Understanding the Travel Trade

The travel trade is comprised of a network of professionals dedicated to creating and selling travel experiences. This group includes:

• Group Tour Operators: Crafting and selling trips for groups.
• Receptive Operators: Specializing in international markets and packaging travel in their local area to sell to group tour operators.
• Travel Advisors: Planning and selling travel directly to individual consumers.

There is one more important component to this eco-system. Who sells the travel experience to the travel trade? That’s where tourism offices, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), attractions and accommodations come in.

Travel Trade Shows

So – how and where do all these travel professionals connect to do business? One of the most common and effective ways for the tourism industry to connect is by attending travel trade shows.

At a travel trade show, the travel trade are the “buyers” and the destinations, attractions and accommodations are the “suppliers.” These shows on average span 2-5 days and typically include a series of short appointments where the suppliers sit down with the buyers on an individual basis. That’s right – speed dating for travel!

Registration fees for travel trade shows are often waived or discounted for the buyers, because the more buyers that attend, the more suppliers will want to meet with them. Suppliers typically pay the full registration fee. Also attending these industry shows are sponsors. These are typically vendors who work within the travel and tourism industry – for example, media companies, manufacturers and others who want to collaborate with the buyers and suppliers. This provides a wonderful forum for people to do business. In addition to the short meetings, there are always networking events (primarily in the evenings) where all attendees can casually connect and build relationships.

There are several trade shows available for travel trade professionals, ranging from regional, to national, to international in scope. It can be a daunting task to determine which is the best show for you, regardless of whether you are a buyer or a supplier. Shows vary in location, size, and format.

Here are a few of the top shows that should be considered for travel trade sales:

American Bus Association (ABA)

ABA Marketplace. This week-long event is the largest trade show for group tour business in the country. Over 3,500 attendees come together in January or February every year to kick off a new year of business opportunities. In addition to seven-minute pre-scheduled appointments on the meeting floor, there is a trade show space with exhibit booths of various proportions. Educational sessions are also offered throughout the event. Free 30-minute seminars featuring personal, professional and industry training are available to all attendees every day of the event.

• Duration: 5 days
• Meetings: Pre-scheduled appointments, 7 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: breakout sessions, education “bites,” roundtable
• Differentiator: Largest group tour show in U.S.A.

National Tour Association (NTA)

NTA Travel Exchange. NTA’s annual convention is a week-long show that happens in November or December every year and features buyers of all sizes who package travel to, from and within North America. The attendees represent the United States, Canada and 30+ countries worldwide. Different from ABA Marketplace, a component of this event is targeted toward the international market. Also offered are seven-minute pre-scheduled appointments, a trade show with exhibit booths, and educational opportunities throughout the event.

• Duration: 5 days
• Meetings: Pre-schedule appointments, 7 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: seminars in 4 tracks
• Differentiator: International component

Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA)

OMCA Marketplace. This event is basically the Canadian version of ABA’s Marketplace. The buyers who attend are primarily Canadian. This travel show is held in various Canadian destinations and takes place on an annual basis, usually in November. This event is 3 days in length and the scheduled appointments are 8 minutes. The format and style, as far as trade show and educational sessions, are similar to ABA’s Marketplace and NTA’s Travel Exchange. Smaller in scale with only a few hundred attendees, this conference is great for those suppliers who are looking to secure Canadian business!

• Duration: 3 days
• Meetings: Pre-schedule appointments, 8 minutes long
• Show: Trade show with exhibit booths
• Educational opportunities: daily sessions for tour operators, coach operators and sellers
• Differentiator: Buyers are primarily Canadian

Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP)

TAP Dance. This 3-day travel show is a national conference, however at a much more intimate size, occurring annually in May or June. The typical attendance at TAP Dance is less than 200 people, unlike the thousands of attendees at ABA & NTA. Buyers at this gathering are comprised of approximately 20 individual tour companies throughout North America who collaborate by buying and selling tour product from each other. The tour operator partners (or buyers in this case) and suppliers (sellers) make up the organization that is Travel Alliance Partnership. The suppliers are organized in regional groups of 3-5 sellers, called pods, and each individual pod meets with every buyer in 25-minute meetings. This event offers a much more collaborative experience, allowing for more detailed conversations and time for relationship building. The smaller size also allows for more networking time with the tour operators at meals and evening events.

• Duration: 3 days
• Meetings: Pod appointments, 25 minutes long
• Show: Individual appointments only
• Educational opportunities: Programming at meals
• Differentiator: A more intimate and collaborative experience

Unlocking Opportunities at Travel Trade Shows

These are some of the national travel trade events that should be considered. There are also many regional travel trade shows that are shorter in length (1-2 days), some including appointments and others entirely trade show exhibits. A quick online search of “travel shows in x region, state, etc.” will provide options of local and regional opportunities.

Travel trade shows are invaluable for professionals seeking to expand their networks, discover new business opportunities, and stay ahead in the competitive travel industry. Whether you’re a buyer or a supplier, these events can unlock connections that will significantly impact your business.

Learn more about how to maximize your trade show experiences, through preparation, communication skills, and follow-up:

Maximizing Your Tradeshow Experience Through Effective Listening and Communication Skills

Maximizing and Proving Tradeshow ROI

Making a Splash: How to Maximize Reach for Your Brand at a Tourism Conference

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How we use AI

AI is a tool. It’s a powerful tool, no doubt, but this is not Terminator. ChatGPT and tools like it are simply that – tools. It cannot replace our unique human creativity and critical thinking skills. AI can be used to supplement creativity, find efficiencies and assist productivity. We always thoroughly review and edit anything produced with AI assistance.

