Remember this .......

[TerryH]

Remember this .......
<a href="http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/travelclub/posts/549.html" >http://www.bsacforum.co.uk/forums/travelclub/posts/549.html</a>

Seems that BSAC are expanding links and taking onboard other
operators.

They do get there, just takes time. Maybe one day we can get to
something like .......

<a href="http://www.divernet.com/xtra/xtraoffers.shtml" >http://www.divernet.com/xtra/xtraoffers.shtml</a>

TerryH

[Alison Boler]

Hi Terry
Glad you're pleased with the expansion of our travel partners - we are trying to pick one in each niche market - there are still a couple of places to be filled, so keep watching.

We're not trying to either compete or emulate the Divernet Travel Specials - you can find cheap last minute holidays in lots of places on the web - or in your local high street. What we're trying to do is offer one or two operators in each dive travel niche ie liveaboards, world dive, luxury dive, technical diving, adventure, flight/hotel consolidators that offer a service we feel is excellent and at a special discount to the members. They may not be the cheapest - in the cases of the luxury operators or Peter Hughes liveaboards, they won't be, but they will be excellent and when a member books they will know that they are getting this particular holiday at a special price.
If we merely took paid advertising from every tour operator going we could offer the "cheapest" holiday - maybe - but that wouldn't necessarily offer the best value to the membership. We have chosen the operators with some care and we feel a confidence in their service and the quality of the holidays they are offering - that's important to BSAC Travelclub.

So - members can look and make their own minds up. Maybe they will see a different holiday cheaper somewhere else that they prefer, maybe they won't. Certainly the holidays are proving attractive to non - members. We signed a goodly few new BSAC members up in Birmingham last week who recognised that they would save more than the annual BSAC membership (?53) and still get a great holiday with savings on top!!

All the best

Allie

[TerryH]

Hi Terry
Glad you're pleased with the expansion of our travel partners - we are trying to pick one in each niche market - there are still a couple of places to be filled, so keep watching.

We're not trying to either compete or emulate the Divernet Travel Specials - you can find cheap last minute holidays in lots of places on the web - or in your local high street. What we're trying to do is offer one or two operators in each dive travel niche ie liveaboards, world dive, luxury dive, technical diving, adventure, flight/hotel consolidators that offer a service we feel is excellent and at a special discount to the members. They may not be the cheapest - in the cases of the luxury operators or Peter Hughes liveaboards, they won't be, but they will be excellent and when a member books they will know that they are getting this particular holiday at a special price.
If we merely took paid advertising from every tour operator going we could offer the "cheapest" holiday - maybe - but that wouldn't necessarily offer the best value to the membership. We have chosen the operators with some care and we feel a confidence in their service and the quality of the holidays they are offering - that's important to BSAC Travelclub.

So - members can look and make their own minds up. Maybe they will see a different holiday cheaper somewhere else that they prefer, maybe they won't. Certainly the holidays are proving attractive to non - members. We signed a goodly few new BSAC members up in Birmingham last week who recognised that they would save more than the annual BSAC membership (?53) and still get a great holiday with savings on top!!

All the best

Allie

As you have rightly pointed out price shouldnt be the only
consideration, but having a spread of operators is considerably
better than the old arrangement.

There are many operators who would gladly give 10% and more to
get first bite at a BSAC market. As long as there is a genuine
advantage to both BSAC and it's members all well and good.

My gripe with ANY form of corporate tie-in, is that the benefit
to the club as a whole in kick backs/quodos was actually
subsidised by it's members, with a supposed discount that didnt
really match up to closer scrutiny.

IMO as long as the package is unique then by all means promote.
As soon as an identical package is gleaned from elsewhere,
even allowing for BSAC discount then you really have to think
again.

Keep up the good work.

TerryH

[Alison Boler]

Terry

Can't disagree with anything you've said. This has to be an enormous step forward.
As an aside, I'm pretty sure (although I am not intimately involved) that the BSAC has never benefitted more in corporate kickback from any of the travel arrangements now or in previous deals than the members received in discounts - very far from the truth, actually.

Do keep a watch though and let us know if you think we could do better - always interested in improving.

All the best

Allie

[Jeanne]

On the issue of price...

Here is a saying which may go some way in endorsing Alison's comments:

?The common law of business prohibits paying ?a little? and getting ?a lot?. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it?s sensible to add something to the money pot for the risk you run. And if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.?

So why not pay a little more for that special trip, knowing you are getting it at the best price possible?

Good work! I like it.

Jeanne