How Travel Agents Can Cultivate Groups and Why It Makes Total Sense

The only thing better than selling one person on a luxurious escorted guided vacation is selling a group of people on that same trip. The benefits of group travel are two-sided and seemingly endless. While the client gains a well-orchestrated vacation in the company of friends, family, or simply like-minded travelers, the advantages for the travel agent include increased commissions and, more often than not, expanded clientele. 

From the monetary gains to referrals upon referrals, group bookings result in rewards for both parties. Travel Market Report spoke to some agents who specialize in groups and asked them to share their advice on how to cultivate groups and, in turn, grow an agency’s business. 

Groups lead to more business all-around
The best kinds of group business are those that lead to lasting relationships that then lead to future sales and additional groups to new destinations. Marie Caprario, a group specialist with Penny Pitou Travel, should know. She started with a group to Ireland for the week surrounding St. Patrick’s Day, five years ago, as part of a promotion with a local radio station and its on-air personality.

Shortly after announcing it, the promotion quickly spread to include a local Irish pub and became a dual initiative. The pub purchased a few spaces on the tour and built an entire promotion around it for their business, culminating in a huge “Take Me to Ireland Sweepstakes” party. 

Now in its fifth year, Caprario said this year’s trip was sold out from word of mouth — before she even gave her presentation. “Many of these people are repeat travelers, which is even better. Once they had been to Ireland a time or two with me, they wanted to pick another destination and my next group was formed.” 

Go along for the journey
Accompanying your group or sending a pied piper to lead your group is the best way to approach this market. A pied piper is a valuable marketing liaison because they are always cheering you on, even when you are not front-and-center. Their trust in an agent and the company they choose to travel with has a trickle-down effect that raises the confidence level of the travelers, and thus the participation numbers on the trip and, of course, the agents’ commissions. 

“You want to build relationships with your group by traveling with them and making it fun,” said Caprario. “I like to start early with emails every Friday, months before we go, to get them excited. I talk about information, recipes, images and fun facts.” 

 

Kate Leas-Clisson, owner of Escape the Ordinary Travel, is on the road every other month with her clients, and has experienced first-hand how her presence makes a difference, through the good and sometimes even the not-so-good moments. “Accompanying groups leads to higher client satisfaction because you can address any concerns or problems if and when they occur,” said Leas-Clisson. “Group travel results in more closed sales and less cancellations if you have the right group leader or pied piper, which means more commissions as an agent.” 

Peace of mind
Despite the best of efforts, traveling can be stressful, which is why one of the advantages of traveling with a group is that it brings the anxiety level down. When more people are involved, travelers feel an added sense of security. Inexperienced travelers know they are in good hands and single travelers have the most to gain, with the ability to pair up with a friend or new acquaintance to walk with, have dinner with, or even save on a single supplement. 

And don’t forget that often groups of more than 20 people can design their own itineraries, allowing them to tailor their experiences specifically towards their own interests, thus making the trip totally unique. 

Groups are evolving
Multi-generational families are an excellent source for groups, as are the traditional retirement communities, churches, senior centers and country clubs. But, now is the time to get creative. Have you ever considered pitching a book club that read "The Da Vinci Code" on a trip to Paris to see the Louvre? Or perhaps an Audobon Society that might want to go to Costa Rica to see the exotic birds? One agent we spoke to even worked with a funeral home that offered group travel to widows and widowers! 

Another evolving trend that agents should be aware of is “set jetting,” or traveling to a destination where a popular movie or TV show is filmed. In the past, many groups have centered their itineraries around the “Sound of Music”; and today, shows like “Game of Thrones,” which is filmed in Ireland and parts of Europe, are also ushering certain travel destinations into the limelight. 

Do it once and do it well … the clients will follow
Whatever you choose to focus on, agents who specialize in groups say that it’s best to start slow, do one group and do it well. “Find a local pub or restaurant and pick a destination that would be good for them (i.e. Italian, French) and then offer them an opportunity for a guided vacation for their clients,” said Caprario. “Don’t take on too much or try to sell too many groups at once if you don’t know how you will fill the space.” 

Name recognition delivers
There is power in numbers and the name recognition that is associated with group travel can sometimes make you feel like a superhero. If an organization has 300 members and you address them with a potential group travel idea, that translates to 300 people who now know about the service and support you can provide. Just attracting 40 of those 300 people will earn you a large commission and improve your status with the company you are traveling with, not to mention the value of growing your client database. 

What’s more, one trip often leads to another, as future individual business becomes easier once you break the ice with groups. Have you thought about advertising a group trip to a European destination with your local church? If you do, don’t stop there. Be sure to ask your group clients to recommend your services to fellow church members who might be planning a destination wedding or a honeymoon. The referrals alone will keep your group business rolling in.