Share First-Hand Travel Experiences With Your Clients

 

John McMahon
John McMahon; Gabe Shalley, airline marketing and sales manager, Vail and Beaver Creek Marketing; Bob Stinchcomb, VP sales, Vail Resorts and RockResorts; and Allyson Dodge, VP resort marketing, Vail Resorts.

 

By now the winter is behind us, hopefully; that poor groundhog took a beating this year with the winter that wouldn’t end. This could be a good thing for travel sellers as many consumers spring into summer mode and want to capture what has eluded all of us for so long. 

Too much of one thing is never good and a long-awaited summer will have everyone craving that beach or mountain escape. Traditionally, domestic summer vacations have not been a sweet spot for travel agents because many families were able to navigate locations on their own. Fast forward to today’s family that is over-connected and over-stimulated by life in general and will want more than a good book on a beach or a campfire in the woods.

That’s where you, the travel agent, comes in. Research popular summer destinations and develop unique itineraries that go beyond a click of a mouse for your client. Recommend restaurants, museums and festivals that make the decision to go an easy one. 

More importantly, experience it yourself this spring and capture that trip with your digital outlets and show your potential clients that you are securing only the best accommodations and experiences for the summer vacation of a lifetime. Most travel suppliers would more than welcome you as they prepare for the busy summer season.

I am currently preparing for a trip to Italy’s Amalfi Coast in May and just by telling a few friends about my plans, I have convinced four families to follow my itinerary later this summer. I have promised onsite inspection and personal recommendations when I get back. I have turned into a vacation scout, knowing their likes and dislikes and limiting their risk for enduring so-so experiences—and I am not even a travel agent. 

I recently spent some time in Vail skiing with my friends at Vail Resorts (see above photo). Not a bad weekend, with a foot-and-a-half of fresh powder, but what I was really excited about was the discussions about Epic Discovery, a Summer Mountain Adventure. Through the Vail Epic app, families will be encouraged to “learn through play” by featuring extensive environmental educational elements interspersed between numerous new fun activities located in already developed areas of the mountain. So, that over-connected and over-stimulated family can be one with nature and everyone can follow along.

Enjoy your summer.