Anything done with AI still needs a human touch – or even a heavy hand – in editing. AI can even help to edit itself, as long as a human eye has the last look. My favorite way to talk about AI is as “our digital intern.” Not an intern specializing in tech, but rather a technology tool that acts as an intern. Just as you would check anyone else’s work for accuracy, typos, style and brand voice, the same goes for your AI “assistants.”

Drafts

AI can be a tool for writing first drafts of some content. One of our favorite AI tools for marketers called Jasper, is known for its writing skills. Tell the tool your main points and other supporting information like style and tone, and it will spit out a first draft. An important point to note about AI first drafts is that they are known for being over-the-top with adjectives, overly formal or flowery.

Top tips for using AI on any draft:

• Be as specific as possible in your prompts.
• Starting small, ask it for one piece of content at a time, not a week’s worth of social posts.
• Ask for three versions and you can piece together the best parts.

Editing with AI

What AI is even better at helping with is editing content that you (or another human) already wrote. Refining and rephrasing content is the strong suit. The above tips still work in this case, and I also like to be specific in what I’m asking the AI to do when it edits.

Using AI to edit – no matter who drafted the content – is a chat-worthy process. Give your AI tool direct feedback like “that’s too salesy” or “use fewer adjectives” or “I want the tone to be friendly, not sappy.” The tool will give you a revised version. I also sometimes ask it to review or refine a version I wrote based on all of the back-and-forth.

Naming

AI comes up with fun, clever names and snappy headlines and email subject lines in seconds. So often, we spend time coming up with the “just right” name for an event or themed itinerary when we could be planning the event or mapping out the itinerary (not pieces I would totally trust AI with just yet). AI is great at these – try it out and see what you get!

Summarizing

Another fantastic use for AI tools is creating summaries. Feed in your meeting notes, research notes or long-form feedback from your audience and ask AI for a summary. It can also pull out some themes to organize your thoughts or a report.

How we don’t use AI

We never use AI to create a final version of anything without human intervention. Even those snappy headlines in the example above will need tweaking. This is where the conversation with AI comes in, giving it feedback to come up with better and better versions until you find one you like. Sometimes, it’s straight editing. One other tactic for editing AI content is to have AI draft a few versions, then weave your favorite parts together into a human-touched final version.

Privacy

Unless you have the paid version of ChatGPT and have enabled privacy settings, the recommendations we’re hearing now is to never enter proprietary information into an AI tool. So that means no client, sensitive or proprietary data goes in to AI as a chat prompt or file upload. Open-source Large Language Models are designed to learn from all the data entered, so it’s best not to feed in anything that isn’t already accessible publicly.

AI and Visuals

AI-generated imagery and other creative works – authors are very wary of AI usage – are shrouded in some controversy. When it comes to visuals and art, the concern is over how the AI tools learned to create art and copyright concerns for artists whose works were learned from. Many marketers are using AI art, images and graphics now with the understanding that just like copy drafts, the art drafted by AI needs edits. Some digital artists are embracing AI as a tool, and are creating very cool works using its power, and their own personal creativity.

There are so many AI tools for generating visuals, editing images, cutting together videos and other graphics. Dall E is the open source version put out by OpenAI, creators of ChatGPT. Adobe’s Firefly tool is another popular one for those using the Creative Suite. We have dabbled in AI-generated images and use them for creative ideas in proposals, social media graphics and ads.

AI Tools for Tourism Marketing Innovation & Creativity

Our favorite tools for content are Jasper and ChatGPT, and those are a great place to start as you are experimenting in using AI for tourism marketing purposes. They write well and take direction on the project, just as if you were delegating it to someone. You just get the result in seconds instead of hours or days! There are so many resources available right now on creative ways to use AI

There are so many tools to try out, and so many different uses. From Seamless.AI and Apollo.io for sales prospecting, to PressPal by MuckRack for PR and Yoodli speech coach. Scribe AI can write down your processes (like how you use collaboration in your organization…) and all the big names in tech are developing their own. You may have already seen that Google, Zoom and Microsoft have AI tools now available. There are even websites dedicated to finding the right AI tool, although I’m partial to just asking ChatGPT for what it suggests.

The post How to Use AI For Tourism Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Our 2023 study on the operationalization of collaboration revealed that 80% of respondents consider it either extremely important (33%) or very important (47%) for collaborators to prioritize DEI.

The study also found that respondents favor collaborations that:

• Support team members from diverse backgrounds.
• Involve organizations owned or led by individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• Align with DEI values.
• Serve a diverse customer base.

Bringing DEI into your collaboration strategy can start with small incremental steps. When you set an intention and start to act, things happen. It may seem like small, incremental moves at first, but suddenly you will find yourself reflecting and those incremental moves have led to monumental shifts and changes.

To build a more diverse collaboration:

• Be intentional about the partners you seek
• Look for those who bring different perspectives to the table
• Set your intentions and focus on achieving your goals

A great example of operationalizing collaboration and aligning the strategy with DEI goals is the story of Mesa, Arizona’s journey to become the first Autism certified city in the U. S.

