Brian Jewell (00:06.326)
Hey there, everybody. Welcome to Gather and Go, the podcast that helps you plan, promote, and lead better trips. I'm Brian Jewell. I am your host. I'm feeling relaxed today. Hope you are too. And as always, I'm so grateful that you joined me, and I promise I'm gonna do everything I can today to make this investment of your time worth your while.

Well, it's July, it's vacation season, and in fact, I am on vacation right now. Or at least I will be by the time you hear this. When you download this episode, with any luck, I will be on a lake with my family in North Carolina, enjoying some rest and relaxation. But I do not want to leave you without your scheduled episode of Gather and Go.

So, what I decided to do was deliver our featured conversation this week, which is a really insightful look at everything you should know and should do and maybe shouldn't do on FamTours. This is a conversation with friend of the podcast, Stacey Barry. She collected insights from her friends across the tourism industry. And this is a great look at fam tour do's and don'ts for anybody who hosts fam tours.

Or attends fam tours. So whether you work in destination promotion or in tour operation, this is a great episode for you to listen to and take some notes on. Now, because it's vacation season, and to be honest, because I am rushing to get out the door for my family vacation, I'm going to dispense with all the normal top of show and bottom of show segments and get you right into this featured conversation. So

Without further ado, here is my conversation with Stacy Barry.

Brian Jewell (02:11.904)
All right, everybody. My guest today is making her second appearance on the Gather and Go podcast. After starting her career in education, she took over her family tourism company's share in the South and has grown it from a Nashville-based receptive operator to a white label company helping travel leaders plan trips throughout the American South. She's also served on the board of the National Tour Association and the Student and Youth Travel Association. Stacy Berry, welcome back to the podcast.

Stacy Berry (02:40.886)
Hi, happy to be here.

Brian Jewell (02:43.048)
I am so happy to have you here. It's always fun to talk to you. I feel like over the years, honestly, we have become like legitimate friends. And I appreciate your friendship. I really appreciate your perspective in tourism because you came in and you saw an opportunity to take, like we talked about in the bio, take a local receptive and grow it into something bigger and better. And a lot of that has been on the strength of your experience with fam tours. Is that right?

Stacy Berry (03:12.814)
Exactly right. I wouldn't I won't sell someplace I haven't been myself. or I will, you know, depending on my experience, but I always like to go to somewhere first and and walk it out like my groups would. So those have been invaluable to me in the last several years. Thanks to you guys for helping partner and put some of those on as well.

Brian Jewell (03:32.46)
Yeah, absolutely. So I want to let our listeners know what we're doing today. a few weeks ago, Stacy reached out to me and said, Brian, I would love to come back on the show and talk about fam tours. And that's a topic I've been wanting to cover for quite a while. So I was all about it. And just to set the stage, how many times have we traveled together on fam, Stacey? It must be like five or six or something. Yeah.

Stacy Berry (03:56.16)
At least at least five, four or five, yeah.

Brian Jewell (03:58.722)
Yeah, yeah. So Stacy's been a frequent flyer on our on-site familiarization tours. We love having her there. So we've had a lot of cool experiences together. Occasionally we've been in a place where we're like, wait, that didn't quite go the way that would have been best. So we we have learned a lot together through the years. But the other thing I love, Stacy, is you have lots of friends and tours. I mean, you kind of reached out to them to gather their insights, right?

Stacy Berry (04:23.372)
Yeah, there's a lot of us who have kind of talked about this behind the scenes after a fam or just at conferences together and and understanding the differences between what a C V B does and what a tour operator does and how that could work, you know, the best on FAMS. And so being able to reach out to some of my tour operator partners and and see if their experiences were the same thing that I was experiencing and gathering some of that insight to be able to share today so that it's not just my opinion has been really great as well.

Brian Jewell (04:52.482)
Yeah, absolutely. We're looking forward to this. So normally listeners, I do a lot of research and prep for a podcast interview. Today, Stacy has really done all the research and prep. So I'm gonna do something I'm not used to. Yeah, I know, right? I'm gonna kind of just like hand you the floor, Stacy, and let you tell us what we should know both for

fam hosts and fam attendees, what we should know, what we should be thinking about, what we can do better. Of course I'll jump in with some follow ups and some comments and maybe even a a different perspective here and there. But we'll get through it. So Stacy, the floor is yours.

