Travel Trade Events & Representation

Tourpreneur Tour Business Podcast

English - February 09, 2023 14:20 - 47 minutes - 54.1 MB - ★★★★★ - 38 ratings
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Previous Episode: Selecting the Right Event to Attend for Tour Operators

Next Episode: The future of tourism will be dictated by the Planet

Today we discuss travel trade representation with Mark Wright of The Adventure Connection.

Mark is a 30 year plus veteran of the travel industry who now represents tour operators and destination management companies around the World.

Representation is a little understand method in our community and it deserves more attention as a way to grow your tour operation.

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The Adventure Connection

00:00 Best time for operators to make connections.

05:40 Representation company acts as middleman, connecting operators.

09:44 Investment in shows can be costly for operators, particularly small ones, in terms of both time and money. Representation offers a range of services to help, beyond just attending trade shows.

13:28 Busy pre-event period: clients, meetings, presentations.

14:39 Monitoring meetings, efficient follow-up vital, tailored templates.

17:53 Supply chain and tour operators are affected. Marketing representation helps build relationships and increase business. Fan trips foster product experience and relationships.

21:15 Increased travel to Europe as restrictions ease.

24:49 Tour operators prioritize sustainability in DMC selection.

30:56 Niche identification and ready-made products for operators.

32:06 DMC developed toolkit to improve services.

35:27 Product manager must understand industry, work in product development. Challenging for DMCs to approach them.

40:26 We attend about 6-10 shows per year, including big ones like WCM and ITB, as well as smaller specialist shows. The rise of smaller shows is positive.

42:48 Traditional industry cycle guides timing of activities.

45:07 Need more staff to revive travel industry.

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