Handbook Contents:

2024 MAST Member Handbook

2024 MAST Member Handbook

Resources

Agency Profiler & Lead Generation

The MAST website allows Members to highlight their expertise showcasing extraordinary trips they have planned for their clients by using key words, therefore making agency names appear in client search results through MAST marketing campaigns. Work with MAST’s Creative Strategy & Analytics Manager, Matt Hutten, on updating you profile and key words for SEO. Submit your profile information here: https://apps.mvptravel.com/agency-profile/

Once a consumer is brought to mvptravel.com through MAST digital marketing efforts, they are able to search for an agency by City, Travel Destination, Travel Style, Travel Type, and agency Zip Code.

Leads through the contact form will submit directly to the MAST agency owner’s email with the subject line: “mvptravel.com [Your Agency Name] – Agency Profile: Contact form submission”. The contact form now has the ability to request a phone number from the lead as well as an email address. Be on the look out and don’t miss the opportunity to respond as potential clients are waiting to hear from you!

Contact matt.hutten@mvptravel.com for questions.

Video Library

This website tool allows Members to display travel videos from MAST Preferred Suppliers on their websites to visually promote travel to clients. One time set up, maintenance and updates completely done by the MAST office. Visit https://mvptravel.com/member/resources/video-library/ for more information.

MAST 360° Travel Talk Blog

Follow MAST’s travel blog geared toward the traveler looking for the easiest way to travel, trips for every style, dream trips, travel tips, and current destination information. Share the articles on your marketing pages. Visit the blog here: https://blog.mvptravel.com/

Electronic Document Signing

Similar to DocuSign, our program provides electronic signature services for facilitating electronic exchanges of contracts and signed documents. Visit https://mvptravel.com/member/resources/mast-e-signature/ for more information. For questions contact matt.hutten@mvptravel.com.

Vacasa – AirBnB like service, vacation rentals where agents can earn commission

Vacasa Tour and Travel Advisor Program allows Travel Advisors to have access to book any of Vacasa’s vacation rentals while earning a commission. Vacasa will pay 8% of the base rental rate, excluding fees/tax, that is advertised on their website. Travel Advisors can search availability, pricing and create reservations from either Vacasa.com or in the Vacasa MyBookingPal portal. To sign up for the program, complete this contact form.

Northstar Travel Media – Travel42 and Star Service Online

Mast members are entitled to a discounted rate for and annual online subscription to travel42 or Star Service online when subscribing through MAST. Contact mary.clegg@mvptravel.com to subscribe. Travel42 provides everything travel professionals need to recommend hotels and cruise ships, create customized destination guides for clients, and stay informed about travel disruptions and security developments worldwide. And it’s all in one place – Detailed descriptions of 160,000 hotels, 10,000 unbiased hotel reviews and 300 cruise-ship reviews written from in-person inspections. Also available are 5,700 destination reports from local experts as well as proprietary, 24/7 travel-alert services specifically for travel professionals. You will be able to quickly research and deliver professional recommendations tailored to your clients’ specific needs that feature your own logo and contact information. For webinars and more information visit www.travel-42.com.

STAR Service provides everything travel professionals need to recommend hotels and cruise ships with detailed descriptions of 160,000 hotels and 10,000 unbiased hotel reviews written from in-person inspections. Star Service also offers over 300 cruise ship reviews written from in-person inspections. You will be able to quickly research and deliver professional recommendations tailored to your clients’ specific needs that feature your own logo and contact information. For webinars and more information visit http://starserviceonline.com.

CIBT Visas – Obtain Mandatory Travel Documents for Your Clients

CIBTvisas offers a fast, friendly and efficient way for you and your clients to obtain mandatory travel documents such as travel visas or passports and earn commission doing so. CIBTvisas has put together a new and improved program for MAST Travel Network members.

  • A centralized booking portal: www.cibtvisas.com/MAST
  • MAST members can now pass along a 20% discount off retail rates on CIBTvisa’s Service Fees to your clients.
  • Each eligible visa or passport order referred to CIBTvisas earns $10 paid directly to your agency
  • An expanded Line of Services. CIBT can assist you in obtaining travel visas to over 200 countries and electronic visas including Australian ETAs and US ESTAs. CIBT can help secure passport renewals and other documents, such as letters of invitation, legalizations and document translations.

Eligible member agencies must ‘opt in’ to the CIBT MAST Program to receive these benefits. To have your agency added to the centralized MAST booking portal and enrolled in the CIBT MAST Program please email CorporateAccounts@cibt.com with your agency’s information.

More information can be found on CIBT’s supplier profile page on the MAST website.

MAST Cruise Services – Earn Up to 14% Commission on Royal Caribbean Intl. Brands

MAST Vacation Partners offers enrollment in the MAST Cruise Services program to MAST member agencies. This program offers the opportunity to earn 14% commission on Royal Caribbean and Celebrity cruise sales. The MAST Cruise Services program does not currently have sales goal requirements to continue in the program from year to year. MAST and RCCL reserves the right to make requirements such as sales goals.

The Program:

Your sales will be added to your agency known as MAST ABC Travel.

You will have a sales representative and you will be listed on the website Travel Agency Locators. MAST and the cruise lines will offer promotions and incentives. We will pay you 14% commission and will withhold the excess as an administrative commission for MAST.