Improving Inclusion with Collaboration: A Story

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is coming to the forefront of everyone in the travel and tourism industry’s mind. In my interview with Marc Garcia from Visit Mesa on episode 275 of Destination on the Left, he shared his personal passion for making his community a fun place to visit for all travelers by becoming the first autism-certified city in the United States.

Garcia had experience with multi-cultural initiatives throughout his career from the Phoenix Multi-cultural Arts Foundation to running a multi-cultural affairs department focused on attracting ethnic meetings and conventions to his community. Even with that experience, the idea to focus on autism in Mesa came from his youngest son, who was diagnosed with severe autism at age 14 months.

Garcia explained the journey his family had been on to figure out how to care for his son, what his needs were, and where to obtain the services he needed. Living their lives included summertime family vacations with a tradition of travelling to Southern California and spending a lazy week at the beach.

One summer, they decided to immerse themselves in the city to try different restaurants and visit museums and attractions. They split their vacation time half of the week at the beach and half in the city. Garcia reports that they had a really bad week as his son had meltdown after meltdown. He described the awkward stares and muffled whispers the family would get when his son acted up. He noted they were coming from the hospitality professionals in hotels, restaurants, and attractions. That is when Garcia decided that he wanted to do something to make it easier for families with autism to travel and enjoy a vacation together.

Making a Plan

Visit Mesa was in the middle of a three-year strategic plan when Garcia presented the idea of becoming autism-friendly to his Board of Directors. His research showed that 1 in 100 kids were diagnosed with autism 10 years ago. At that time it was 1 in 58, and in the 2020s it is 1 in 44 who are eventually diagnosed with autism. Garcia knew that this was a loyal customer base and a growing market, which helped him make the business case for his big idea. Not only was it the right thing to do but it was a good business decision if they could get out in front of the market. The Board of Directors and the staff at Visit Mesa bought into the idea and in the Fall of 2018, they started to build a collaboration to make Mesa the first autism-certified city in the United States.

Since Garcia’s son was getting resources from local organizations, he started working through his network to find someone to provide education to the hospitality industry, hoping to find a certification program. He couldn’t find any programs that existed locally, so he looked nationally and came across the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards based in Jacksonville, Florida. The organization had autism-certified school boards, public safety groups, healthcare and educational professionals. They had started to certify hotels and attractions scattered across the country, but never an entire city. After several conversations together they determined if Mesa could get 58 hospitality businesses and 80% of frontline staff to go through this educational program, they could achieve certification as an autism-certified travel destination. The first focus was the destination and not the whole city.

Training and Certifying

The Visit Mesa staff went through the program first in February 2019, followed by a community-wide launch that April. They partnered with five organizations to launch the program, including the Chamber of Commerce, the City Parks Department and three of their largest hotels. They engaged the Mayor of Mesa and had him on camera carrying the message of why the initiative was important. Garcia described the domino effect that happened after launch as unbelievable, with business after business signing on to be part of the certification program. With outreach through the mayor’s office and the Chamber of Commerce, many businesses outside of the hospitality industry saw the certification program as a workforce recruitment tool. Boeing, local auto shops, a major utility company and many more signed on, and the program kept growing.

By late summer 2019, Mesa had exceeded the requirement of 58 businesses, and they had trained almost 5,000 people. With that success, they announced in November of 2019, that Mesa was the first autism-certified city in the country. They received a lot of great press stories with coverage in the LA Times, New York Times, BBC, and other top-tier outlets. They booked several meetings and conferences because of the designation, which Garcia says brought them strong ROI right at the start of this initiative.

Ongoing Efforts

Garcia points to the ongoing effort beyond the certification that is so important to this collaboration’s success. For example, on April 2, 2022, World Autism Awareness Day and start of National Autism Awareness Month, they partnered with two microbreweries to for a special beer release, Spectrum Double IPA. This partnership supports the autism-certified city while promoting Mesa’s burgeoning beer scene as they are also becoming known as a beer city.

A portion of the proceeds from the beer sales will go to support the recently formed Mesa Regional Foundation for Accessibility, Diversity, and Inclusion. The foundation was established to work on programs that further the cause. The first pilot program focused on introducing high school students from Title 1 schools to career opportunities in the hospitality industry. They are also developing a pilot program for sixth- through twelfth-graders who have an affinity for gaming, which many kids on the spectrum do. That program is a partnership with Arizona State University, who is opening a brand-new campus in downtown Mesa offering majors in artificial intelligence, augmented reality, virtual reality, gaming, and coding.

Garcia built a collaboration that has far-reaching impacts. Not only is he making a difference in his community, but he is also making the lives of autism families easier.

The post Collaboration is a Key to Improving Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in Tourism appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

We spoke with several Travel Alliance Partnership (TAP) tour operator members to gain insight into what they look for in their own tour guides. In addition to key takeaways, some of the owners shared that they regularly take on the tour guide role within their own companies – not only does it keep them connected, but it’s an opportunity to impart that special sense of wonder that comes with travel, to their customers.

Note – the below examples reference guides that may cross over into tour manager/director roles (they are
with the group for duration of the trip and more itinerary management is required of them compared to stand-alone guide roles).

Key Personality Traits in Successful Tour Guides

“It’s beauty that captures your attention; personality that captures your heart.” – Oscar Wilde

While specific sites or destinations are what may initially attract a traveler to an area, a great tour guide can bring a depth of knowledge to a location in a personable way that creates an even more memorable experience.

