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Watch for our
Careers feature "Travel School on the
Internet,” with sales and marketing ideas for
Travel Agents and suggestions for those interested
in joining the travel, hospitality and tourism
industry. The following is an example of the
quality information available: SELLING AFRICA
…TIPS FOR TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS By: Helen C.
Broadus Attend
Conferences and Trade Shows. The more you learn
about the travel and tourism industry for Africa
the better. Continuing education and training
options include industry seminars and conferences
about issues such as Eco-tourism, special interest
travel and sustainable tourism
development. Educate
Yourself. Start by reading trade publications
on travel and tourism destinations to Africa and
look for special promotional sections and articles
in the trade press. Read as much as you can to stay
abreast of trends in destinations and prices.
Familiarize yourself with U.S. State Department
Travel Advisories and health requirements, so you
know how to address client health and safety
concerns as well as visa requirements. Most
destinations have web sites and you should book
mark them for easy reference. Specialize in a
Niche Market. Choose a handful of nature,
cultural or adventure destinations and/or activity
vacations and dedicate yourself to learning more
about them and promoting them. Experience the
Product. Once you decide to focus on a
particular niche area, sample as many tours as you
can yourself. Nothing beats the kind of passionate
selling that firsthand experience
inspires. Research
Suppliers Carefully. When considering using a
tour operator (preferably one that specializes in
travel and tourism venues for Africa) for the first
time, ask lots of questions about their experience
and expertise. Also review their tour
tariffs/programs and ask for references. Cultivate
Supplier Partnerships. After careful
consideration, focus on a small group of tour
operators who specialize in the destination areas
that you have targeted. Study their product,
cultivate relationships with them, and steer your
customers to them. Network Within
Your Community. Become very active in local
travel and tourism organizations, which can be a
natural source for your clients. Organizations that
are affiliated with the history and culture of the
African Continent as well as churches, museums,
colleges, universities and schools are other
potential sources of clients. Identify
Prospective Destinations Among Your Current
Clients. Create a list of customers who might
be interested in travel and tourism opportunities
on the Continent of Africa. If possible, conduct a
survey amongst your existing clientele. Market Heavily
to Current and Prospective Clients. Write
articles about travel and tourism destinations to
Africa and submit them to local newspapers, agency
newsletters, and trade publications. Send press
releases to the travel section of the local
newspaper promoting your expertise and special
interest travel venues to the continent. Create a
Website to advertise your travel and tourism
opportunities to the Continent of
Africa. Qualify Your
Prospective African Travel Customers Carefully.
In order to successfully match your clients to the
right trip; ask them several questions like
these: Have they taken
a trip to Africa before? How physically
active are they? What kinds of
tourism activities do they like? Are they
interested in wildlife viewing, exploring local
cultures or educational/historical
venues? Would clients
be comfortable on trips where they are up close and
personal with the people and/or the wildlife, or do
they prefer more luxurious accommodations in a
relaxed atmosphere? For more
information about how you can become a member of
the Africa Travel Association, contact us at 212
447-1926 or sent an email to africatravelasso@aol.com. About the
author: Helen
C. Broadus
is the Founder and President of Venue International
Professionals, Inc. (VIP) which is a full-service
international travel and tourism company based in
the Washington Metropolitan Area. She can be
contacted toll free at (877) TO-VENUE or by e-mail
at vipinc@erols.com. Profiles |
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Looking
for ways to boost your company's destination
selling options? We strongly recommend the Africa
Travel Association (ATA). Membership in ATA gives
you access to great ongoing training, an Annual
Congress and a Cultural and Eco-tourism Symposium
in a fantastic African destination. It also
entitles you to networking opportunities with
African Government Tourist Boards, African Ground
Operators, Travel Agents, Hoteliers, Airlines
Representatives and many other destination
enthusiasts. For those travel professionals who are
eager to get on the African travel and tourism
bandwagon but are still unsure of where to start,
here are a few suggestions:
