Top Strategies for Selling Villas to Popular Travel Segments
Photo: VIllas of Distinction
For those traveling in a small group, villas offer enticing alternative accommodations. They provide unique properties, privacy for group gatherings, the convenience of shared spaces, options to dine in, and affordable net pricing – all of which are advantages over traditional stays at hotels and resorts.
Villas are especially appropriate for families (multigenerational trips), friends getaways, celebrations (weddings, birthdays, anniversaries), and vacations focused around specific activities (such as golf, tennis, pickleball, historic sightseeing, food and wine, etc.).
Each of these travel segments requires different considerations and strategies. We spoke to travel advisors who regularly recommend and book villas for these types of groups, and they shared some of their best secrets of success.
Families traveling together
For families traveling together, “you need to know what is most important to the clients. What they envision for their villa experience,” says Alex Khoshaba, director of leisure services, Travel House Inc. – A Virtuoso Agency.
“I had a multigenerational family with twin two-year-olds, as well as a grandfather who had knee replacement surgery. It was important to my client that grandpa could build sandcastles with the two-year olds. I was sure to find a villa that was beachfront, with 20 steps or less from the house to the sand, no stairs, and with easy terrain. I worked with [my villas supplier partner] to get a large tub of beach toys, shovels, and molds to the villa for the client’s arrival. I can confirm that the sandcastles were the best of the beach!”
Khoshaba also explains what she calls “the hotel-to-villa market. Oftentimes, a multigenerational family will call with an idea of the destination they’d like to visit. They’ll ask about ‘larger’ hotel room accommodations, or connecting rooms, or mention that they like suites. This is the perfect opportunity to suggest a villa. If a traveler is concerned about resort amenities? There are villas located on property or with full resort privileges. Villas have housekeeping services, too.”
Friends getaways
When booking a friends getaway, “look for villas that are either located on property at a resort, or have access to resorts and amenities,” suggests Khoshaba. “With a group of friends, not everyone will want to spend every waking moment together doing the same activity. A resort offers dining, spa, activities, amenities, and options that a standalone villa would not, giving each individual an option as to what they’d like to participate in.”
Debbie Hires, IC/owner, Masterpiece Journeys, an independent affiliate of Largay Travel – Virtuoso, also recommends: “Make sure there are a number of the same level of bedrooms, so the friends all have nice rooms. It is awkward if there is one nice master suite, and the other rooms are doubles or bunks, if you have a group of couples splitting the cost.”
Celebrations and event-based travel
When it comes to celebrations and event-based travel such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, Hires says, “again, I would try to match up the bedrooms, bathrooms, and layout based on the group staying there and the needs of the celebration. For instance, if you are booking a villa for a wedding, make sure there are enough full bathrooms for everyone to be able to get ready at the same time, so they are not late for the big celebration. If everyone is going to be there for a birthday, it would be nice for there to be a dining table large enough to seat all of the guests at the same time.”
For Khoshaba, the key to booking villas for celebrations is proximity. Generally speaking, “it’s good to get a large group of people together near a major airport to facilitate smooth sailing for the experience. Any time it’s a big group, there are so many moving pieces that you try to make it as easy as possible, on yourself and for the clients.
“I had a family that wanted to bring 30 family members along on a trip for their 40th wedding anniversary. This client had always talked about bringing their extended family to Disney, as well. We ended up booking two villas in Orlando, both with pools, located 10 minutes from the parks. Orlando was an easy hub for all to fly into. The clients accomplished two celebrations in one trip. Those who wanted to go to Disney and Universal did. Some played golf. Others worked on their tan at the villa pool. The clients found this experience to be so valuable that they booked again the following year.”
Activity-focused trips
Trips focused around specific activities – such as sports (golf, tennis, pickleball), historic sightseeing, food and wine – are also well-suited for villas.
“I find that it can make the villa trip easier if you book a villa located within an established resort that already has all of these activities to offer guests,” says Hires. “It could be a villa outside of the resort, but as long as it is affiliated with the particular resort, then the clients could have access to all of these sports options, restaurant dining options, day trip excursions, etc.”
Khoshaba is committed to handling as many of the details as possible for her clients. And to do accomplish that, she often turns to his villa partner. “As long as you know the client’s preferences in advance, there is not much they can’t facilitate. I have a client taking his family to Hawaii this summer. They have a villa on the Big Island and will be participating in excursions that I’ve planned, but the [concierge team at my villa partner] will be handling their tee-time reservations. That makes it all seamless.”
And for all villa clients …
Clearly explaining the value of a villa stay is also an important strategy when recommending these types of accommodations to travelers.
Khoshaba advises: “When comparing a villa stay to a resort stay, though the initial price for a villa may look high, the resort bill will usually end up being much higher. Once you account for resort fees, dining, incidentals, alcohol, and activities at a four- or five-star resort, a hotel stay can end up being double what your upfront cost of the trip is. For a large group? It’s way more than double! With a well-planned villa stay, you know the majority of your costs up front. Even with groceries and alcohol, the clients get to choose (for the most part) and select what they prefer. They know the cost up front.”
Another critical aspect in selling villas is “to know your clients’ hobbies and preferences, so that you can create an incredible villa experience,” Khoshaba continues. “If they do yoga five times a week at home? Make sure to let them know about a yoga instructor that can come to the villa for a private session. If they’re gathering for a multigenerational experience? Have a photographer come take pictures one day. Do the teenaged boys want surfing lessons? You can make that happen.”
Hires also highly recommends that “it is important who you trust renting a villa with for your clients. Companies like Airbnb are not reliable and have had issues with privacy when it was discovered that many homeowners had cameras inside of the homes or security when previous renters had the villa rental keys copied. By going with a luxury villas company, you can feel more confident that the villas have been properly vetted, extra services can be provided, and the clients will be taken care of on the highest levels.”
And lastly, Khoshaba says, “I think the biggest secret [to success] is simple. Just make the suggestion. Most clients will at least consider a villa stay as an option … and you’ll never know unless you try!”
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