Method and apparatus for identifying international travelers and providing an incentive to purchase travel services

Abstract

Generating a commission for a passport photo provider by identifying a group of people that are about to travel in the near future, providing the customers with an incentive to purchase a travel service and a token to identify the passport photo provider, the customer purchasing a travel service, and the travel service provider transmitting a commission to the passport photo provider. The incentive is a discount on a travel service, such as travel insurance. The token is a uniform resource locator (URL) with a file path on the end for identifying the source of the incentive or a coupon code. The token and the incentive are printed on a brochure that also contains passport photos. If the customer makes a subsequent purchase of travel services, the passport photo provider receives an additional commission.

1 . A method for generating a commission for a passport photo provider, the method comprising the steps of:
 a passport photo provider receiving a request from a customer for a passport photo;   the passport photo provider identifying the customer as a candidate for purchasing travel services;   the passport photo provider presenting the customer with a passport photo brochure comprising an incentive for purchasing travel insurance, a token for identifying the passport photo provider, and a means for affixing passport photos to the brochure;   the customer visiting a website for the travel service provider;   the customer purchasing travel insurance;   the travel service provider identifying the photo passport provider from the token; and   the passport photo provider receiving a commission from the travel service provider.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the travel service is a travel insurance policy. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 the customer purchasing an additional travel service; and   the passport photo provider receiving an additional commission.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of the passport photo provider transmitting a portion of the commission to a third-party provider. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the service is travel insurance comprising any of medical insurance, personal assistance, travel assistance, access to a travel insurance provider clinic, online services, and a comprehensive plan. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the brochure includes incentives for purchasing travel services for any of travel, lodging, and airfare. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the token comprises a tag appended to a uniform resource locator. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the token is a coupon code.