 1-2 weeks my mental decision was to leave Avenue Two Travel. My industry knowledge helped me right away. I secured high level interviews and contacts within days. I put out feelers to some of the top agencies who were taking on affiliates by invite acceptance. I spoke to leaders of several agencies, who every single person who I was interviewed by all wanted Mr. Travel Agent, LLC under their wing. Even the highly acclaimed, Brownell was wanting Mr. Travel Agent, LLC and they made several attempts to win me over.
Some had attractive custom terms, others were just too costly and would not benefit me to move the agency affiliation. I was very upset with the idea of a 10% blow to pipeline revenue. However at the same time I honestly wanted what was best for my clients, and if that meant remaining with Avenue Two Travel then that would be the decision.
There were two host, who I could've remained at the same level, and there was even two host that I found could advance my profit levels. Yet upon exploring what these hosts had to offer my agency clients, I discovered weakness and less security. For example no air support desk. Meaning I would have to do all the air via third party or direct, and that is a freaking nightmare when it comes to dealing with schedule changes, cancellations, refunds and air contracts. I absolutely could not accept losing air support for my clients. Through my affiliate status I have access to a Luxury Hotels Exclusive Client Benefit Program, this is in addition to Virtuoso status for clients. Walking away from this hotel program would be very detrimental to my clients. While Virtuoso was part of several host offers, and a nice base landing pad for Client Status Benefits. Having access to Virtuoso plus an exclusive lead luxury agency hotel program is not something I would accept taking away from my clients, in addition to the cruise, tour and industry resources I have. Two hosts did offer something comparable but they would end up being more costly in the long run, or I did not see the reason to switch affiliation if things were going to work out about the same as now.
I had a decision to make, and when Avenue Two Travel asked for my decision. I spoke to the CEO directly and told them my thoughts and expressed how I felt about this new agreement, and I was exploring my options. They also told me, honestly we do not want to lose Mr. Travel Agent, LLC and hoped I would decide to stay. A few weeks later a retention offer was made to me. While still not thrilled with it, I made a decision.
That decision was made completely by determining what was best for my clients, and not Mr. Travel Agent, LLC. That decision was to remain affiliated with Avenue Two Travel.
This industry is my passion, and my clients are all VIP's in my book and I greatly care what is best for you. Clients who know me know, I'll not let you make bad choices. I will tell every client why they should choose something over another. Horrible flight routes and connections?, hell no. Questionable quality vendors?, nah where you find them from?, I know the best. Sub par hotels?, I'm not letting you stay there!
You're spending your hard earned salary and investments, on traveling the world. You deserve to travel in comfort, stress free and with the knowledge & security the choices made were the best for your travels. The client status benefits programs at Mr. Travel Agent, LLC extend you amenities and perks to give you even more value for your dollar at luxury hotels & on cruises, that are impossible on own or needing to be part of some high level credit card program with high annual rates. You don't need any of that to get those benefits traveling through Mr. Travel Agent, LLC.
We are here for you, and we strive to always be here for you day & night, 365 days a year. Yes we do sleep here!, but beyond that we are reachable every single day by phone, SMS, Whatsapp, social media & email. You are connected to me the minute you become clients.
Thank you for your time,
Derek Schemonitz
Owner of Mr. Travel Agent, LLC
