Travel Agent Professional July 2015

Travel Agent Professional July 2015 Issue 37

Keeping Clients — Taking Dating to Long Term Marriage

By Cindy Bertram

Vicki Freed, RCI

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Keeping Clients — Taking Dating to Long Term Marriage

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My Summer Adventure Begins

By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

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The Season of http://issuu.com/action/page?page=11

Mists & Mellow Fruitfulness

By Paull Tickner

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The Affluent Traveler http://issuu.com/action/page?page=15

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger President, MJS Consultants

July 2015 Issue 37

Showcase

Auto Europe .............................................................15 The Well-Being Travel ............................................20 Travel MarketPlace ..................................................22 http://issuu.com/action/page?page=10

Ad Index

Cover Photo: Roelof Bakker

Amadeus .......................................19

HostTravelAgency.com .................23

Auto Europe .................................IFC

TRAVELSAVERS.............................21

Britain Greatdays.............................3

Royal Caribbean Line....................BC

Travel Agent Professional

2015

Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

TAP

By Cindy Bertram

Travel Agent Professional July 2015 Issue 37

Joel M. Abels

Legend In the Travel Industry April 1927 to January 2007

Travel Agent Professional P.O. Box 120198 Staten Island, NY 10312 E-mail: info@travelagentprofessional.com Phone: 718.360.3153 Ann M. Hoek Publisher/Creative Design ann@travelagentprofessional.com Bonnie Walling Editor Bonnie@travelagentprofessional.com Alan Cohen Vice President Marketing Alan@travelagentprofessional.com

Meet Our Editorial Board Paull Tickner, Creator of Special Interest Britain ptickner@customgb.co.uk www.customgb.co.uk Cindy Bertram, Cindy’s Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC cindybert@att.net Mitchell J. Schlesinger President, MJS Consultants mjschlesinger@bellsouth.net Rusty Pickett, ECC Shellback Cruises www.shellbackcruises.com Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal Sherry Laskin, ACC Travel Writer/NACTA Webinar Moderator www.cruisemaven.com Sue Shapiro, President Shapiro Travel Resources sue.shapiro@gmail.com This online magazine is dedicated to the memory of Joel Abels, Travel Trade's editor and publisher. Joel and his life's work may be gone, but with your help it can live on. www.shapirotravelresources.com

Travel Agent Professional has its roots in Home Based Trade, the first magazine of its kind, started by Joel Abels in 2004. Joel and Lenore Abels ran Travel Trade for nearly half a century – it was started by her grandfather, John S. Lewis, and her father, Sidney Lewis, in 1929, and they took the publication over after her grandfather’s passing.

Under Joel’s direction, the company grew to be one of the travel agent industry’s leading publications, reaching more than 45,000 agents throughout North America. It spawned a famous series of trade shows and three monthly magazines – Cruise Trade, Tour Trade and Home Based Trade.

The Abels also garnered enormous respect – Joel received the Neal Award, called “the Pulitzer Prize of the business press,” for his hard-hitting editorials.

On a personal note, after working with Joel for over a decade and staying with him until the end, I grew to truly care for and respect the man.

He was like a second father to me. Joel was old school, he stood by his word and believed in his work. There will never be another.

While nobody can replace this industry legend, we’re hoping that this new publication, which reunites the original Home Based Trade editorial board, will be able to carry on his passion for travel and those who sell it.

Ann M. Hoek The opinions expressed in these columns are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of Travel Agent Professional.

July 2015

Issue No. 8 | February 12th 2014

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elcome to a slightly different perspective on your old friend Britain. Since 1980, I’ve been helping travel counsellors to identify, develop and convert untapped sources of new business into imaginative, high yield, customised groups, both large and small.

I’m now applying this to tailor made tours for individuals and families who are flying or cruising in and out of the UK.

Over the period, I’ve gained a great deal of experience, knowledge and many grass root connections who add the bubble, fizz and pleasant surprises to each tailor made tour. Take a leisurely look at the ‘magnificent seven’ listed below and arm yourself with a pen and a piece of paper so that you can note down the contacts you’ll have for most of the niche markets mentioned.

