Dear Travel Agent,

Let’s talk about GROUP TRAVEL, which is actually one of my favorite topics and activities.

It is definitely very rewarding to book groups. It sounds impressive, and shows confidence and experience which are all very good qualities in a travel agent. But really, how much work does it take to make a group and how do you plan a group trip?

Let’s start by talking about how to plan a group trip and what steps a travel agent should take:

• choose the destination
• decide on the date
• decide on the size of the group
• who will be the tour leader
• is a travel agent accompanying the group (if yes, is she/he able to be the tour leader?)*
• price of the package
• decide if airfare will be included (if yes, from which gateway?)**
• start promoting, advertising and getting deposits***

* Having a tour leader for a group, especially groups with more than 10 people, is very important. It is the person who goes between the tour guide and the group, and who will make sure everyone is comfortable and happy; that all concerns are being addressed and the tour is running smoothly. This person does not need to be an expert on the destination, nor know the people in the group, but as the title suggests, needs to be a leader and respected as that. The travel agent can act as a tour leader. She/he needs to know the basics about leadership, have knowledge about dealing with different personalities, and be very assertive with the group to make sure the tour guide can offer their best. Communication is a great skill.

My suggestion for first timers is to use a tour leader from the tour company, and glue yourself to her/his hip and learn as much as possible.

For those of you who have read my previous blogs on group tours, some people seem to think of vacation as “no need to take my meds time” which can make them not-so-pleasant to deal with. I have shared nightmare stories about roommate problems, and people who like to complain just because they think they can. If you are very assertive and can deal with people with a big smile no matter what, you definitely don’t need a tour leader!

** If using one gateway when people come from different cities and states, the travel agent needs to make sure that all connections are done properly, so everyone will be able to meet at the gateway.  Consider bad weather, flight cancellations and delays. Also make sure all participants have travel insurance. Keep in mind that people might blame you for delays and cancellations just because you booked the trip for them or because you suggested one gateway. This doesn’t mean IT IS your fault!  If everyone gets their own flights and meets in the destination, the travel agent will only take care of transfers and making sure everyone has travel insurance.

***Deposits, especially for tours that are scheduled in 9 months to 1 year ahead, can be a challenge. Some people give a deposit, and few months later find something else, or change their mind, and want their money back. You are already counting on them for the group and have negotiated the price of the group based on that number of participants. Make sure the deposit is for a good amount, and NON-REFUNDABLE. That way, people will not change their minds.

I know many travel agents who make a life and a living by traveling with their groups and love every minute of it.

Feel free to pick my brain and ask me questions, I have done many group tours through my 23 years of having a tour company, loved every single one, and made many great friendships with participants.

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Dear Travel Agents,

I have many travel agents who consult with me about advertising for their business. They ask, how often, how much, where, and if they should spend money on advertising.

My answer is always to compare these thoughts to something else. This helps to make it clearer, so the travel agent understands my reasoning a little better. Think of baking a delicious cake and keeping it in the refrigerator. No one will know what a great baker you are. No one will taste a sample of your delicious cake. How can you expect people to buy your cake without any exposure?

Now that we agree on the need for advertising, let’s discuss where to do it. My first question is if the travel agent specializes in any area of travel, for example: wedding destinations or adventures. In this case I would recommend the agent look for specialized media. If the travel agent doesn’t specialize, I ask what area they live or work in, and find outlets there.

Once it is clear where we are going to advertise, I recommend that they get the pricing for ads in all media that sounds suitable for their business. Then, place this information on a spreadsheet. We can then analyze which outlets will bring in more prospective clients, based on the reality of business at that time, one year from now, and five years from now. Once we have a plan for growing the business, we can determine what the budget should be now, in one year, and in five years.

We can negotiate with the different media outlets we have chosen, and voila, we have an advertising plan for the business!

I can guarantee the results will taste even sweeter than that delicious cake in the refrigerator!

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Twitter @travelRosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

Dear Travel Agent,    

I read an interesting article being circulated on Facebook this week about the do’s and don’ts of airline travel. I felt that much of the advice and facts they mentioned were just a matter of common sense. Not because I am in the industry, nor because I travel quite often, but just because they all required common sense!

Why would someone walking barefoot or with socks only in the aisles and bathrooms of the airplane and imagine that they would be clean or sanitized? Or that the trays, seats, and even pillows and blankets would be sanitized between every flight? And, just for fun, let’s imagine that the bathroom is completely sanitized, in every single corner. How long does it take for it to become a contaminated zone?

Now let’s talk about another matter of common sense, a subject also related to travel that we expect travelers to know. It doesn’t cost more for travelers to use a travel agent. It actually costs them even less if they consider their time spent researching and resolving problems when they arrive, after booking, and/or during the trip.

When prospective clients compare the cost of a hotel night booked by a travel agent versus booking online through a search engine, they are doing the same thing as the traveler walking barefoot into the bathroom of an airplane… (possibly wearing socks!) They are not thinking everything through.