So, what are some of the main qualities a tour guide should possess? First and foremost, communication skills are key to the profession. Guides must be friendly and comfortable speaking (and even better storytelling) in front of a group in order to relay everything from historical facts to cultural etiquette and safety measures. Organization skills with an eye for detail, ability to multi-task and punctuality are a must. Humor and the ability to have fun help distinguish stand-out guides.

In episode 123 of Destination on the Left, Jason Murray, Owner of Southwest Adventure Tours explains that he tries to hire guides who have a similar love and passion for the unique experiences offered on his small group tours. The expertise of his guides range from professional photographers to anthropologists and wildlife biologists.

“I look for people from different walks of life,” says Murray. “But one thing that I hunt for is that they all can get our guests to have personal experiences, and come away from our tours with that wow factor that provides the desire to come back and do more in the area or get greater appreciation for the areas they are visiting.”

On the Fly Decision-Makers and Caretakers

Perhaps the most important attribute for a guide is the ability to problem solve and roll with the punches. If there’s one thing that guides can count on, it’s the fact that unplanned circumstances will occur. Whether travel delays, illnesses, inclement weather or reservation mishaps, TAP Tour Operator Shannon Larsen of Ed-Ventures explains that guides need to think on their feet to provide solutions, because how the guide handles issues could affect the entire group.

“If the guide is nervous, the group will be too,” she says. “Sometimes it’s as simple as holding someone’s hand figuratively, while trying to solve something.” She refers to a guide who made up for time delays by distributing snacks, incorporating extra stretch breaks and personally checking in on each guest regularly. “It’s little things, but makes people feel they are cared for.”

In the Know and Adaptable

Guides must not only be up to-to-date and able to implement the latest health and safety guidelines, but they also need to be aware of ever-changing site conditions – from national parks and trails to restaurants – and know which locations are open to groups specifically.

Based on an increase in multi-generational group travel (Murray has seen an uptick of more than 30%), many of his guides have needed to become much more cognizant of the ability and desires that meet various ages.

Honor the Magic Moments

Tour guides have the honor of witnessing magic moments. According to Richard Arnold, who has worked for three decades with Atlantic Tours and as owner for 10 years, his first love and passion is to be a host on his trips.

“When someone has saved all these years to see bucket list items and you get to see their reaction to something they’ve envisioned for a long a time – it can be quite moving,” he says. Interacting with the group by sharing special moments helps bring everyone together and often creates an emotional bond between the travelers and the guide. “They all hug you when you leave – there are tears in their eyes.”

Connectivity with Guests Promotes Future Travel

For Murray, the relationship building between both the guide and guests, as well as the tour participants with one another, is one of his biggest rewards. Sharing such meaningful experiences make it easy to forge friendships that last well after the tour has concluded. Many customers will go on to request the same guide on future trips, or even regularly plan ongoing new travels with other group participants.

Technology Awareness

The evolution of technology has sped up and simplified many aspects of travel for guides, including e-tickets and the ability to make last minute-changes, adds or cancellations. Communication can take place before the trip even begins, via a newsletter or group social media posts that offer sneak peaks to engage and excite the participants. Modern headset devices offer more flexibility for larger groups on walking tours or in museums.

Technology is now often expected during transport, which has led to both advantages and setbacks for guides. Showcasing a short video about a destination or attraction can help with enthusiasm for visits and WIFI access can help promote locations and shared images at the tap of a button. However, connectivity can also lead to managing disruptions. Guides now need to monitor customers who become too loud on their device or be prepared for guests who choose to question statements made by the guide by checking their accuracy online. A balancing act, indeed.

How to Find Tour Guides

In addition to typical career sites and word of mouth referrals, learn more about the following organizations that can serve as resources to provide contact information for reputable guides.

Since 1973, The International Guide Academy, Inc. (IGA), has trained and placed international Tour Directors and Tour Guides across the globe. Located in Denver, CO, IGA offers Tour Guide certification programs and training by certified world-class instructors and can provide recommendations for guides who have graduated from the program. Graduates have worked with hundreds of Tour Operators, Destination Management Companies, Cruise lines, Sightseeing companies, and more.

International Association of Tour Managers (IATM) is an organization of experienced tour managers worldwide, speaking many languages and with a variety of special interests. 

International Association of Tour Directors & Guides (IATDG) hosts Tour Connect, a premier travel industry event for tour managers, tour guides and tour operators. Attendees can expect top talent recruitment, education and networking.

Remember to also reach out to local tourism offices, which can offer local experts who often work as step-on guides. 

The post What Makes Today’s Tour Guides Successful? appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

In an era where Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s most dynamic industries, the economic benefits of international travel to the United States are undeniable. This sector not only creates jobs and supports exports but also brings in significant revenue from foreign visitors. While domestic tourism is vital, international travel introduces new money into the U.S. economy, enhancing its impact.