Prioritise them and then email me your thoughts on how you might like to proceed.

Paull Tickner Paull Tickner and Associates Ltd

Girls Getaways London only, London and Batthh, London and tthhe Cotswolds are three options for you to consider. For Quilters, there are programmes for tthhe tthhree major Quilt Shows in England and ttw wo more in Scotland. If Embroidery and Needlework is your niche, my Liverpool (yes Liverpool) and London tour ticks all the boxes. For lady golfers, I can also supply an interesting Cotswold-based Golf, Gardens and Antiques tour that finishes with an international match against a UK team.

Pre and Post Cruise Extensions Let’s talk about London based customised pre and post crruuise extensions that meet your clients time frame, interests and budget. For customers tthhat have been there many times before, find out where they’d really like to go before or after their crruuise and tthhen put my knowledge through its paces.

Family Travel Speed boat rides up tthhe River Thames, side trips to see tthhe making of Harry Potter, living history experiences at our historic castles and palaces, entertaining actor led tours of tthhe Theatre Royal and a performance of Mathilda, family cycle rides through the Royal Parks, a Doctor Who Experience and a ffllight on the London Eye. With tthheir accommodation included, I can customise these and other exciting interactive encounters into a memorable family trip to London.

Up an English Garden Path For Orchid, Herb, Rose and otthher specialist societies, Master Gardeners, Friends of Botanic Gardens/Arboreta and even Flower Arrangers, I can provide a FebrruuarySeptember collection of memorable, value added tours. With demand always outstripping tthhe hotel supply, now is tthhe time to be considering a 2015 Chelsea Flower Show tour (19tthh-23rd May).

Travel Agent Professional

4 Keeping Clients — C i n d y B e r t r a m

While attending travel conferences over the past several years, this question always comes up - “What’s the best way to not just get that first booking, but get that client to come back and book again?” Statistics shared are a bit disturbing.

Three out of five people don’t use the same travel professional when they decide to book their next trip.

So what’s missing? I really think it gets to one key thing. For people to come back and rebook again and again, our focus should be on building relationships. We also need to make sure those clients realize they’re important, that we provide value, and are passionate about making their travel experiences wonderful and amazing.

By Cindy Bertram Cindy's Inside Cruise & Travel Track, LLC

In a way, it really is like dating, isn’t it? We need to transition from dating and “courtship” into building a long term marriage.

The client relationship just begins with the first sale Theodore Levitt, a well-known, famous professor at Harvard Business School and author of numerous business books, including The Marketing Imagination, was also editor of Harvard Business Review.

During his lifetime, Levitt contributed over 25 different articles to Harvard Business Review. One is a personal favorite of mine - “After the sale is over…”

In this piece, he wrote, “The relationship between a seller and a buyer seldom ends when a sale is made.” He further explained, “The sale merely consummates the courtship, at which point the marriage begins. How good the marriage is depends on how well the seller manages the relationship. The quality of the marriage determines whether there will be continued or expanded business, or troubles and divorce.”

If we think about how that fits building ongoing relationships with our travel clients, it really is like a marriage, isn’t it? To avoid that “divorce” situation, Levitt so wisely brought up, we need to focus special ongoing attention, time and efforts managing the ongoing relationships with our clients.

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Taking Dating to Long Term Marriage Insights from Vicki Freed, Royal Caribbean International Vicki Freed, senior vice president of sales, trade support and service at Royal Caribbean International, has often addressed this question of why people don’t come back to rebook.

One key point, she said, is that people usually travel on just one vacation a year. When they return, they talk up the trip, share things with their friends, and remember the brand, including the cruise line and ship they sailed on.

However, during that time, they’ve probably forgotten who booked their vacation - unless that travel agent professional has reached out and done ongoing, subtle follow-ups, all in a genuine, relationship building way.

Pick up the Phone!