Stacy Berry (05:34.99)
Awesome. Well, thank you for having me. And I appreciate everybody listening. I think a lot of tour operators have said a lot of these things before. And of course, if anything's missing, I know that Brian would never mind those being put in the comments once these are are posted and just learning from each other. I think it's important. Like Brian mentioned, we've been traveling as

As tour operator and and fam before, but now we're friends. And I think that is what motivates our entire business. So a lot of what I'm going to talk about today actually stems on that relationship piece as well and how important that becomes on the fams. But let's talk first about CVBs or tourism departments that are putting on fams and as a perspective from a tour operator, what we're looking for, what makes us go more smoothly, what helps us be able to move forward and sell from that.

That fam, we understand there's a lot of investment and time and and money of vendors put into those. So just how to get the most out of that. And I would say the first thing is CVBs and tourism departments focus on selling the city. that's two conventions, that's just sports organizations, meeting planners. But as tour operators, we kind of need a little different perspective. So a destination only becomes sellable when the logistics work.

And so just selling us the dream of a city or selling us how great this could be is not the complete picture that we need. We need to know can a 56 passenger motor coach get to this destination? We need to understand the entrances, the exits. Can 56 people be served at a meal in in 90 minutes or less, depending on what that itinerary and experience looks like? Can you is there a group contact? Is there a group menu? So there's a lot of things we'll get into a little more detail there, but just looking holistically at what sells a city.

is not necessarily everything we need on our end. We need to have suppliers included in the fam that actually understand group business. There's oftentimes we've been on FAM that once we leave, I want to to book that place or that restaurant for them to say, we don't really do bus groups. Well that's a problem because you just brought a bunch of tour operators who want to bring bus groups. So I think pre-fam in the planning part for a C VB, it's making sure that your attractions

Stacy Berry (07:47.69)
understand and your your restaurants understand what the group tour market needs. I don't think they know that on their own and they're really leaning heavily on somebody to help guide them through that. And so that's where some destination marketing C V Bs, tour planner tour departments can really help with that is just making sure that the people they're including aren't just people willing to pay, but people that are actually understanding the group market and that we'll take groups after we leave. So

They need to have a group menu. They to have group rates. We need to make sure the hotels can handle luggage service. What do they offer? What do they not? That there's an ADA entrance. A lot of times, if you're doing senior adult groups, there's walkers and wheelchairs. And if it's only stairs to get in, how do we accommodate that? So just looking at some of those logistics are a very helpful pre-fam to make sure that those places are already prepared for us when we come. Just because a destination is popular doesn't always mean that it's group ready. So

Making sure that that you're promoting what we can realistically sell is very important. tour operators need tools to package the city and not just reasons to like it. And a lot of times you show us things that we love on a on a fam, but how can that package? How's that a piece of the bigger puzzle of what we're putting together and not just a really cool place, a really pretty place to go? Yeah. fam tours are there's some VIP. I know, Brian, this is where we're gonna have some conversation.

There are some VIP aspects to fam tours a lot of times. What we're wanting to see though is we want to see it logistically and inclusivity of how my group will see it. And so oftentimes there may be dinners or experiences that are really just more to maybe wine and dine the operator and not necessarily what our groups can do. I did get mixed opinions about this when I reached out to people.

Truly, a lot of them said, we don't want any of that. Just show us what we can show our groups. We're taking time off work. We are leaving our families. We, you know, we want to see what we can bring our buses to, and and that's it. There are some other people who do enjoy a night of an experience just for us and being made to feel special. So that definitely was a split there, Brian. I know that you like some of those.

Brian Jewell (10:03.822)
You know, I do. And it's interesting. I I come at at it from the same reasons. I'm I'm leaving, you know, taking time away from the office. I'm taking time away from my family. Because I'm making such an investment, it sure feels good when you recognize that investment and make it feel special. so there's probably a a happy medium somewhere in between. But I you know, people use wine and dine as a as a negative term. And I'm like, wait a minute, those are my favorite parts.

