KHM Travel Group hosted its first-ever Boot Camp event in destination last month, April 16-19, in collaboration with Club Med and Carnival Cruise Lines. Not only did agents walk away with the knowledge and skills to lay a solid foundation for their business, they also got a first-hand look at Club Med Sandpiper Bay in Florida, the only all-inclusive resort in the United States.
On Day 1, agents hit the ground running with a site inspection of the Sandpiper Bay resort, followed by a training session from the Club Med team.
“Of course, it was very exciting to hold this event in Florida at Club Med,” said Bill Coyle, our Industry Affairs Specialist. “I had never been there or sold this property, and didn’t know what to expect from an all-inclusive resort in the states. But I really did feel like I was at a regular all-inclusive in Mexico or the Caribbean.”
After lunch, the KHM Travel Group staff led agents through some of the essential Boot Camp sessions, like our introduction to Supplier Relations, Building on Your Past and Passion, and Marketing Essentials.
One added benefit of hosting a Boot Camp at a resort is the learning didn’t stop once agents left the classroom. During free time, and even during cocktail hours, agents and staff could gather for a one-on-one discussion or even as groups for more personalized instruction.
“Attending Boot Camp allowed me to build relationships with the KHM staff as well as fellow agents. Though my office is in my home, after attending Boot Camp, I don’t feel alone anymore,” said our agent Jennifer from Idaho.
The first part of Day 2 focused on more travel agent fundamentals, like Understanding Travel Segments, Choosing Suppliers, using myTravelCRM and Compliance.
Later on in the afternoon, agents had their pick of activities through Club Med, like golf, tennis, beach volleyball and even a trapeze simulator!
In fact, the resort seemed to be buzzing with activity all day long.
“Every day I’d see tons of people kayaking, sailing and water-skiing from my room,” said Bill. “Then in the evenings I’d see the same people out at the shows or at the bar dancing. It was very family-oriented.”
On Day 3, the Boot Camp attendees learned more about the tools and resources available through our consortia, Travel Leaders Network. Just before lunch, our Business Development Manager from Carnival, Chris, cruised in to share more about Carnival’s brand, product and tips for selling to clients. They also reviewed the booking process.
“I can truly say that I walked away with skills that will enhance my business and allow me to grow it to whatever size fits my path,” said Shannon, an agent from Florida.
On the final day at Sandpiper Bay, the agents refreshed their understanding of geography, with a focus being on popular destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean. The last session on Qualifying Clients tied the week’s experience together by focusing on the traveler experience, and how to determine what the right trip is for each client.
This Boot Camp might have had a different atmosphere than its Ohio edition, but agents still walked away with more knowledge and more direction on the steps to take to grow their businesses.
Thanks to Club Med for hosting us, and to all of the agents that attended our first Boot Camp in destination! View more photos from the event in our Flickr album.
Visit TravelAgentMeeting.com to learn more about all of our live events for travel agents, and see photos and recaps from past events.
Our New Agent Boot Camp is just one of the many opportunities KHM Travel Group offers its agents. We invest our time into developing the best travel agent education, tools and support to give agents the knowledge and confidence needed to build successful businesses.
For our free Travel Agent Information Guide that will answer your questions about starting your own home-based travel agency, fill out the form on the right or call 1-888-611-1220.