Riviera trade chief pins sales spike on agent meetings tackling 'the good, bad and ugly'

Riviera is currently trading 24% up year-on-year across all products, with solo bookings in particular rising by 57% against 2023. The company has already taken 90,000 passengers away on cruises and tours this year. 

In 2019, around 15% of Riviera bookings came through agents. However, after several changes to its trade support this year, the company now sees around 27% of its sales come from agents. 

In the past 12 months, Riviera has repeatedly strengthened its trade sales with the appointments of key account managers Suzanne Warren, Amanda Docherty, Chris McCloskey and Lloyd Morris.

It has also grown its trade sales support and trade marketing teams, while also offering more fam trips than ever before. 

In addition, Riviera has invited agents to give feedback on its agent support during trade engagement meetings. Riviera has so far hosted three meetings with agents, including two this year.

Speaking exclusively to TTG on Thursday (12 September), head of trade and partnerships Billing said: “I started my role in early December – I came in and looked at what we needed to do. 

“We had a meeting today with agents. During these meetings we go through everything – the good, the bad and the ugly. If we do not know about it, we cannot fix it.

“This is something that had started just before I arrived. It’s changed things quite a bit. It’s about making us easy to do business with. I’m always thinking, ‘Vicky, put your travel agent hat on’. Every decision has to be made with that mindset.”