When a travel agent gives a price on a hotel room, it includes taxes, full buffet breakfast, and possibly even a great upgrade (or at least a nice room with nice view) for two big reasons. First, because the travel agent cares about the client. Secondly, the source she/he uses has a good relationship with the hotel, and will ensure that the client’s satisfaction comes first. A prospective client booking through a search engine is just a combination of numbers and letters making a booking code for that hotel – Mr. or Mrs. ZF098718.

The hotel story sounds funny, and the barefoot in the bathroom story sounds gross, but to me, and most of the world, it is a just a matter of common sense.

Wishing you all more honesty and common sense in 2018!

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Blog @www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

Dear Travel Agent,

Do you set personal and/or business goals for the New Year?
Do you believe in doing this?

Allow me to share my experience in this area. I was raised in Brazil where the Afro culture is very prominent. December is summer time, and for the New Year, most people (including me) dress in white and go to the beach to send flowers to the Orixás in hopes of a good year. We ask the Orixás for all of our wishes and set our goals for the new year.

I have been living in the US for over 30 years, and haven’t dressed in white, nor gone to the beach to send flowers to the Orixás for many years, but I still set personal and business goals.

I was a size 16 for many years and set goals to lose weight. It was very hard and frustrating, and every time I thought about the goals I had set for losing weight, I ate even more. In 2004, I gave up on that goal and decided to understand myself better.  I learned that I was addicted to bread and pasta. I gave up gluten, and without promising anything to myself, I lost weight, and for years was a size 8. Last year, I gave up dairy, and now I am a size 4.

The same thing happened with my business. I have set goals every year since I started. My business really moved ahead after 09/11 when I focused on understanding my business at that moment in time, rather than continuing with the goals I had set, especially when I had no control over what was going on in the US and with travel.

From my experiences coming from a cultural background, and even later, my personal and business experiences, I have realized that setting goals does not work as well as understanding and being nice to myself.

For 2018, I suggest that you try to understand yourself better; learn more about who you are and where you stand, and things will fall into place.

Happy 2018!

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Instagram @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blogs @www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

Dear Travel Agents,

I usually encourage travel agents to specialize in groups or different segments of travel, and to become experts. With my personal travel and love of good wine, I am slowly becoming more interested in winery travel. Even though I still get tipsy, I am excited to learn about different parts of the world and their wines.

We have lived in Los Angeles for over 30 years and I remember many years ago, coming to northern California and tasting wine (that was not so popular or tasty) for free. This year we have decided to spend New Year’s in Napa Valley, and what a difference a number of years can make. What a fun destination! There are over 500 wineries of all sizes, and all kinds of wines. Prices vary from $20 a bottle to much over $200 a bottle.

We have been going to Europe for over 20 years and drinking wine from France, Spain and Italy, where everyone assumes all wines are from. Port wine (not my favorite) is from Portugal and we have been there as well.

In 2014, we went to South Africa and I was surprised to learn that they have good wines: Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, from Stellenbosch and Paarl. We started to buy wine from South Africa when entertaining friends. It has been a very pleasant experience.

This year we went to Australia and New Zealand and learned about their Syrah and late harvest. They offer many other delicious wines that now we look forward to drinking.

My husband is from Argentina, so we are very familiar with Malbec and the wineries from Mendoza (Argentina) and Maipo Valley in Chile, with Cabernet Sauvignon in a style like Bordeaux and Cabernet Franc.

Honestly, I love learning and I don’t feel that I need to become an expert in wines, nor in all the countries that produce good wines. I love the experience of learning about wines, and tasting them in their own countries instead of a cellar that sells international wines. I enjoy talking to people about these experiences, and am far from being a wine snob. I love sweet wines and get tipsy after my first glass (but let’s keep that a secret, since I can hold the same glass for hours! LOL!)

Cheers!

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Twitter @travelRosana
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Blogs @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

Dear Travel Agent,

People are very visual and have short attention spans. This means that you need to use social media posts that attract the right audience, post often, and create posts that do not overwhelm and are not too long. If you follow my postings on Facebook @travelwithrosana you will see my daily posts are available for travel agents to share with their clients, and that emphasize the importance of travel and making travel a priority in people’s lives.

To reach our target audience with what we are talking about, we need to do some math:

How much does a pack of cigarettes cost?
How many packs does a person smoke a day? Let’s say 1 pack a day times 30 times 12.

I googled for information, and learned that one pack costs $6.16 x 30 (days) x 12 (months) = $2,217.60 for the year.  A cruise to the Caribbean, including taxes costs less than that.  And that does not include the value of saving your lungs!  (In some places the price of a pack is much higher, and they can save even more!)

How much does a cafe latte (medium size) from Starbucks cost? Let’s say a person drinks one per day.

I googled this information, and the price is $3.65. 3.65 x 30 x 12 = $1.314!  Sure, other drinks cost much more, like Mocha Frappuccino, etc. That could pay for a tour or a cruise.

All vices and addictions can be used and changed to make travel a priority and create memories instead of lung problems, ulcers, weight gain, etc.

Promoting these types ideas on social media like Facebook and others will build trust and relationships between you and prospective clients. Prospective clients will see how much you care about making them think, look better, and prioritize what is really important in life. Give them some guidance and cheerleading.