Current Trends in U.S. International Travel

According to the U.S. Travel Association, international travel to the United States has experienced fluctuating growth rates due to various factors. Despite the strength of the global economy and the overall increase in long-haul travel, the U.S. has faced stiff competition from other major travel destinations, including Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the U.K. These countries have managed to recover their pre-pandemic visitation rates more quickly and, in some cases, have even increased their share of the global travel market, whereas the U.S. market share has declined​. (U.S. Travel Association – United States Trailing Global Competitors;)​​ (U.S. Travel Association –  international travel continues to be a critical part of a full U.S. economic recovery). Here are some key insights from recent research:

1. Global Competition is Fierce: More people are traveling internationally, creating stiff competition for U.S. destinations. It’s essential to keep American attractions prominent in the minds of potential visitors.
2. Growth Rate Decline: Despite being a top global destination, the U.S. has seen a decline in its annual growth rate of international visitors. Factors contributing to this include the strong U.S. dollar, natural disasters, fears of terrorism, and the current political climate. Historically, the U.S. has rebounded from similar downturns with focused efforts and strategic planning.
3. Incremental Growth in Visitations: In 2023, international visitations to the U.S. saw significant improvement, reaching 84% of pre-pandemic levels. The trend is expected to continue with projections indicating that visitations will reach 98% of 2019 levels in 2024, and a full recovery anticipated by 2025​ (U.S. Travel Association – travel to the U.S. is growing quickly)​​.
4. Potential Challenges Impacting Future Growth: Despite this positive outlook, several factors may influence future growth, including a global economic slowdown, a strong U.S. dollar, and long visa wait times. These challenges could potentially limit the pace of recovery and growth with the international travel market​.

Strategies to Boost International Tourism

To attract more international tourists, the U.S. must leverage various programs and partnerships. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Collaborate with State and Local Tourism Offices: State DMOs (Destination Marketing Organizations) like “I LOVE NY” offer programs to market attractions to international tourists from countries such as Canada, Australia, the U.K., and Germany.
2. Utilize Online Travel Agents (OTAs): OTAs like Tourism Exchange, USA,  TripAdvisor  or Viator help promote U.S. destinations globally. Partnering with these platforms can enhance visibility and accessibility for international travelers.
3. Advertise in International Publications: Co-op advertising programs through organizations like NYSTIA (New York State Tourism Industry Association) and Brand USA make it more cost-effective to reach international audiences.
4. Develop Partnerships for Greater Impact: Collective efforts yield better results. Working together with various stakeholders in the tourism industry can amplify marketing efforts and attract more international visitors.

Looking Ahead

Despite recent challenges, there is much to be optimistic about in the realm of international travel to the United States. By embracing collaborative efforts and leveraging strategic marketing initiatives, the U.S. can remain a top destination for global tourists.

For more insights and strategies on enhancing international travel to the U.S., check out:

• Creating itineraries for FIT travel
• DOTL Episode 95 – How to Create Successful FIT Itineraries for Overseas Visitors

The post Revitalize U.S. Tourism: Unlocking the Power of International Travel appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Why Listening Matters

Listening is crucial for effective communication. It helps build stronger relationships, fosters understanding, and resolves conflicts more efficiently. For tourism industry professionals, effective listening skills are essential for many instances, including creating successful collaborations and maximizing the benefits of attending travel tradeshows.

Effective Listening Skills Are Important for Successful Collaborations

Listening skills are essential for successful collaborations because they help build trust, respect, and understanding among team members. Being fully present in conversations allows individuals to engage genuinely, which fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels heard and valued. Effective listening also involves using high-gain questions to draw out deeper insights, acknowledging others’ contributions, and addressing disagreements constructively. This enhances overall communication, making it easier to pitch ideas, gain buy-in, and work through conflicts, ultimately leading to more productive and harmonious teamwork.

Learn more about listening and presentation skills for collaborations. Go further with listening and presence skills in Episode 230, “Supercharge your Executive Presence,” with Carol Lempert.

Maximizing Your Tradeshow Experience Through Effective Listening and Communication Skills

Effective listening and communication skills are vital for maximizing the benefits of attending travel tradeshows. These skills enable meaningful engagement with buyers and suppliers as well as potential partners. By being an attentive listener, you can gather valuable insights, uncovering opportunities that might otherwise be missed. Additionally, clear and confident communication allows you to articulate your objectives and pitch your ideas effectively, fostering stronger connections and collaborations. This enhances your ability to network, negotiate deals, and gain strategic information, ultimately making your tradeshow experience more productive and impactful.

10 Tips to Enhance Listening Skills and Become a Better Communicator

1. Maintain Eye Contact. Face the person speaking and maintain eye contact to show that you are fully engaged.
2. Eliminate Distractions. Avoid looking at your phone or letting your attention wander. Stay focused on the conversation.
3. Be Attentive. Pay close attention to the speaker’s body language and physical demeanor. Mirroring their behavior can make them feel more comfortable.
4. Keep an Open Mind. Listen without judgment. Even if you hear something you disagree with, stay open to understanding their perspective.
5. Visualize the Conversation. Create a mental image of what the speaker is saying. This can help you better understand and remember the conversation.
6. Hold Off on Solutions. Sometimes, people just need to be heard. Recognize when to offer advice and when to simply listen.
7. Ask Thoughtful Questions. Show your interest by asking questions. This demonstrates that you are engaged and curious about what they are saying.
8. Pause Before Responding. Avoid interrupting. Wait for a natural pause before you speak to ensure the other person feels heard.
9. Respond to Emotions. Pay attention to the emotional tone of the conversation. React appropriately to show empathy and understanding.
10. Provide Feedback. Reflect on the speaker’s feelings and give feedback. Phrases like “You must be so excited!” or “That sounds challenging” can validate their experience.

The Power of Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal cues such as tone of voice, facial expressions, and body language are essential components of effective communication. They can sometimes convey more than words themselves. By paying attention to these signals, you can gain a deeper understanding of the speaker’s true message.