“You have to pick up the phone and touch base with those people on a regular basis to build an ongoing relationship,” Freed said. “In today’s technology world with all the noise around, people want to feel valued and appreciated.”

She added that travel agents should use the communications tools available to them, but remember some key points: “E-mail is a monologue, while a phone call is a dialogue.”

It’s critical to view that first client interaction as building the relationship along with having that face to face connection. Staying in touch with clients after they return from their trip is an ongoing part of building that relationship. It can be as simple as sending a birthday or anniversary card and just reaching out from time to time, in a non-sales way.

Travel Agent Professional

6 Pull the “Referral Gene” out of People

“It’s the little things that stand out from the clutter,” Freed said. “People are loyal to brands, but are not born with a referral gene. We need to ‘pull’ that referral gene out of people, and there are ways to do that.”

How does one do that? “It’s really using a certain type of phasing when you talk to those clients.” She added that she likes to tell people, “It was such a pleasure planning your trip and I’m so happy I was able to help you have an amazing experience.” Then she likes to mention that she would also love to provide the people closest to them the same type of amazing travel experience as well.

Vicki Freed is also one who’s known for one who practices what she preaches. While on supplier panels at a wide range of cruise and travel conferences, she has talked about how she sends out personal cards

with handwritten short notes on a regular basis.

A favorite quote of hers is from the great American poet Maya Angelou: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Freed noted that for travel agent professionals, it’s really all about making a connection with your clients. “Be proud of the services you deliver to people, because your clients will never forget how you made them feel.”

Bonnie Friedman of VIP Vacations – Building the Personal Level A travel colleague of mine, Bonnie Friedman, owner and president of VIP Vacations, Inc. already had a successful business track record when started her own travel agency in 1999. A former health educator and university lecturer, she is a natural born sales person who’s passionate about travel.

Over the past 16 years, she has successfully grown her agency and with that, an extremely loyal client base.

She recommends, “Get to know every customer on a personal level. Value their friendship and appreciate the opportunity to plan their exciting adventures. I maintain the VIP motto of ‘Value, Integrity and

July 2015

7 Professionalism.’ I strive to give each client the ‘VIP treatment’ and provide a personalized and unique travel experience. Also, never fail to follow up, ask for referrals, listen, share in their enthusiasm, and show gratitude.”

Building the excitement for upcoming group trips, including her cruises, is another savvy talent Friedman has. She does this via social media, creating special Facebook pages for those upcoming trips. Her clients “chime in” about how much fun this particular cruise group trip will be, sharing real stories.

She noted, “My customers have become my advocates. They are my unpaid sales team that keep my phones ringing. I’m not sure if I’m just lucky or blessed.”

Bonnie Friedman is really what I like to call the consummate matchmaker. She even said, “Sometimes I think I’m a ‘travel pimp,’ but in a good way. I actually network and socialize to ‘pick up’ clients. Sometimes I use shameless lines and surprisingly, they work!

Know Your Clients – Taking dating into a long term marriage Think back to any successful personal genuine rela-

“My best elevator pitch is ‘I can change your life.’ Although I sell all types of travel, my most successful trips have become repeat cruise groups that are predominantly single professional people.

“Social media has been an easy platform for my customers who love the idea of traveling with the camaraderie of a group of likeminded peers. I loved hearing my last cruise group described as ‘Summer Camp for Grown-ups.’

“When I host a group, I always introduce my clients to each other and make sure that no one feels left out. The fun times, lasting friendships and memories made bring them back year after year. There’s a lot of work that goes behind the success of these groups and I can’t think of anything more rewarding.”

Travel Agent Professional

tionships you’ve built over the years. What was important to you? Being made to feel like you were special and important? Extra touches that person did for you that were “above and beyond” what was normally expected? Perhaps some fun, unexpected surprises? Along the way, it was very evident that this person was also genuinely enthusiastic about creating these memorable experiences for you.

