Aito Agents chair Gemma Antrobus hails importance of overseas educational opportunities
In a few weeks’ time, I will embark on my first formal fam/educational trip since the pandemic, and I couldn’t be more excited.
I was always confident that, with time and dedication, our industry would bounce back. However, I wasn’t so sure that the wonderful fam trips and overseas opportunities we specialist agents have previously been offered would return with the gusto that they have.
These trips require serious financial investment, alongside months of organisation. I really wondered whether airlines, tourist boards and tour operators would ever again have the budget to allow for this.
It’s therefore absolutely thrilling to see so many overseas trips taking place, helping agents to grow their first-hand destination and product knowledge. If you are linked with industry colleagues on social media platforms, it won’t have gone unnoticed that someone seems to be away every week.
These trips are invaluable, both for the development of my team – and me – and to ensure the growth of our business
Fam trips are a big investment not only for those airlines, tourist boards and tour operators but also for agencies. At Haslemere Travel, taking educationals is encouraged – in fact expected – as part of a consultant’s formal training and development. These trips, regardless of their length, are taken on company time, and any costs are covered by the business. We view them in the same way that we would sales skills or personal development training, and expect the knowledge gained to be spread among others in the business upon return, either by report or presentation.
Personal insight
We all know that once you have experienced a destination and product, your ability to sell it to clients grows exponentially. They truly value the experience that you bring to their holiday planning when you have stayed at their chosen property. Giving them insider tips and personal advice, sometimes even sharing your own photos and videos with them, reminds them why they should be booking with a human travel agent and not a faceless search engine.
I consider fam trips to be invaluable, both for the development of my team – and me – and to ensure the growth of our business. I was therefore baffled to hear that some agencies do not encourage such trips, and that even if they are given the go-ahead, staff must use their own holiday entitlement and finances to fund them. I believe this sends the wrong message both to the host and to the member of staff.
Nothing beats selling from personal recommendation
When being generously offered a place on a much-coveted trip, it’s only courteous to treat it with respect. Our suppliers are making an investment in us, as agents, and this must be understood. Asking a team member to cover the time and finances for the trip gives the impression that this is a holiday for them, which is far from the case.
Training opportunities
These trips are not holidays or ‘jollies’ – they are training opportunities that happen to take place overseas. Granted, they can be huge amounts of fun, as well as an opportunity to network with fellow industry colleagues over experiences that you may not ordinarily have with your own family – but they are far from a vacation.
Many of the trips that I’ve been fortunate to go on have created direct sales – for both the operator and destination/property – pretty much immediately upon returning. I can assure you that, if you invest in me and my team, we will pay this back in spades, because nothing beats selling from personal recommendation.
Although it is rare, I have come across some tour operators which run few, if any, such trips, usually for budgetary reasons. I would, however, urge such companies to look anew at their marketing plans for the next year and to ensure that – alongside the digital, print and brand awareness campaigns they intend to run to generate business growth – they seriously consider a series of educational opportunities for a select number of both existing and potential future agents. The brand loyalty and support that it engenders will most certainly pay off.
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