Stacy Berry (10:21.784)
Yeah. You're right. You're right.

Stacy Berry (10:33.902)
Okay, but also you know I eat like a toddler and I don't drink, so maybe that's the problem.

Brian Jewell (10:38.676)
Yeah, check inmate, I guess.

Stacy Berry (10:40.462)
But it's true. I think maybe just managing that expectation, if if you are going to include that on a fam, just letting everybody know, hey, this is an experience just for you. This would be too costly to recreate for tour and travel or this, you know, just being honest, just like they want us to be honest, being honest back and just saying, hey, this is an experience just to show you guys how much we appreciate you being here. Probably not the best thing for a group though. And that's okay.

Brian Jewell (11:05.89)
Yeah. Yeah. Fair enough.

Stacy Berry (11:07.682)
I also think

And again, along managing expectations. If you're gonna plate individual meals when my group comes, they're going to get a buffet. Or if a motor coach really can't go, so you're sending us in a sprinter van, just kind of managing those expectations of yeah, there there is a challenge here with getting motor coaches. However, it's a doable if. Tonight we're gonna go on sprinter vans, but this is doable if. I remember there was one that we did in Kentucky that it was a smaller group and we were in a van. And a lot of times we pulled up and asked the question, okay, but where would the boat where would the bus go? Yeah.

So I think understanding that and there's a responsibility we'll get into on that part about tour operators as well, of what your responsibility is going in, but just making sure attractions know where those things can happen, even if that's not how we are arriving. I think there's a lot of value. There's a lot of places who will tell us as tour operators, you can come down, just let me know, we'll put it together for you. But I and I have a lot of those invitations and honestly, I've not taken them because I want to go with a group. I want to see how it flows with a group.

Brian Jewell (11:53.976)
Yeah, yeah.

Stacy Berry (12:09.202)
logistics is a big part of that. A lot of things the tour operators I talked to said that when they have gone on VAMS, sometimes the logistics just don't make sense. We are also looking at that because if we've not been to your city, we don't know how the flow goes. We don't know how things are gonna work the best way. And so if you take us 30 minutes out of the way to bring us to do something and then bring us 30 minutes back to then turn around and go back to where we were, that just doesn't make sense.

It's not a good use of time and people do not like sitting on a bus longer than they have to. So we're trying to pay attention to those things. And especially if it's in a place where we're just now getting our bearings, logistics are really important. And I remember we were on a fam and I asked, we happened to be in a location, we toured it, we went somewhere else to visit, but then we came back to that location to do an activity. And my question was, why did we do that?

Because it was about a 30 minute drive. Why didn't we just do the activity while we were here? And the answer I got back was, well, these people weren't available then. And I said, totally understand that. Then why did we not tour this afternoon when they were available instead of spending the day driving back and forth? So I do understand why that happens sometimes. However, we're trying to map it out as we go. So we want to make sure that we are we are understanding the logistics of the places that we are. And oftentimes that is something that's missed.

probably on every fam I've been on. There's been some back and forth or some traffic and and that's tough. And just to use an example as a tour operator, sometimes I will have people that have wanted to do the Ryman and maybe the Hermitage and and their timing. But those places are about 30 minutes apart. So if you're a new tour operator and you're faming around the the town here in Nashville, you would need that to be in in an order that made sense. So

Just looking at some of those things because at the end of the day, our goal is to leave with a planned tour that we can sell. Right. Right. So we don't want to have to be confused or sell something that we don't know. We really basically don't want to see the fantasy version of what your destination could be. We want to see what's workable. What is the what is the real life of us bringing a group here? So introducing us to the right people. That's the next step. The one thing I always ask for is do you have a list of all the places we've gone and who the group contact is there.