As travel professionals, we can use that passion, along with taking that same dating scenario mindset into building long term successful relationships with our clients. It’s about knowing them, taking it to a personal level, and realizing that the first sale is merely a way of “consummating the courtship.” This is where the long-term marriage actually begins.

8 L e s - L e e

My Summer Adventure

R o l a n d

What a whirlwind in June.

So much to share.

By Les-Lee Roland Owner of The Package Deal

I took my first sailing on Star Clippers. I emphasize the word “first” since I am certain I will return.

It was a total surprise to me that I enjoyed my one week so much. I have a fear of being in the water, I do not swim. I was in a boating accident over 40 years ago, and I was rescued only because people saw me and my orange life jacket bobbling in Lake Huron. The bathing suit was already in shreds. Not a pretty sight.

So why would I even go on a small vessel with emphasis on water sports, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, and interesting destinations?

Even though the Star Clipper, my ship, didn’t have a platform that came down, their larger

ship, the Royal Clipper does. And they made sure that we had morning stops at beaches and provided the equipment FREE for whatever we wanted to do.

With my way over 100 cruises, I have never been on a ship that has so many repeaters. I estimate that way over 80% were constant customers, and many had signed up for a two week sailing, going to the same ports! They said they never tire and are never bored.

They fly into Nice and transfer to Cannes — how bad is that?

The cabins are a decent size with such good storage, I actually had a place for everything.

July 2015

Begins

Service was exemplary from the first hello to the last goodbye.

This was a new sailing for Star Clippers - doing the coastline of Corsica. Even though it is a French island with an Italian sounding name, everyone is proud of being a Corsican. We visited L’lle Rousse, Figaro, Bonifacio (my favorite) Porticcio, Ajaccio, Porto and a surprise visit to Elba.

Let me get the downsides out of the way, and this will be quick. There was very limited TV access for English speaking viewers. Basically, it was just BBC news. The upside of this is that you have more interaction with the passengers enjoying something that is missing from big ships: conversation! With about 140 people, everyone becomes a family quickly - yes, even those from France and Germany and the U.K. There was always conversation – evening entertainment consisted of interaction, not production shows.

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The only thing I do recommend is to do your own research in advance about the ports. On this new sailing, little info was given out. But I have been told that on their other ships, the info is plentiful.

Shore excursions are optional, but at most stops, the passengers explored on their own. With a little fast checking on the Internet, you could have a surprise adventure every day.

The one excursion most people signed on for was to visit a World Heritage Site, the Scandola Nature Reserve. It was a maze of jagged and sheer cliffs, with inlets and coves that only a small vessel could maneuver through. So very interesting!

I discovered the art of walking – yes, walking is a big part of the ports and of the ship, since there’s no elevators. But with the minimum of steps between the three decks and top side, I actually looked forward to the exercise .

Anything to work off those extra calories. I

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especially loved the plentiful veggies and salads – so European.

The beauty of the ship that makes it unique to other vessels with sails is that 70% of the time you are sailing and not motoring. That’s almost double the under-sail time of other lines. The way the keel is designed, the ride is smooth and quiet. You can feel comfortable booking your clients on the lower deck – or for a slight increase of $100 or so, the middle deck. Now why can’t river cruises have price equality like Star Clippers?

Our final port was to be St Tropez, But a rainstorm was brewing that would hinder our tendering in. If this had been a mega ship, they would have just stayed at sea to wait out the storm. But our Captain had options and made sure we didn’t miss a sightseeing day.

He announced we would sail to Portofino. Who knew that these cobblestone narrow paths were the Rodeo Drive of the area? The scenery was breathtaking.

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I will certainly market this to groups of couples or singles, especially people who like to take photos. One gal on our sailing took 4000 shots.

Thank goodness for digital cameras.

The cruise is what you choose to make it. If you want quiet time, just hang out on the top deck and relax – possibly by sharing a giant hammock off the side of the ship, big enough for 20 people. You can stretch out and watch the dolphins swimming next to the hammock, an experience you can’t have on these 4000 passenger ships.