Overall

Improving your listening skills can significantly enhance your communication abilities. By following these tips, you can become a more effective listener and a better communicator in general.

The post Master the Art of Listening: Elevate Your Communication Skills appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

While certain travel companies have let their DEI initiatives and commitments go, others continue to prioritize and expand their efforts, and some are changing how they communicate the subject – moving from “DEI” to “social impact.”

Equitable is one of the core values at Travel Alliance Partnership and it was years ago that a series of small steps lead to a big shift in our company to become more diverse, equitable and inclusive. This commitment remains front and center today – from chairing a DEI committee and participating in conferences and educational sessions on the topic to the work we plan and execute with our current clients.

Why we need to keep focus on DEI

Just last week, the New York State Tourism Industry Association (NYSTIA) offered a webinar on “Unlocking the Power of DEI in Tourism Marketing,” where the speaker reviewed how DEI fosters learning and growth and how it benefits destinations. DEI should matter to everyone, and the following studies demonstrate why:

• Impact on Brand Perception – 71% of consumers surveyed by Edelman (2020) stated that they are more likely to trust a brand that showcases diversity in its advertising.
• Social Media Response – 45% of consumers in a Kantar study said they would share an ad on social media if it featured diverse representation.
• Impact of Representation – when audiences see themselves authentically represented in advertising, they are more likely to connect emotionally with the brand and feel a sense of belonging. This emotional connection leads to increased brand loyalty and advocacy.

I also recently attend the NYSTIA conference in Niagara Falls, where a panel presented “Marketing to Diverse Audiences” for attendees to learn about I LOVE NY Division of Tourism’s marketing initiatives to reach diverse audiences and ask questions.

Key takeaways for DEI initiatives in tourism marketing

Research Your Target Audience

It’s vital to understand what interests your target markets. Beyond during your own research, make sure to have someone from that specific audience at the table, especially in the planning process.  

Be Authentic

You can’t be everything to everyone. Segment your audience and pick a few that fit into a niche you can highlight. Own what you have because that’s more authentic.

• Rochester, NY is home to one the largest per capita populations of deaf and hard of hearing people in the country. Rochester’s Museum of Play hosted a specific “Deaf Day of Play” for this specific audience to know they would feel especially welcome at the museum with ASL assistance.
• If you are going to focus on the LGBTQ audience, you need to have activities to support that. Focusing on Pride Week by scheduling paid advertising without events or LGBTQ- friendly or -owned businesses to support that, your organization appears inauthentic. If your community doesn’t have enough to share on this segment, you might consider creating a blog about wanting to be more inclusive and requesting feedback. 

Stay Current

Consider reviewing your website and materials to ensure images and verbiage are current and speak to generational differences when it comes to terminology.

Destinations and Travel Professionals Leading the Way in DEI

Historical Figure brings DEI to the Forefront, Cayuga County CVB

Cayuga County is proudly the home of Harriet Tubman, where she lived the last 54 years of her free life. Leading up to the 200th anniversary of Tubman’s birth in March 2022, the Tourism Office refocused the perception of the destination and repositioned itself as a place where freedom, justice, and equality are not just words, but actions supported by the entire community.

In Episode 295 of Destination on the Left, Karen Kuhl, Executive Director at Cayuga CVB shared that because of Harriet Tubman’s legacy and connectivity with so many community members and tourism product in the area, they needed to make sure the roots of the CVB were as strong as the marketing campaign they would create.

“If we were going to be speak of Harriet Tubman’s legacy, we needed to ensure that DEI was built into the DNA of the organization.”

Karen Kuhl

In the episode, Karen is transparent about how they laid the internal groundwork – from internal documents and authentically securing diverse community members to serve on their board of directors, as well as forming a communications committee to ensure the correct language was used.

They also executed pride-building community outreach. In collaboration with community leaders, residents were educated that their hometown is a pivotal destination to learn about equal rights, and to connect with the story of Harriet Tubman in their hometown. 

“There have been challenges but also surprising beauty within all of it,” she noted. Karen also speaks to how this effort has impacted her other tourism marketing efforts, especially working at a deeper level.

The Collaborative Creation of Letchworth’s Autism Nature Trail

The Autism Nature Trail (ANT) at Letchworth State Park is a one-mile loop with eight unique outdoor sensory stations designed to stimulate growth and inclusivity among those with Autism Spectrum Disorder and other developmental disabilities.

In Episode 221 of Destination on the Left, Loren Penman, a retired educator who worked to bring Autism Nature Trail to fruition, shared how the idea was born. Listen to the full episode to hear how they aligned themselves with right partners needed to design, build, staff and maintain the trail. This ranged from an experienced design team to the autism community, including​ a volunteer advisory panel of a speech, occupational and physical therapists, special educators, school administrators, parents and grandparents of children with autism.

Loren also speaks to how their funding campaign was able to reach its goals despite the challenges posed by the pandemic. More than just a trail, ANT would not only impact the Park, but the communities that surround the park. Having outreach in place for staff training and even menu suggestions would help to positively impact the whole family experience. The story of the Autism Nature Trail is a perfect example of what can be accomplished with the use of collaboration and creativity.

Kristy Durso, Owner of Incredible Memories Travel and Spectrum of Accessibility

“Travel changes lives and even more for those with a disability.”

