Palm Beach Focuses on Developing ‘Sales Consultants’
by Claudette CoveyThe Palm Beach County Convention and Visitor Bureau is expanding initiatives to help agents become knowledgeable sales consultants who can market and sell the destination based on firsthand experience.
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“If we can win over travel agents, we can win over their clients,” said Steve Crist, vice president of destination sales for the Palm Beach County CVB.
As part of its efforts to woo agents, the CVB is expanding its Summer Travel Agent Appreciation campaign. The program revolves around an increased number of Destination Review trips (the CVB’s version of agent fam trips) and is designed to bring agents to the county throughout the summer months so they can drive business in the fall and winter high seasons.
“We want agents to do more than just book a hotel and a seat on a plane,” Crist told Travel Market Report. “We want to elevate agents to become true travel consultants for our destination, suggesting museums and particular beaches.”
Agents who want to be successful sales consultants for Palm Beach County will need to learn through firsthand experience the nuances of the destination, such as which hotel concierges to recommend and what activities to plan around the ebb and flow of the tides.
“That’s what people down the road will be looking for,” Crist said. “They’ll pay for consultants.”
Eda Ruddock, the CVB’s director of sales for North America, emphasized that that the county’s focus is on strengthening and expanding its ties with agents. “They are our main source of leisure travel,” she said.
In addition to Destination Review fam trips, which include a variety of value-added amenities like discounts on restaurants and attractions, the CVB’s hotel partners are offering agent rates. (These are listed on the CVB’s website under the Travel Trade tab).
Origin points
The county’s top origination markets – or what Ruddock referred to as the destination’s “super seven markets” – include New York, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Chicago, Atlanta, Washington, DC, and Toronto.
“Feeder markets” include Baltimore, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Houston and Los Angeles. “We’re focusing more time on these markets to grow the business,” Ruddock said.
“My message is basically that when agents send their clients to Palm Beach County it’s an experience of a lifetime,” said Ruddock, referring to the destination’s varied attractions including 47 miles of beaches,170 golf courses, scuba diving, eco tours, festivals, fishing and more.
“It’s the best way to experience Florida, where genuine hospitality is a way of life. That’s how I sell it to agents and how agents should sell it to their clients.”
Wanted: More MICE
The CVB also is actively cultivating its meetings, incentive and events (MICE) business through travel sellers.
“Palm Beach County is always developing new MICE business,” said Jorge Pesquera, the CVB’s president and CEO, who noted that the county has hosted meetings, events and incentives for more than a century.
“The Boca Raton Resort & Club is probably the most important MICE destination in terms of size north of Miami,” Pesquera said. Agents will find a wide range of properties, from luxury to boutique to mid-tier priced hotels, to host MICE events.
The Palm Beach County Convention Center in West Palm Beach includes 100,000 square feet of exhibition hall space, 21,000 square feet of additional meeting space, and a 22,000 square-foot Grand Ballroom that can be broken up into 23 breakout rooms.
The CVB is developing a meetings micro-site for its website, with a launch date scheduled this spring.
RESOURCES
Destination Review fam trips. Details will be posted on the Travel Trade section of the CVB’s website, www.palmbeachfl.com, as soon as they become available.
MICE e-newsletter. Register on the CVB website by clicking on the Meeting Professionals tab.