For the daring, you can climb a rope ladder to the crow’s nest, wearing a safety belt. And the first person in line for the climb was a 70-year-old woman! Besides my fear of water, I have a fear of heights. So I had fun watching the others do this once-in-a-lifetime adventure.

The Captain must live on coffee, since he was always around. He would go out and check the

Travel Agent Professional

areas, before we got on the tenders. And he was welcoming us back when we returned.

Passengers were able to mingle with the officers who would explain the charts and share their experiences and watch the crew hoist the sails on this ship, 17 was the magic number. Their larger ship has 42 sails.

With ships in the Med for the summer, and in the Caribbean during the winter, (out of St Maartin or Barbados), and their new sailings in Asia, I recommend you go through your database to see who you can market this to.

Just remember to qualify your clients. Even without the elevator, no casino, and some multilingual sailings, this can be a unique experience.

The rates are extremely reasonable with many dates where single supplements are waived, and the itineraries so interesting, Star Clippers is more affordable than the mega ships.

12 The Season of Mists P a u l l T i c k n e r

This first line in John Keats’ “Ode to Autumn” sums up the appeal of England in the fall when the Indian summer days are awash with bright ideas for shoulder season travel. An abundance of fairs and festivals have themes like food, gardens, literature, textiles and antiques, offering creative tour planners the chance to develop eye catching new travel experiBy Paull Tickner

ences.

Here are a few suggestions for you to think about for the many untapped sources on your doorstep.

Top Photo By: Henry Wilmer

Paull Tickner has been designing and operating niche travel programmes for the UK and Ireland for over 30 years.

For more information E-mail Paull at ptickner@customgb.co.uk

July 2015

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&

Mellow Fruitfulness A Taste of Olde England

Think about a foodie tour that starts with the Melton Mowbray Food Festival (Oct. 3-4), one of the largest regional food events in the country. Set in the heart of the U.K.’s rural capital of food, it is home to traditional Melton Mowbray Pork Pies and Stilton Cheese, delicious artisan cheeses, gold-infused bubbly, steamed puddings, chocolate kebabs, gourmet British game and locallybrewed ales.

With a couple of days of pubs and tearooms in the Cotswolds, complete the trip at The Great Bath Feast, held throughout October. It’s one of the hottest prospects on the food calendar this year, with an extensive list of unique activities, celebrity appearances, and remarkably diverse gourmet food.

Shades of Autumn If your garden contacts missed this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, talk to them about a trip to the Shades of Autumn Show. Staged by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in London between Oct. 23-24, it’s an art and design show that celebrates the beauty of autumn colour and it’s packed with inspirational planting ideas to extend the gardening season. Expand the potential with a visit to Kew Gardens, a side trip to the RHS Garden at Wisley, a West End theatre show and some shopping time.

Travel Agent Professional

14 Girls Getaway to London and Paris October is a great time for a Girls Getaway. Start with a sophisticated London 3night shopping program and add a Eurostar train ride to Paris for three more nights.

There, you can browse at leisure in the Galeries Lafayette or Printemps department stores on the Boulevard Haussmann in the Saint-Honoré fashion district, or go designer shopping on the Avenue Montaigne and Avenue des ChampsElysées. Also, check out the St-Ouen flea market (the city’s largest) and for eclectic fashion, unique jewellery and fine art head for Le Marais. Fly into London and back from Paris or vice versa.

Quilting, Knitting and Stitching As you’re sure to have clients who are interested in quilting, let’s put our heads together and create a tour based around the Scottish Quilt Championships, Sept. 25-28. If sewing and knitting is more their thing, let’s apply our little grey cells to the Knitting and Stitching Show in London (Oct. 7-11) or in Harrogate (Nov. 26-29). The two shows cover everything from home furnishings and crochet to quilting and dressmaking.