Kristy Durso

Kristy Durso is the owner of Incredible Memories Travel, a full-service agency with 85% of their clientele focusing on accessibility challenges. She is also the founder of the Spectrum of Accessibility, which trains travel professionals, destinations, DMOs to better accommodate travelers with a variety of disabilities that include mobility, hearing, cognitive, visual, invisible disabilities, neurodivergences, dietary accessibility and service dogs.

Episode 361 of Destination on the Left features insights from the National Tour Associations Travel Exchange. In her portion of the episode, Kristy discusses how changes in accessibility are happening on a broader scale and emphasizes that collaboration, partnership, and communication are key for successful accessible travel. She also shares what people should be thinking about when it comes to accessible travel and questions that are allowed to be asked to people with disabilities.

“Tourism is one of the most life-changing professions in the world. It isn’t just about leisure and free time. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world around us. Travel professionals open the doors for people to come in and get new experiences. Especially for people who think the world is closed off, a travel professional can change the trajectory of their life – it’s not just about getting to that one destination and being include in one experience, it’s about seeking out what else can I do?”

Kristy Durso

The post How DEI Initiatives Transform Destination Experiences appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.

Why is Sustainable Tourism Important?

Sustainable tourism is critical for maintaining the natural beauty of a destination, minimizing littering and waste, protecting cultural and historical sites, and respecting the local communities. On Destination on the Left episode 290, we spoke with Professor Joe Conto, Dr. Eric Holmund, and Dr. Kelly Cerialo of Paul Smith’s College about why sustainability is an issue that destinations shouldn’t wait to address. They told us that more than ever, tourists are leaving the cities and visiting natural destinations like national parks and popular hiking spots. In order for places like this to avoid getting overrun and maintain the beauty that makes them so special to begin with, destinations need to recognize that sustainability is a necessity not just in tourism, but in every industry.

Collaboration Between Communities and Travelers

As a destination, you might be wondering how you can achieve sustainability while still increasing visitation. Through conversations with several industry professionals that recognize the importance of sustainable tourism, we’ve learned that it cannot be a one-sided effort. All the stakeholders need to be involved including the DMOs, residents, governments, local businesses, and visitors.

Jennifer Wesselhoff spoke with us on episode 223 about her experience leading the development of Arizona’s first sustainable tourism plan when she was with the Sedona Chamber of Commerce & Tourism Bureau. She learned that even though tourism was having a huge economic impact on Sedona, residents were struggling with things like traffic congestion, parking issues, noise, and short-term rentals. As a result, Sedona put forth a collaborative effort with the community to evaluate just how sustainable the city was. One of the most important parts of this process was including residents and local businesses in the conversation.

As a result of the whole community’s efforts, Sedona increased their role in visitors’ behavior by encouraging walking and the use of public transportation. They also implemented a Leave no Trace program and diverted visitors from the popular hiking trails by helping them find hidden gems. All these changes had a positive impact on residents of Sedona and made it possible for Sedona to maintain its status as a popular tourist destination, without having a negative impact on residents or the environment.

Looking to the Future

While every destination is unique, we all can learn from the model set forth by Sedona. The job of a DMO doesn’t stop after visitors arrive in a destination, they also have a responsibility to impact visitor behavior while there. As champions of the tourism industry, we want destinations to continue to thrive and see a rise in visitation. This is why it is so important that DMOs learn more about sustainable tourism and collaborate with their communities to protect the environment and the quality of life for residents. If they do this, destinations can remain beautiful places to visit for generations to come.

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What Does Curated Travel Even Mean?

Curation is to collect, select and present information for people to use or enjoy, using your professional or expert knowledge. You may already be getting your social media or news content through curation. Content curation is simply filtering through the content across your social channels and news outlets based on your interests. Your results are an individualized collection for you. Curated travel is about selecting accommodations, restaurants and activities to create the perfect trip based on your individualized interests.

Industries Leading the Way

Curated Group Travel

Industry leaders recognize the need to individualize experiences. In episode 75 of Destination on the Left, Peter Pantuso, President of the American Bus Association commented:

“Our challenge as an industry in the group travel space has been that we’ve always typically offered one experience for 50 people on a coach. So, I began to start talking about creating that individualized experience within that group of 50 and replicating, to a certain degree, the cruise experience where it feels like an individual experience. I began to see and hear people say, ‘Well I’m already doing that.’ It was a very limited number. By talking about it more and by featuring those change agents in our publications or doing presentations where we could identify different individuals who were doing that, or giving examples through our educational programs, we’ve been able to move the industry a little bit in that direction, to be able to offer that individualized group travel experience and not just one size fits all”.

Curated Cruise Experiences

Cruise excursions have always been popular and now curated cruising brings travelers’ individualized experiences to a whole new level. Curated land adventures include immersive shore excursions, creative pre- and post-cruise options, small group programs and private arrangements. Imagine stepping off your ship in Bagan and taking to the air in a hot-air balloon and floating over thousands of stupas.

In 2018, Crystal River Cruises added more than 225 curated experiences within destinations. With a focus on authenticity, these experiences are designed for small groups and many can be tailored to travelers’ interests. They fall into five focused areas:

1. Personal Connections, hosted by local residents, artisans and experts.
2. Tantalizing Gastronomy, tours reflecting regional culinary styles with both dining and hands-on culinary activities.
3. Cultural Discoveries feature expert guides about historical landmarks, museums and iconic sites.
4. Exhilarating Adventures combine historical and cultural experiences.
5. Lastly, with Design Your Time, a concierge will create a private tour or guests can select from a menu of customized choices.

