Whether it’s a budget weekend road trip or an extravagant month-long jaunt through Europe, leisure travel of any kind is a luxury. Travel is not a necessity, technically speaking, like food or electricity.
Simply put, people don’t have to spend money on vacations. But that’s where the travel industry swoops in with gorgeous full-color photos of clear blue waters, white sandy beaches, and cobblestone streets in quaint European towns. Part of the role of a travel agent is to help their clients and prospective clients believe that travel is valuable – because it is! It’s not about telling them why they should travel – it’s about showing them why they need a new experience or destination. You have the power to inspire others to travel!
Once the idea is planted and the desire is there, it becomes a planning process. But how can travel agents inspire others to want to travel? How can travel agents create a spark that ignites a passion to see the world?
We have a few ideas to help travel agents turn skeptics into enthusiastic explorers.
Write About Your Own Travels
Start a blog or an email newsletter where you chronicle and share your FAM trips or personal vacations. Provide readers the specific details, like where you went, how you got there, and what activities or restaurants you recommend. Then, paint a more colorful picture by describing how a certain place or interaction while traveling made you feel.
Example: What was it about your European river cruise that changed your perspective on sailing? What was the thing that surprised you most about your sixth visit to Jamaica? What incredible dish will you try to recreate in your home kitchen?
Get Creative With Your Photography
You’ve probably taken at least one, if not hundreds, of selfies by now. And you’ve probably looked at hundreds more from your family, friends, and fellow travel agents. You could take the standard photo with your toes in the sand at the beach, or with the Eiffel Tower in the distance, appearing to be wedged between your thumb and pointer finger. Or show your followers a different perspective!
Example: Record a short video or create an Instagram story or reel explaining why a particular spot on your Norwegian cruise ship is your favorite, take a snapshot with a new friend you made while traveling, or create an hour-by-hour vacation “day in the life” to showcase details.
Recommend Books, Movies, and TV Shows
Let your favorite writers and filmmakers provide the inspiration for you! Seeing destinations come to life in print and on screen can ignite imaginations, creating a desire to see places for ourselves.
Example: Have a few titles in mind when someone asks you for a book or movie recommendation, or rave about your favorites on Facebook or in your agency’s newsletter!
Need something for you own to-read and to-watch lists? Check out Goodreads’ Popular Travel Inspiration Books and CN Traveler’s 50 Best Travel Films of the Past 50 Years.
Go All Out with a Travel-Themed Party
Travel agents often host travel nights for their family and friends. Show off your expertise to your captive audience with unexpected touches that are specific to the type of travel you’re promoting.
Example: If you’re featuring a destination, plan your menu around the local specialties. Or if you are doing a cruise night, play up the nautical theme in your décor. You can even play renditions of your favorite cruise ship games! Check Pinterest for more ideas on how to get your guests itching to hop on a plane.
Most people have a desire to travel, but have to weigh it against their other priorities.
As a travel professional, you have the power to inspire others to travel and turn their vacation aspirations into a reality — it just might require a little bit of creativity on your part.
KHM Travel Group is a host travel agency that provides comprehensive education and innovative tools for independent travel agents.
If you’d like to learn more about how we can help you start your own travel business, fill out the form on the right.