Stacy Berry (14:24.234)
oftentimes we we know where we've gone, it's on the itinerary. But I have run into calling and asking, do you have some, you know, who can I please speak to group sales? And they don't have a group salesperson or they put me on with a manager who doesn't know. And so I then end up going back to the CVB, hey, who was your contact? So if we just had that list already ready, and honestly, I think it's really valuable to make sure those people are on site when we get there. You know, if it's a group of tour operators who could each bring several buses.

Brian Jewell (14:48.077)
Absolutely.

Stacy Berry (14:52.792)
That's a relationship going back to what we spoke about. You want to establish that relationship. I want to see their face and shake their hand and know who I'm working with. And oftentimes those people are never on site. So I think that is really helpful. Just educating them in the value of being there, even if it's, you know, eight o'clock at night and it's a meal and they would usually have been home. That this, this really you're you're donating money, right? You're paying for this meal. You should definitely go meet the people.

Brian Jewell (15:18.206)
Right. Yeah. So yeah. Let me ask you a couple follow-ups specifically about the the logistics and the timing thing. This again may be a an area where you and I come at it from different angles. do you want to basically run from point to point to point the way a an actual group tour would run from point to point and and consolidate and maximize all your time? Do you want to be doing maximum sightseeing during your fam day?

Stacy Berry (15:47.286)
Yes. I I understand that sometimes attractions get cut short because we're kind of doing a quick quick version where maybe our groups would take an hour. We may take 30 to 45 minutes. So I totally understand that. And we don't no one wants to be run into the ground and exhausted. However, running it as close to what you would run an actual motor coach group is always the most advantageous for us. And and you know, there's the tour operators who have maybe been to that city and they're getting a refresher. That's not as important.

They just need to see what's new or see the attractions. But if you have a tour, a bus of tour operators who have never been there, we don't know where we are. You know, we don't know where we're going. We don't know what's 10 minutes away and what's 30 minutes away. And of course, as tour planners, we GPS and we do some of that homework. But if we're gonna be there, I'll tell you this. Like for example, the Kentucky fam that we went on, I copy pasted that and started selling it immediately. because

I understood. We went from northern Kentucky to Lexington over to Louisville. We had this whole experience. So that was a that was there were some things I had to change because they weren't all, you know, specifically for groups, but it was a pretty easy copy paste logistically. And and I got a lot out of that. And so I feel like those kind of tours are the best. Especially, you know, in Louisiana we do a lot of hub and spoke. I'm all mixed up at that point.

Brian Jewell (17:03.766)
Right.

Stacy Berry (17:04.543)
I know every day we get on the bus and go 30 minutes in a different direction and see something great. So that's already kind of hard enough to conceptualize. But if if we're going in that direction and then back here and then back out and then over here, it's just really, you know, confusing of okay, where did we go? I would ask my Louisiana tourism people a lot, show me on a map, pull up the map and show me where we are and where we just went. So yeah, if it can follow as closely to possible as what a regular bus group would, that's always the most helpful.

Brian Jewell (17:32.45)
Yeah. Okay. You mentioned, you know, we start every day and then we go. is there an a start time that is too early? Or is it kind of like no, I mean be honest, because I you I've I've seen it I've seen it both ways. So you know, what what are the yeah, what what are the good manners? What are the you know,

Stacy Berry (17:54.062)
I think this is really different depending on who you ask because I don't like to get up really early. I'm not a morning person, and most people are, and they're not night people. So it's I I'm sure this is different for everybody. I don't want to leaving before eight o'clock to me is just not ever fun because you have to get up and and and eat breakfast and all those things before you leave. Eight o'clock, I think, is realistic. I love a good nine o'clock to part because you can eat and maybe get a send a couple emails off and then and then leave at nine o'clock.

Brian Jewell (18:19.463)
Yeah.

Stacy Berry (18:24.318)
I I like to use the beginning part of the day to to do shoot some of those emails off and things during the work day because when you get back at nine o'clock at night, nine thirty at night, I will send some then as well, but it's just I like to have the actual day of to send some emails and go. So nine o'clock would be my favorite start, but eight o'clock's not unreasonable depending on where it is you're going and what you're doing. The dinners, you know, I think as long as people are served by about 730, that's good on the back end.

