Whether you’re an experienced tour operator, a volunteer group leader or a brand-new travel entrepreneur, you may be overwhelmed with the number of travel events and conferences held each year. There are a lot to choose from, and going to too many events can take up a lot of time and resources. But travel shows are also a great way to expand your network and get some great leads for fruitful business relationships, which means they’re a worthwhile venture for travel planners of many varieties. Here are some tips for maximizing the benefits of attending travel shows.
Select the Right Event
It may seem like an obvious step, but with as many travel shows as there are, it’s
important to pick the right ones for you.
That means asking the right questions. First, consider your business. Are you a tour operator, a travel agent or a group leader? There will be shows tailored to each of these varieties of travel planners. If your business focuses on a specific sector of the travel market, look for conferences marketed to that sector. For example, if your business serves faith-based travel groups, the Going On Faith Conference would be an ideal fit. Attending an event tailored to what you do will yield the best leads.
Consider other factors like regionality. If your tours primarily take place in the South — and you don’t have immediate plans to change that — it’s okay to skip conferences that promote traveling on the West Coast.
Finally, consider the time of year. If you get lots of business around the holiday season, consider the cost of going to a conference during that time instead. If you truly think it will generate plenty of leads, go for it. But if you’d be missing out on a significant amount of revenue by attending, you may want to wait for a conference that better fits your schedule.
Choose: Buyer or Seller?
Group leaders and travel agents always attend tourism events as travel buyers, but the situation can be a bit more complicated for tour operators. These companies have the flexibility to attend shows either as buyers or as sellers, so if you’re a tour operator, you’ll need to pick a lane before you register. If you attend as a buyer, that usually entails meetings with destination marketing organizations to discuss attractions and activities for trips at their destinations. But if you attend as a seller, you’ll be selling your specific tour packages to group leaders, travel agents and other tour operators. That makes the most sense for operators who offer a special product, such as bourbon tours in Kentucky or Broadway trips in New York. You’ll be promoting your tour packages to buyers who can bring groups to your area.
Ask yourself if your business model better lends itself to attending as a buyer or as a seller then decide which one will generate the most productive leads for you.
Consider the Show Format
Shows can follow a few different formats, so it’s important to learn as much as possible about the show up front. There are expo-style shows, where each seller has a booth, and buyers are free to wander the show floor at their leisure. If that’s the case, get a map of the show floor in advance and highlight the sellers you’re interested in, so you’ll remember to stop by their booths and get to know them better.
There’s also the appointment model, which requires buyers and sellers to make appointments to meet with each other on the show floor. That requires a little more research because you’ll have to book the appointments in advance. Try to come to these appointments prepared with a list of relevant questions and topics.
Take Advantage of the Entire Program
The show floor is only the beginning — travel shows are packed with programming, from mealtimes to breakout sessions. As tiring as this marathon of programming can be, especially if you’re new to the world of travel conferences, you would be wise to attend as much as you can. Mealtimes are excellent for networking, and they’ll often be paired with insightful keynotes. Educational sessions can acquaint you with hot topics in the industry and even offer solutions to common problems in travel businesses. And, above all, these events are supposed to be fun! So, get to know your industry peers, explore the destination and enjoy some great food and entertainment while you’re there.
Follow Up
The work doesn’t stop when you leave the conference. After all, if you don’t follow up with your leads, what was the point of going in the first place? Make sure you take detailed notes about who you want to reach out to after the event. Wait until the following week to ensure everyone has had time to travel home and rest, then contact them to keep your conversations at the top of their mind. Include any details that will help them remember what you talked about at the show and take it from there. Hopefully, you’ve added a successful business contact to your network.