Commissions will be paid to you monthly. Back end commissions earned by MAST will be shared with you as well. You are eligible if:

  • You agree to participate in the MAST programs for direct mail and/or email.
  • You agree to promote RCCL and Celebrity in your agency. This includes offering the cruise lines to any prospect that fits the profile, display their collateral prominently in your agency and keep them “top of mind” over competing cruise products. Additional marketing ideas are: promote the brands in social media on your agency website, write a cruise marketing plan, join the Azamara Elite program or do an in-agency event.
  • You agree to have you and your staff focus on selling RCCL and Celebrity. You must participate in promotions and training programs offered in CruisingPower for each cruise line. Other opportunities for training include MAST Webinars and direct cruise line offers. You must also make an effort to book and market group space; this may be done with groups held by MAST or your own groups. Agents should also learn to use CruisingPower.

If you wish participate in the program you will be required to register by completing a Secondary Phone Authorization form. Contact travelhosts@mvptravel.com for further information and to register.

MAST Cruise Group Space & Amenity Sailings

Cruise group space or special amenities are offered or held under MAST and/or Travel Hosts for certain cruise suppliers.

For details about each cruise line and instructions, please visit the dedicated cruise group page on the MAST website under the Booking Programs tab with links to each cruise line’s group listing or offers. For questions on group space contact courtney.simpson@mvptravel.com.

Groups are held under certain cruise suppliers. Any MAST member can book into a MAST held group. Groups held under Travel Hosts require participation in the Travel Hosts program in order to book Travel Hosts’ groups. For more information and to participate in the Travel Hosts’ program, contact travelhosts@mvptravel.com.

Travel Center Hosts – Earn Up to 14% Commission on Participating Suppliers

Travel Hosts was created for MAST member agencies to provide host agency services. Since Travel Hosts started in 2013, many MAST member agencies are earning more commission through Travel Hosts! You can earn 11% to 14% commission with suppliers you are currently earning only 10% with. You can choose which suppliers you want to sell through Travel Hosts. Here are a few of the benefits of booking your cruise reservations through Travel Hosts:

  • Higher cruise line commissions with select cruise lines
  • Higher tour supplier commissions with select tour operator(s)
  • Additional cruise groups to choose from
  • Commission tracking by travel hosts / MAST staff
  • Reporting sales to BDM, they know you are booking their product!
  • Dedicated Travel Hosts’ web page on the Mast website
  • Member support

For more information and to sign up visit the Travel Hosts webpage on the MAST website or contact travelhosts@mvptravel.com.

Travefy – Itinerary & Quote Management – Impress clients. Save time.

With Travefy Professional it’s easy and quick to create simple, beautiful itineraries or quotes. You can import existing reservations via ClientBase Live Connect, built in databases or integrations. Create custom events and content or access Travefy’s database of over 8 million hotels, points of interest, restaurants, flights and cruises.

Share itineraries with clients via online link, PDF or mobile app.

MAST Members get preferred pricing on Travefy’s Plus Plan. Learn more and start a free trial at https://itineraries.mvptravel.com/mast

For more information, contact mary.clegg@mvptravel.com.

Passport Online – Hands-Off Web Marketing Solutions

Passport Online is the leisure travel industry leader in website, web content, email marketing, and social media solutions. Passport also offers booking engine solutions for b-to-b and b-to-c needs. A major distribution channel for leisure travel suppliers to connect with the leading consortia, retail agencies, professional home-based agent networks, and their clients, Passport Online powers 6000 travel agent websites which generate over 6 million consumer shopping sessions each month.

Passport Online offers MAST agencies a variety of website solutions to help drive more sales. From a fully hosted website to a content rich e-marketing tool to social media, these programs offer something for every MAST member.

Learn more at https://mvptravel.com/supplier/passport-online/

Free Hosted ClientBase Online

House your mailing list and customer profiles. Drive greater effectiveness in marketing by adding relevant marketing codes to your leisure client profiles. Contact nani.pickell@mvptravel.com for questions and to sign up.

ClientFirst – Automatic Client Greetings (PROGRAM UNDER CONSTRUCTION FOR 2024)

ClientFirst from ClientBase enables you to “put your clients first” by sending them automatic greetings & reminders, customized with your agency’s contact info. Visit https://mvptravel.com/member/programs/clientfirst/ for more information. For questions and to enroll, contact stephanie.werner@mvptravel.com. 

MAST AgentPort (Product of Passport Online) – Universal Desktop

MAST AgentPort is an agent productivity tool designed to help agents search for cruise and land vacations and create emails to send directly to customers from ONE CENTRAL LOCATION. Visit https://mvptravel.com/member/booking-tools/agentport/ for more information.

  • MAST preferred supplier content included in an easy shopping user interface (Apple, Yankee, Funjet not included)
  • Ability to “pin” specific offers, search results, emails and more to easily access at a later point
  • Compare tool allows agent to line 3 different offers up showing features and pricing of each
  • Expanded Detail Offer Page gives access to itinerary maps, supplier background, pricing, offer description and booking information
  • Mobile responsive
  • Email creator which gives the agent the ability to create a rich single or multiple offer email to send directly to their customer
  • Email click-thrus are driven back to agent branded microsite, sales leads are delivered back to agent
  • Electronic greeting cards with dozens of templates and themes allows agents to keep in contact with their customers in an easy and thoughtful way.
MAST AgentPort includes:
  • Search box to find land vacations and cruises
  • Email marketing center
  • Supplier of the Month promotions
  • Other agent updates and promotional information