Specialist Wellness Travel Course: A Path to Selling the Growing Niche
by Anne Dimon |
The Travel Institute has been offering an online specialist course on Well-Being Travel since 2013; since that time more than 200 travel advisors have completed the course.
Patty Noonan, CTC, director of sales for The Travel Institute, said the wellness travel niche is experiencing tremendous growth, presenting travel agents—along with suppliers and destinations—new sales opportunities,
Travel Market Report spoke with Noonan about the Institute’s course, wellness travel, and what agents need to know about this niche.
How would you describe the Well-Being Travel course?
Noonan: The Travel Institute’s Well-Being Travel course is a high-intensity specialization curriculum designed to help travel professionals identify, market and successfully sell to this small yet growing and profitable niche.
Our online curriculum is divided into three easy-to-absorb modules: Health & Wellness Vacations, Selling Medical Travel, and Marketing, plus certification. It’s available 24/7 and is accessible via many different digital devices, including Mac, PC, smartphones, and tablets.
Why did you see a need for the program?
Noonan: One of the goals of The Travel Institute is to help agents tap into emerging, lucrative travel markets and well-being certainly falls into that category.
In fact, a recent report shows wellness tourism is generating nearly $440 billion in sales globally and is expected to grow by nearly 10% over the next few years.
Even more compelling: wellness enthusiasts are “big-ticket” tourists, spending 130% more than the average traveler. Our Well-Being Travel course gives these specialists a huge head start in capitalizing on this profitable niche.
Would should agents who are thinking of specializing in this niche know?
Noonan: Wellness Travel is one of the fastest growing niche markets in the travel industry. The opportunity for travel suppliers, travel sellers and destinations to collectively increase their sales is tremendous.
As consumers become more educated and come to understand the options available to them, the growth will be rapid.
An aging population and high U.S. health care costs will continue to drive this business, making it a lucrative and a long-term niche market, especially for those travel advisors with advanced knowledge and specialized training.
What type of people do you feel are most suited to being wellness travel specialists?
Noonan: It’s hard to fully characterize the wellness travel specialist but certainly those who have a passion for and an understanding of healthy living is helpful.
Travel counselors with a strong spa resort following would also be well suited as perhaps those with some past medical or nursing experience should find success with this lifestyle travel niche.
Have you seen growing interest in the program? If so, to what do you attribute that?
Noonan: Our specialist course is still in its infancy yet already reflects a roster of more than 200 travel counselors.
In talking with our customers – primarily travel advisors – we know this course is equipping them with the skills and knowledge to meet the needs of their clients seeking the well-being travel experience.
The Travel Institute also offers webinars on wellness travel. The next one is scheduled for May 21. You’ll find more information here.