Antiques, Collectors Fairs and London Markets Here’s another shopping trip, but this time with a focus on 1700 indoor and outdoor stalls at the International Antiques and Collectors Fair at Ardingly (early September and early November) and the London markets at Bermondsey, Portobello, Spitalfields and Petticoat Lane. I’ve also included a tour of the exotic Royal Pavilion, a visit to a privately owned castle on the way to London and a visit to the extraordinary Dennis Severs House as part of the Sunday Londoner’s London programme.

The Cheltenham Literary Festival For lovers of fiction, culture and books, the Cheltenham Literary Festival (Oct. 2-11) boasts one of the most remarkable line-ups of writing greats that you’re likely to see. In its spectacular program of over 500 events, the festival touches upon subjects as diverse as history, politics, sport, food and fashion.

All the events are carefully designed to bring together highly sought-after speakers creating stimulating, surprising, and entertaining events that ignite once-in-a-lifetime conversations. The festival’s spectacular Book It! family program also offers an unrivalled array of events for children and young people. Sign up at www.cheltenhamfestivals.com to be the first to hear the 2015 line-up.

July 2015

Showcase

Auto Europe Introduces New Wi-Fi Calling App Auto Europe is introducing their new Wi-Fi Calling App, Auto Europe Talk, which allows travelers to make calls via Wi-Fi avoiding high roaming charges, to any phone from over 195 countries for pennies per minute.

The free Auto Europe Talk App is available from iTunes or Google Play App stores and is compatible with iPhone® 4S, 5, 5S, 5C 6 & 6 plus as well as iPad®, iPad® mini and Android phones. Additional benefits include free app-to-app calling, crystal clear Wi-Fi calls as low as $.02 a minute (comparable to 98% savings with other North American Network providers), domestic and international calling, US telephone number and voice mail. The App is also preprogrammed with a speed dial to Auto Europe’s customer service department for assistance from Europe. Visit http://autoeurope.wirelesstraveler.com to learn more.

“More and more travel agents have indicated to us that staying in touch is very important to the traveler especially when abroad. We also want to make it as easy as possible for our customers to contact us if they need to so we see the calling App as another big step to satisfying the needs of our travelers and another tool for our travel partners. The Auto Europe Talk program also fits in perfectly with our mission which is to provide our customers with meaningful products and services at the best rates,” said Imad Khalidi, CEO. Auto Europe services over 20,000 car rental locations in over 180 countries worldwide.

In addition, through their tour division, Destination Europe, they offer scheduled airfare to Europe with over thirty carriers and service 3, 4 & 5 star worldwide hotels. For additional information contact your local sales representative or Auto Europe at (800) 2235555. Visit their web site at http://www.autoeurope.com.

1 . 8 0 0 . 2 2 3 . 5 5 5 5 • w w w. a u t o e u r o p e . c o m 39 Commercial St., P.O. Box 7006, Portland, ME 04112

16The Affluent Traveler M i t c h e l l

Exceptional Service, Experien

J .

The affluent travel market

S c h l e s i n g e r

represents a HUGE earning opportunity, IF you are prepared to fulfill the “caviar wishes and champagne dreams” of the affluent travel market. And never has the phrase “follow the money”, been more meaningful.

By Mitchell J. Schlesinger President, MJS Consultants, mjschlesinger@bellsouth.net

From a demographic standpoint, the affluent segment, has its own distinct characteristics:

• • •

It spans a wide spectrum of age and family groups. We have never been more affluent as a society and this attainment of wealth, includes a younger demographic with “new” money, baby boomers who are inheriting in significant amounts, and seniors/retirees with a lifetime of “old” money.

The extent of the wealth is significant. While small in terms of percentage of the population, affluent consumers are valued at $400-500 billion worldwide and luxury research resources indicate that could double over the next 5-10 years.

And because affluent consumers span demographic groups, it is even more important to follow the money. In many cases affluence creates its own indicators of where these consumers live and spend dollars in a local market. While they may not be “recognizable” in a supermarket, they certainly are in expensive housing communities, foreign car dealerships, upscale shopping malls, specialty boutiques, country clubs etc. Following the money is an excellent way for you to source these clients.