The new year is time for new resolutions and for travel agents to create a better and bigger network. We should all try to be a better person and give new ideas and create hope for prospective clients. They will become your traveling clients if you follow up with them. Be a cheerleader, set an example, and be a coach!

Let me know how these postings work for you.

All the best,

Rosana
Follow me at
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Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blogs@ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Dear Travel Agents,

Encouraging people to travel is easy.  Helping them to decide where to go can be a bit more difficult.  Many clients have a clear idea of their destination and the type of vacation they want to have, but some people have so many ideas that it is hard to keep all those thoughts organized.

Once people begin traveling, they become braver and a desire to experience more of the world is born.  They may see an advertisement or a movie where the scenery is so appealing they want to explore it for themselves.  They may want to float in a gondola in Italy, or see Machu Picchu in Peru, or walk the Great Wall of China.  These trips are all very different, and not practical to combine.  So, what are they to do with all of these ideas, and how will you always know what they are thinking about?

Collaboration is key for you to be able to best assist your clients.  Thanks to today’s technology there are programs and apps that help travelers build bucket lists.  I have recently learned about another software that can help travel agents work together with their clients and explore different destinations through images and information from tourist boards, and travelers themselves.  Using this, you will get a clearer idea of their wishes, and help to steer them towards the best vacation experiences for their next vacation, and for future ones.  This is a service you can provide to your clients to assist them in building their own personal bucket lists, but will also give you knowledge of how best to make their travel dreams come true. This software is customizable for each agent in both price and functionality, allowing you to work with your clients in a way that is comfortable for you.

The company who offers this software approached me and asked me for a review.  After checking out their website and asking questions, I believe that what they are offering would be of value to agents. I am not affiliated with them in any way, but want to let travel agents know that there are new and helpful ways to collaborate with clients and build long-lasting relationships. Would you and your clients benefit from this type of organizational and collaborative package?  If you would like to learn more, I would be happy to provide the company’s contact info.

All the best,

Rosana
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Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blogs@ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

Dear Travel Agent,

We all know that most people enjoy traveling. I like to believe that ALL people do, but somehow, beyond my comprehension, (LOL!) that is not true. We also know that many believe they can NOT afford to travel.

This is what I want to talk about, and no, I am not going to talk about teaching them to become travel agents!

I want to talk to those travel agents who are willing to go after the huge number of people who believe that they cannot afford to travel, and show them how to prioritize their wishes and make their travel dreams come true.

If you are the one of those agents, keep reading, because I can help you with many ideas!

First, we need to convince these types of people that everything is possible IF they wish and plan for it. People can see themselves doing things in the very short future; planning something for 2019 or 2020 seems too away. But, once we turn that thought around, it is already 2018, and those future dates will happen whether we plan for them or not. So, why not plan for something beautiful in their future, and give them something wonderful to look forward to.

Then we can offer some of the solutions for how to make it happen. I have heard many incredible stories from travel agents and/or clients. They have quit a bad habit and saved that money. Or tried eating healthier meals at home instead of eating out and putting the saved money aside. Drinking coffee at home or making it in a coffeemaker in the office instead of paying for the expensive Starbucks, and putting aside that money. Walking places instead of using the car …… Do you get the idea?

When you give travelers these examples of ways to save, and then multiply them by the days until the planned trip, you get a nice amount of money to fund a wish that they turned into a priority.

To that, you can add ideas to a bucket list with your prospective client (I will talk more about this next week) and get them more engaged with you and what you can offer them.

There is a huge segment of the population who would love to have a travel agent guiding them and holding their hands as they plan to travel. Once you find them and show them what you can offer, they will trust you, recommend you to others, and keep you on file for their next trip.

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Facebook @travelwithrosana
Twitter @travelRosana
Blog @ http://www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com

 

 

Dear Travel Agents,

When it comes to shore excursions, what do you recommend to your clients? Do you suggest the ones that the cruise line offers, or those from private companies?

And what do you do yourself when you are cruising?

Here are some of my own experiences, plus a little advice:
I love small groups and I prefer and trust small companies that deliver wonderful shore excursions in every port. I would rather not mention which companies I use (since I have used many and they are different in each country) but they pay commission, have excellent service, go beyond the call of duty so you’ll recommend them to friends and families, are well organized, on time (never late so the client will not miss the ship!). My preference is to book the companies who offer small groups with guaranteed departure (maximum 12 people).

The great advantages compared to most cruises:

• smaller groups
• less expensive
• travel agents earn commission on these excursions
• the groups seem to be “younger” at heart
• more excursion options in some ports

Do NOT worry about:

• being on time for departure
• getting money back in case ship skips the port
• getting to the excursion in case the ship is delayed into port

Make sure you use a reputable company for shore excursion, as you would do for any vendor. Your clients will be happy that they paid less for their excursions as compared to those offered by the cruise line, enjoyed a smaller group, had time to see and do more than the excursions offered on the ship, and you, the travel agent, will earn commission on these types of excursions.

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Twitter @travelRosana
Facebook @travelwithrosana
Blogs @www.travelwithrosana.wordpress.com