COVID has changed the travel industry. Maybe it’s a bump in the road, or maybe it’s something longer lasting. Either way, today’s tourism landscape looks a lot different than it did 2 years ago. If you are new to the industry, you might not be aware of your biggest advocate, your state department of tourism. While each state office is different, they offer opportunities and resources for you to succeed.
Reach Out and Sign Up
Having worked in the trade industry for a number of years, the best advice I have for destinations working in group sales is: if you don’t already know your state group sales person, schedule a meeting today. They are one of your major partners to help increase group business. Having an in-depth discussion gives you both the chance to talk about initiatives and opportunities targeted toward your needs.
Make sure the state’s sales team is receiving your newsletters and press releases. They have a lot of area to cover and it benefits you both by helping them keep up-to-date on your destination. Many times they are working with operators, creating content for sales materials or preparing for a tradeshow. By being forefront in their minds, it helps them promote you.
While on the subject, sign up for any state industry newsletters. This is the best way to get updates about your state’s tourism initiatives, national industry news, and opportunities available to you.
Connecting With Operators
As a salesperson, you know the key to success is helping your clients overcome their challenges and needs. Your state office can assist you with obtaining this information.
Tradeshows allow you to meet a lot of operators in a short amount of time. State teams usually attend several shows and provide their leads (meeting notes) to their partners. If you are unable to attend shows, this is the next best thing. Good operator leads are like gold. They provide contact information and insights into an operator’s past tours, needs, and what they are developing for the coming years.
A sales mission is like a traveling tradeshow. It provides you the opportunity for more face-to-face time with operators at their location, and to train frontline staff about your product. Many states will organize sales missions with their partners. If you would like to do a mission on your own or with your local partners, your state can help with a list of operators available in the target markets you are visiting.
I remember once, while on a state mission, my group stopped to see an operator located only a few hours from me. Twenty minutes into our conversation, she mentioned a challenge in another city and had to find a last-minute activity for a mystery tour coming up.
Since the tour was traveling close to me, the operator was able to do a slight itinerary adjustment and included my destination. My product helped the operator fulfill her need and I gained a group tour for my destination. However, it might not have happened if I hadn’t attended the mission and took the time to build that relationship.
Who Doesn’t Love Free Money?
Okay, nothing is ever truly free, but it can be close. Many states offer grants to their destinations and/or attractions for various projects. This could include marketing your destination to operators, funds to cover tradeshow registrations, or even creating a new tourism initiative for groups. When working for a CVB, we took advantage of grants to stretch our dollars to the max. We created initiatives like a Historic Downtown Walking Tour for leisure and group travel, increased our marketing campaign buys and attended some shows which had higher registration costs than our budget originally allowed. All thanks to state grant programs.
A word to the wise, be sure you understand the details and deadlines of the grant, or you could be stuck with the bill. Your boss would not be happy if you put in a new bus parking lot only to realize the grant won’t pay for it. (Disclaimer: I didn’t do this, I just hear things.J)
In Summary
Your state office is your partner in increasing visitation. While each state will be different, there are opportunities for you, no matter your budget. The biggest step is to reach out and keep the lines of communication open.
About Kimberly Leonard
Kimberly has worked in the tourism/hospitality industry for over 15 years. With experience in marketing, PR and initiative development, Kimberly specializes in travel trade for both the domestic and international markets. Connect with Kimberly on Linkedin here. Thanks Kimberly!
Here are some ways I can help you get more business.
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Sign up now for a FREE webinar where I will discuss Group Tour Tactics for our New Reality. Our industry has changed drastically in the last year and I will share some insights and strategies for finding success.
This free webinar is perfect for suppliers who work with tour operators and have less than 5 years of experience, or anyone who wants to gain some new insights into the Group Tour world in 2021 and beyond.
Group Tour Tactics for Our New Reality Free Webinar
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Did you know?
I have been writing blog posts since 2016. My goal is To Become the Industry Leader in providing training and Educational Opportunities for Tourism Organizations and their partners. Here are some of the ways I do that:
Tourism Pro Academy. This platform was developed in 2019 as a centralized location for free resources and my paid courses. Click here to access the site for free.
Some of the current course offerings are:
- Fill Your Parking Lot: Secrets to Getting More Group Tours
- Your Network is Your Net Worth
- Time Management for Tourism Professionals
DMO’s
Are you looking for ways to provide some value to your members while we recover? Are your partners scattered over a large distance? Join organizations such as:
- SYTA,
- Circle Michigan,
- Pennsylvania Bus Association,
- Georgia Department of Economic Development and
- Visit Baton Rouge, which have hired me to educate and inform their members.
Click here for additional information on the Online Tourism Training Program.