July 2015

ces & Value =

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Exceptional Earning Opportunities

It is the psychographic characteristics of the affluent segment that are challenging and you must be prepared to meet their extensive needs:

• • • •

SERVICE is central. It must be very personalized, (but not stuffy), attentive, professional and reflect the experience they will encounter on their trip. There is an expectation by each customer that they are literally, your ONLY customer. This is how you earn their initial trust.

The second aspect of fulfilling service expectations is your cataloging all of their personal tastes, needs, wants, etc. This includes room locations at hotels or on cruise ships, favorite wines, dining arrangements, activities, etc. As you plan for them, you are not asking, but confirming that this meets their desires. It reflects a very personalized approach to service.

Luxury travel is about experiences and emotional reactions to them. These experiences come in two (2) major categories. The first is the physical surroundings, at a resort, on a cruise ship etc. It includes both the things they expect (great beds, high sheet thread counts, fancy bathroom amenities, wonderful dining etc.) and special touches and services they did not expect (neck massages at the pool, special transfers, champagne on the beach, cold towels brought to them on a golf course), especially at unexpected locations.

The second category is focused on the destination and how they “experience” it. This cannot be the standard or ordinary, but must enable them to return with “emotional memories”. Boutique lunches or dinners, tickets for performances in St. Petersburg or the Sydney Opera House, exclusive tour events, personal interactions, etc. The goal is for your clients to return with memories of specific experiences. You must be cognizant to attract them with travel opportunities that will fulfill these “experiential” expectations.

Travel Agent Professional

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• •

Don’t ever presume that the affluent with are not concerned with cost. They have achieved affluence in most cases because they are savvy consumers. They understand that the things they want cost more, but value is something they will demand. They may live in expensive homes and drive expensive cars, but they also shop at COSTCO, just like everyone else. The expectation of value never escapes them, ESPECIALLY, if they have a sense of what something should cost. Sell them the travel that will fulfill their psychographic for prestige and exclusivity, just make sure that they clearly see the “value” in what they are spending.

There are excellent websites (justluxe.com and 4hoteliers.com) with information and articles on luxury traveler expectations and new and innovative products for them.

There are two final vital aspects you must incorporate if you are to be successful in dealing with the affluent market:

1

Be imaginative in sending information to stimulate travel appetites and retain loyalty. A personalized letter on textured paper with a new brochure from a luxury cruise line including a request to “make an appointment” to discuss new itineraries and destinations. An email with a web link for a new resort in a destination they indicated interest in visiting. For golfers, a complete itinerary for a 7 day package in Hawaii, Pinehurst or Scotland. And at birthday/anniversary time, send something they will regard as personal.

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And finally, everything comes down to your ability to have prospective clients recognize that you are an expert at selling luxury travel and servicing affluent clients. This includes a style you portray that reflects the level of service clients can expect, communicating the “experiential” elements they seek and recommending upscale travel alternatives that meet their expectations. You must establish yourself as a “luxury service” brand that clients will trust, learn to rely on and best of all, share with their affluent family and friends.

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The affluent customer segment represents a significant compensation opportunity that can change the way you approach selling travel overall. I have a very close friend in the retail business who, every year, sends a group of 20-30 guests on a full world cruise. Consider that. If there is an affluent audience prevalent in your marketplace, you have the opportunity to make this travel

July 2015

Showcase Well-Being Travel Symposium Delivers Unmatched Content and Trade Show

The Well-Being Travel Symposium two-day conference,

healthy consumer,” says Anne Marie Moebes,

held in Toronto, was attended by over 150 travel profes-

Executive Vice President, Well-Being Travel.

sionals. The attendees participated in group and panel

“Travelers are becoming more conscious of their

sessions, networked with peers and attended a trade

mental and physical well-being when they're travel-

show that had nearly 70 exhibitors, including many

ing and they want to blend these interests and activi-

tourism boards. Although wellness travel is a relatively

ties into their vacations. We are so excited about the

new niche, it has already broken the rules and now

success of this year’s Well-Being Travel Symposium

spans everything from spa getaways and spiritual healing

that we are already planning the 2016 program!”

