Six Tips for Travel Agents Building An Experiential Travel Niche: Part One

Photo: Jlla00

Everybody talks about experiential travel, but how exactly do you get into it, and do it well?

TMR spoke to several veteran travel agents who were delivering “experiential travel” long before it became the buzzword it is today. Here is their advice.

Get a great mentor
The first thing to do to get into experiential travel is to get yourself a great mentor, said Melissa Rosenbloum, managing director at Century Travel Explore in Atlanta. It takes years to become an expert yourself, and get to the point where you can converse with the client with what’s in your head. When you have a mentor you can go to him or her and share their knowledge.”

Mentorship is a two-way street, noted Jackie Cross of Refined Journeys in Fresno, CA. “The best part of what I have to offer after 30 years is that I can mentor the next generation of travel professionals who want to be out there taking care of travelers.”

Hit the road yourself
It’s hard to sell an experience if you haven’t done it yourself, because you won’t have the passion, said Susan Farewell, of Farewell Travels in Westport, CT. “I went on an overnight train trip in Vietnam, a true off-the-charts travel adventure that is not done by a lot of North Americans—and then I was able to sell it to several clients, including one couple where the man was tall. Having done it I knew about the size of the beds on the train. They went and loved it.”

In the first few months of this year, Heinke McDade of McDade Travel in Roanoke, VA, has been to India on a yoga trip, on a safari to Botswana and on a cooking trip in Europe. Traveling is essential, even if you have to pay for it yourself, she said, as it “broadens my knowledge and enriches my relationships with clients.”

Be passionate
All the veteran agents talked about their passion for what they do. “You need to really want to create a priceless experience for the client rather than something that costs a lot. Every day is such a reward,” said McDade. “I recently sent people to Budapest and got texts from them on the plane coming home and already planning their next trip. That’s what I love.”

Becoming a true creator of experiential travel doesn’t come overnight. It takes the development of your own travel experiences and contacts. “This job is not for everyone,” said Cross. “You have to be in it for the long haul if you want to do it right and be educated. There’s something called critical path thinking where you design a path from inception to completion and then put the pieces together in between and support each and every piece. That’s what you have to do with a trip.”

Be selective about clients
Look for clients who want to collaborate on their trips, Rosenbloum suggested, for whom travel is an important part of their lives and who recognize the value of a knowledgeable travel professional. “Our clients are investing their most important asset—their time. They work really hard so you have to maximize their time and offer them value.”

Indeed, McDade puts new clients through an interview process, screening out those she feels are not a good fit. “For example, I don’t know the market for three- and four-day cruises. Or if they say they want a deal I tell them I want you to have a deal but I’m not the one to find it for you.”

Maximize teamwork
Even the most well-traveled agent can’t go everywhere all the time, so sharing experiences with colleagues is the best solution. Treating staff well also goes a long way toward keeping the most knowledgeable professionals. McDade said she always took a “European approach” to associates, giving them four weeks of paid vacation as soon as they started.

Learn from your suppliers
Rosenbloum noted the importance of having close contacts in destination management companies all over the world, “people you develop over the years that become your friends. They live in these places and know about new restaurants and local bands. They want to help you and make you look like a superstar.”

If suppliers are not coming to you, go to them. Rosenbloum goes to as many travel shows as she can,” including Virtuoso and International Luxury Travel Market as well as less well known ones like Pure, which focuses on experiential travel, and Emotions. Network and get to know people and learn.