Dear Travel Agents/Advisors,

We’ve talked a lot about prospective clients – family and friends who could potentially become clients, and where to look for other potential clients.

I want to make sure you are aware of another huge untapped market: the non-travelers. The people who say they don’t want to travel, or don’t like to.

From this huge market, I’ll bet any of you that the words “don’t want” or “don’t like to” translate to “fear of the unknown” more than any other reason.

Here is a list of reasons why people say they don’t travel, you’ve probably heard other reasons as well:

In no particular order:

• Money – not enough! LOL! What to do if emergency arises and they cannot pay
• Inability to speak foreign language
• Discomfort or fear of plane rides
• Flight delay/cancellation causing missed connection, or missed cruise departure
• No passport – unfamiliarity with them – how many pages you need, one country not wanting another country’s stamp
• Unfamiliar with the Visa process (when one is needed, how to get one)
• Foreign currency – how to exchange, how to use, how much to tip, when to tip
• Rules/Laws/Customs of foreign countries (do not want to get in trouble or offend people)
• Responsibility for  travel companions (feeling like being the blind leading the blind!)
• Worry something will go wrong – what to do if a flight delay, or transfers not there, or hotel reservation not available
• Cell phone service
• How to deal with jet lag
• What to do if an emergency happens at home

These are just some of the reasons I’ve heard. I am sure that these prospective clients don’t know that a travel agent/advisor will guide them and hold their hand all the way through. They think their agent is too busy to do such a job or would charge extra for that. Many are embarrassed to admit they are “travel virgins”  (if there is such an expression!) LOL!

I totally believe that many travel agents/advisors have never thought to deal with this market. It takes time to work with them, but I am 100% sure that once you insert the travel bug into them, and they have an awesome, positive experience with your guidance, they will become your most reliable clients.

In my next blog I will give you some ideas on how to approach this market and how to make it into a niche for you. Meanwhile, feel free to reach me at askRosana@aol.com

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