to holistic nutrition, medical travel, wilderness programs and wellness resorts and cruises. The theme at the con-

“I attend this conference to learn from; wellness profes-

ference brought to the surface the overwhelming

sionals, spa directors, my peers, hotel executives and

demand to reconnect with a simpler healthier way of life

destinations that are related to health and wellness trav-

and how travel agents can embrace this new market.

el, including the ever popular traveling for medical treatments,” says Jeri Donovan, Founder of Well

“We are thrilled that so many travel professionals

Traveled, Certified Wellness Travel Specialist. “In addi-

joined us in Toronto to exercise their minds to learn

tion, the conference offers sessions about how to;

more about wellness travel, products and services

advance my business, create a future vision, and use

and to hear how suppliers are responding to the

social media and marketing to grow my bottom line.”

For more information about the speakers and sessions that we have prepared and to register, visit www.wellnesstravelsymposium.com.

July 2015

The TRAVELSAVERS Difference. ÷ Over 40 years of travel industry success ÷ Full staff of personal business consultants ÷ Unique protected territory system ÷ Excellent preferred supplier relationships ÷ Award-winning suite of marketing programs ÷ Social media tools ÷ Powerful technology solutions ÷ Proprietary cruise booking engine ÷ Website and mobile solutions ÷ Meeting and incentive resources ÷ Hotel program with rich amenities ÷ A full suite of corporate travel solutions ÷ Over 19 travel brands servicing you daily

We invite you to learn more about why our HNLUJPLZ HYL JVUÄKLU[ PU ;9(=,3:(=,9: HUK ^OH[ ^L JHU KV MVY `V\ *HSS \Z [VKH`

Showcase Travel MarketPlace Conference and Trade Show Exceeds Expectations The second annual Travel MarketPlace Conference drew over 400 attendees to Toronto last week to educate travel agents with over 30 sessions and panel discussions, a trade show with nearly 70 exhibitors and networking opportunities. Topics ran the gamut from; learning the power of the end-to-end sales process to digital data, marketing and social media and how to create partnerships and the importance of hiring the right person for your team. The exhibit hall brought everyone together to share experiences and meet with suppliers and the many tourism boards who do not generally get to meet directly with agents.

About Travel Market Report Travel Market Report is an online business publication that serves as an independent forum and voice for retail travel sellers around the globe.

“The Travel MarketPlace conference is my annual resource for education about how to manage and grow my business. It provides the right mix of broad concept sessions, detailed workshops and panel discussions. The trade show was filled with energy and offered the perfect balance for agents to network with suppliers,” says Flemming Friisdahl, Founder, The Travel Agent Next Door.

We provide in-depth coverage and

“I have not seen anything like the Travel MarketPlace conference in a long time. The event was the perfect platform to deliver education and training for travel agents to fine-tune, brand and grow their business so that they can add greater value to consumers,” says David McCaig, President & COO, ACTA.

and

Travel Marketplace was a great show. Air Canada was excited to participate in this educational event for the travel agency community in Canada. The speakers, agents and suppliers were engaged and we were able to meet many of them during the trade show to discuss their marketing plans for the remainder of the year,” says Steve Goodfellow, Director, Sales - Eastern Canada.

Board whose members represent a

“We doubled the number of attendees in just our second year! A true testament to that fact that we are meeting the learning needs of Canadian travel agents by providing them with education and topics that are relevant and meaningful, enabling them to grow their business to new levels of excellence,” says Anne Marie Moebes, Publisher, Travel Market Report.

analysis of news and trends affecting leisure and corporate travel agents, along with practical business advice insights

into

key

growth

markets. The editors are guided by an independent Editorial Advisory

cross-section of the retail travel industry

in

North

America.

Launched in 2009 by American Marketing Group, Travel Market Report delivers news updates by email to subscribers.

July 2015

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