How Destinations and Attractions Can Use This Trend for Marketing

How do you make your destination or attraction stand out from the crowd with curated travel? For destination and attraction marketers, the desire for individualized travel can be addressed in marketing by creating curated experiences from all your destination or attraction has to offer. Rather than a list of restaurants on your web site, create a progressive culinary package to deliver an experience rather than just a dinner. Attractions can go beyond passively entertaining travelers. Create interactive and behind the scenes experiences to accommodate different interests, ages, and budgets. Multiple experiences will entice travelers to return again and again.

Dig in to these culinary tourism trends.

Connect travelers with your outdoor experiences.

Explore luxury travel trends.

Remember to highlight accessibility with individualized travel.

Grow Your Business with Curated Experiences

Whether you are a destination, attraction or industry leader, understanding the demand from today’s travelers for curated experiences is essential to growing your business. Experience-driven travel is not going away, and has only gotten stronger over the past 18 months. Local experiences made number 2 on this list of top travel trends. Make sure you are on every traveler’s “bucket list of experiences!”

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Photography is everything when it comes to travel – so it stands to reason that it should be a big part of your tourism marketing strategy. But all too often, destinations don’t take the time to invest in their photography. They are using the same shots over and over, showcasing the same assets in the same run-of-the-mill way, and supplementing with stock photography that looks a little too staged – or worse, doesn’t look anything like the actual destination.

In this world of influencers, online content, Instagram-envy and constant FOMO – it’s the authentic photos that are driving the decisions. Here are five reasons why investing in photography is the best thing you can do for your brand – and why you need to do it right now:

1. Take your website and online content to the next level.

If your website is more words than photos, it might be time to rethink your layout. When booking a vacation, visitors idealize first and book second. Let your website lead potential guests through their dream vacation by showcasing what they can do when they visit. Is ziplining big? Put it right on the homepage. Is autumn the peak season for you? Let the colors transform your site and social media for the fall.

Pictures do what words often can’t – they show abstract concepts like facial expressions and emotion. They appeal to visitors’ human side and allow them to make their own emotional connections to the destination. Not to mention, photos are universal. They can be understood by speakers of any language and visitors of any age.

2. Be a resource for the media.

Journalists – even on the traditional side – know that photography is necessary. And while travel writers are adept at capturing their own authentic photos while on a visit, there are times that they want to cover a location that they haven’t been to or showcase a new stop. Having a gallery on hand helps get them what they need and ensures that your destination is top of mind the next time a media opportunity comes around.

On the flip side – those who don’t have the right images can get passed up for placements, even if they are the right fit for the story.

3. Find your aesthetic and give your audiences vacation-envy.

There is a visitor out there for every destination. You don’t have to have it all to be noticed – you just have to have a few key things that appeal to your kind of traveler. Take New Zealand tourism as a great example. The country is known for being green, pure, scenic – and home to the Hobbiton set from Lord of the Rings.

Every photo on New Zealand’s Instagram speaks in some way to their “Pure New Zealand” brand. You won’t find food pictures, restaurants, hotels, or museums on their Instagram. But you will find sparkling waters, star dusted skies, snow-capped mountains, sandy beaches, and a few hobbit holes here and there.

Whether you are representing an entire country or a small-town B&B, find your niche or aesthetic, and give your audiences vacation envy. Whether you want them drooling over local desserts or packing up their hiking boots to hit the mountains – play to your strengths and let the images lead the story.

Bonus: Check out Pure New Zealand’s Instagram stories, called #TravelDiaries featuring the destination through the eyes of their visitors. This is a great way to share more while engaging directly with the people who matter most!

4. Showcase top stops in a new way.

There is an account I follow on Instagram – and I won’t name names – that cycles through the same images time and time again. Their food is amazing (both in pictures and in person) and photographs beautifully. But after the fourth or fifth time seeing the same dish from the same angle, my mouth stopped watering. I got bored. I stopped being “wowed.”

You might have gotten this far in the blog and thought “I have some really good images of my destination, I’m good.” But ask yourself, is it enough? Consider refreshing your photography every 1-2 years. You don’t have to dump your tried and true images – but it is a good chance to add new shots from new angles and update your library. It can take several years for visitors to commit to a trip – from planning to booking to actually visiting. So make sure you are keeping it fresh, exciting, and new to ensure that “wow” factor never really goes away.

5. Be authentic, spontaneous, and exciting.

Stock photos don’t do your destination justice. They always come off a little too staged or don’t quite look like the places you are trying to promote. A mountain in Colorado doesn’t translate to a mountain in the Adirondacks. Your destination is unique and deserves its own unique images as a result.

You don’t – and shouldn’t – have to rely solely on professionally shot, high resolution images to promote your assets. In this age, anyone can take a great photo. User generated content (UGC) is a great way to fill your feed with authentic photos and engage with your audience in a new way. Your visitors are your best brand advocates. They know what has caught their eye – and they’ve posted it online. Ask permission, give credit, and use those unique shots to show others what the buzz is all about. As your library of images grows so will your audience, your engagement, and eventually, your visitor count.

The post 5 Reasons Why Eye-Catching and Authentic Photos are Everything in Tourism Marketing appeared first on Travel Alliance Partnership.