Checking In: 6 Months into the New VAX

It has been an exciting six months since the recent redesign and relaunch of VAX VacationAccess as The Leisure Travel Marketplace. It’s great to see that agent activity is skyrocketing, and feedback has been incredibly positive since the relaunch. We have been feverishly working to integrate new content, new education opportunities as well as new bookable product to our marketplace all aimed at today’s leisure travel professional.

I am personally energized to see how agents using VAX to empower a bigger future due in large part to the technology advancements that we have made in recent months. Agents are using the new VAX to its fullest: searching for content using our new site search functionality, easily finding content from The Compass all around the site, sharing their insights with our new article commenting functionality and checking for the latest industry events using our new Industry Calendar. In the not-too-distant future, VAX will be adding Apple Vacations as well as Travel Impressions as cornerstone tour operators to the marketplace, which only strengthens our position as The Leisure Travel Marketplace and leverages the power of our booking technology for the brands. We have so many new things for you, and we can’t wait to add more.

Nearly 20 years after the initial launch of VAX, we continue to recreate how agents use VAX. Our vision has been to make agents more efficient and profitable with innovative technology and content. Over the years we have made many enhancements to VAX, each meant to support agents and their ability to increase efficiency and market impact.

We are delighted to report that our biggest enhancement, The Compass (our new resource for travel industry content created exclusively for travel agents), has seen significant traction from agents. We are excited to be tackling issues and answering questions for agents in an effort to arm them with the knowledge that they need to be effective with their customers.

If you have not had the opportunity to visit The Compass, you can do so by clicking here. The Compass provides daily content, editorials and information exclusively for agents to help you grow your business. The Compass is your new "true north," offering a unique perspective you won't find anywhere else in the industry. We are also in the development stages of launching VAX social forums, where agents can have peer-to-peer conversations in a community forum environment.

Every week on The Compass, you can expect fresh content like insights written by industry leaders, tips from innovators on improving your business, travel inspiration for your clients and so much more. The Compass will also continue to evolve and grow over time to include additional unique content, different than anything else that exists in the market today, and to create shareable content aimed at developing an even deeper connection between you and your customers.

The B2B travel marketplace in North America continues to thrive. Leisure travel agents are enjoying a renaissance and they have developed an effective customer engagement process. Consumer demand has driven this in part because of a resurgence of interest in service-based professionals across many industries, including travel. A recommendation from a knowledgeable professional is more valuable than ever. We are working hard to integrate all of the agent technology available within the VAX platform, making VAX the go-to resource for leisure travel pros.

We are optimistic about your bright future. VAX will continue to be the industry’s premier resource for booking leisure travel, growing as a business owner and learning from one another, all packaged within the brand you trust, VAX VacationAccess.

About the Author

John Ische is the president of Trisept Solutions and CIO of Apple Leisure Group and a central figure in the evolution of leisure travel technology. After joining The Mark Travel Corporation in 1985, John assumed a variety of different roles within their technology division and served as the Chief Information Officer prior to establishing Trisept Solutions in 2000. John is the guiding force for the Milwaukee-based company and is committed to making Trisept Solutions the world's leading provider within the leisure travel technology marketplace.