Passport Online Presentation Website Content Conundrum

February 28, 2012

Greg Kott Marilyn Macallair Jerry Vaughn Barb Peet

Agenda• An introduction to Passport Online Inc• Define content options for websites: what’s

needed for an effective website and why• Outline consortia/host agency relationships and

pricing options• Hear from fellow travel agents about their

business websites • Discussion and Q&A

Who We Are

• Leisure travel e-marketing & e-commerce company founded in 1994 – Provide website solutions to travel agency community: we

power thousands of agency websites– Internet distribution channel for supplier content:

connections to over 80 cruise/tour suppliers– Email marketing campaigns and social media solutions for

travel agencies to reach their customers– Consumer and agent leisure travel booking engines

We Are Keeping Pace As Agents Leverage Internet Marketing

• Today– Websites and website supplier content– Email marketing– Social media, a natural for agents

• Tomorrow– More social media, accelerated with tools– Mobile applications

A recent ASTA study stated:

27 percent of client requests are coming through the agent’s

website, representing 18 percent of all agency revenues

What do your customers find when they come to your digital window?

Does it result in shopping and eventually buying?

Critical Success Factor #1

• Your website must have Unique Content– Tell your story, communicate your expertise, differentiate

yourself from the crowd…….– Why should I book with you?– Critical for search marketing

Critical Success Factor #2

• Your website must have Supplier Content– Your clients are there to shop for travel - give them travel

options– Supplier content includes specific travel offers from your

preferred suppliers– If you don’t provide them with travel options, someone

else will– This is the opportunity to merchandize your products, to

reinforce your expertise with a specific call-to-action

Critical Success Factor #2

• Your website must have Supplier Content– Last month our websites generated almost 4,000

email-only trip requests from clients shopping for travel!

The Best Solution: A Mix of Content

• Unique content plus supplier content = success

• It’s an absolute misnomer that having supplier content on websites hurts your site with search engines

www.google.com“Minnetonka travel agencies”

What if I am a specialist?

• Do I need supplier content? • How can I incorporate that into my specialty

and create a unique image for my business?• Let’s visit a specialist’s site • www.bestitalyspecialist.com

Do our sites look alike?

• Multiple templates and color schemes• Every agent has the ability to create their own

look… customization • Blend our expertise, and supplier content with

your uniqueness.

• our full service website solution• designed for the travel agency industry only• integrates with our supplier content• easy to use, offers add-ons for social media• our customer service staff is available to help

with anything you need along the way

Vacation.com NexCite

www.djmtravel.com

• consumer shopping engine• preferred supplier content • agency to put on their existing website any

way they want• flexible, customizable

– www.myplatinumvacations.com– www.protravelfresno.com

www.myplatinumvacations.com

VacationPort

Your Fellow Agents Trust Us!

• Touch more than 20,000 agents • 4,000 unique consumer-facing travel agency

websites.• Work with everyone

• Vacation.com, American Express Representative Network, Travel Leaders, Ensemble Travel Group, TRAVELSAVERS, Signature Travel Network, Virtuoso, NEST, MAST and Helix.

• Leading host agencies– Nexion, Travel Planners International, Prestige

Travel, MTravel, and more.

Pricing

Product Set Up FeeMonthly

• NexCite $150$45/mo

• VacationPort $150 $40/mo

Webinar Special for Travel Professional Community

• Save $75 on set up fee• Offer valid until March 15• sales@passportonlineinc.com or call 503-626-

7766 option #1

Meet some Passport Online Customers

Jerry Vaughn

• Customer since 2000• World Voyager Vacations is now a successful

home based leisure and meeting/incentive agency in Federal Way, Washington

• All of his SUPPLIER content comes from Passport Online. All of his websites are built in a Passport Online NexCite program

The many faces of Jerry Vaughn

Top Benefits of Website1. They are the single biggest source of new business for us2. Many of our regular customers often go in and find what they

are looking for and call and tell us to book it.3. It gives us national and international reach which provides

some insulation from economic conditions unique to our region.

4. They are very affordable5. They are user friendly and effective6. Because they are interactive, it links our social media, web

presence, blogs altogether to have maximum exposure

• www.worldvoyagervacations.com• www.alaskacruisesandlandtours.com• www.meetingsonships.com• www.incentivetraveladvisors.com• www.landresortvacations.com• www.rivercruiseagent.com

Barb Peet• Customer since 2005• Home based agent• Uses NexCite as the tool to help her prospects

narrow their travel decisions• Builds unique tabs to speak to specific

travelers

The Goal of Just-Vacations.com

• Goal: I want to make shopping in our “store window” easy for our customers. If the process is hard and cumbersome, they’ll leave our site and so elsewhere.

Top Benefits of Website • 1) Allows me to market all over the U.S.• 2) I have total control over what is on the website

– Custom tabs target specific customer desires• 3) It’s not a cookie-cutter look• 4) Minimal amount of time needed to manage the website

Passport Online does such a good job!• 5) When speaking to someone in person, at a trade/bridal

show, or even those shoppers who have no idea what they want, I can refer them over to our website to begin their search. Trip requests do the rest

Questions

Webinar Special for Travel Professional Community

• Save $75 on set up fee• Offer valid until March 15• sales@passportonlineinc.com or call 503-626-

7766 option #1