It really again depends on how far away we are. Some nights we don't get home until ten and then we're up at six the next day and that that's kind of kind of rough. But again, we're trying to maximize our time there. So if for, you know, a few days everybody just kinda hangs in with it.

Brian Jewell (19:06.85)
So how now you mentioned the shooting a couple emails before you depart. I I feel like more and more people are just expected to keep up with the same volume of work on the road that they did at home. There's yeah, the days the out of office reply are not what they used to be, you know, twenty years ago. So how how does a fan host account for that? You know, you're gonna have people who are still trying to get off emails, phone calls, text messages, put out fires.

Do you build time in? Do you just kind of like let people peel off as needed and understand they're not trying to be rude? Do you plan a stop back at the hotel in the middle of the day before dinner? Like it's a it's a tough question.

Stacy Berry (19:45.248)
It is. And I've been on fans where there are both when we take votes. There are some people, if you have an hour to go back to the hotel that love that, great. Give me an hour to get some workout, change clothes. Some people take a 30 minute nap. Then there are some that I've been on and with you as well. And they've raised their hand and voted, no, let's just go straight through and get back and be done. So you're right. I think you're gonna make 50% of the people happy 50% of the time. But I I really feel like either way is fine. Definitely either give a break in the day or don't get back at 9 30 at night.

It's gotta be one of the there's gotta be time somewhere. Otherwise you will have people leaving the tour constantly. And I think if, hey, I know I'm gonna be back at the hotel between two and three, I'll get back with you then. Or hey, we'll be back by eight o'clock tonight. I can get I can get to that tonight. I think just letting them know when a good work time would be. And some of that goes into fam etiquette that we'll talk about after this topic with tour operators and kind of managing our time as well too. And again, I know if I know I'm gonna be out of the office.

I have other people who can help handle emergencies or some things for me, but then there's some things that are just gonna fall on me that I have to do as well. And and just having some time, whether it's the middle or the end or the morning, right? Just some time every day to be able to catch up, I think will help keep people engaged during the tour times.

Brian Jewell (21:01.238)
Yeah. Yeah. Fantastic. Well, let's dive into that etiquette from the tour operator side. What, you know, I'm I'm interested in hearing what tour operators should be doing on fams, you know, not only to be good guests, but also to really get a great return on the time that they're investing from being there. So what do you got for us?

Stacy Berry (21:19.758)
So there's a couple things there. I will say one more thing on that CBB part is just making sure that understanding that one bad experience could make it or break it for tour operators. Yeah. unfortunately, that's just the way it is. If we go somewhere and it takes them three hours to get our food, I'm not going to bring a group there. It's we talk about this a lot on fam after things are over, if things don't go exactly right, if they had one shot, you know, you've got 10 tour operators here and you've got one shot, or or maybe the hotel rooms, maybe if there's a hotel room that's not clean.

We've kind of had that. And it's like, wow, you knew these were tour operators who were going to bring other buses here. You got to at least, I mean, again, I do want to see exactly what my groups are going to see. And so I'm kind of glad to know that. But because I've had a dirty room on a fam, I will never send a group to that hotel. Right. You know, so just kind of understanding that too. But so tour operator side, a fam tour is not a free vacation. It is a working business trip. And I know there's a joke in the industry about professional famers.

And even when you said that I've gone on about five with you, my my skin tingled a little bit because I'm like, No, I don't want to be seen as a professional famer.

Brian Jewell (22:26.92)
But you you bring back so much business is the thing I mean, that's why we keep inviting you. I mean seriously, that's why we keep inviting you. It's keeping

Stacy Berry (22:34.282)
Because I'm just a great time. Well, thanks. Okay. So understanding you're on a work trip. There is absolutely, and if you're new to our operator, there is something in the industry that everyone knows is a professional fammer, and that's people who try to sign up for all the fans they can just to go on free trips, but they're not going to bring a group back. Once you've done it a few times, people kind of know who you are. It's talked about. Don't do it. So there's your first pro tip. Right. but come prepared to evaluate and not just to be entertained.

So while yes, it needs to be fun, you want to have a good time, you want your groups to have a good time, you're also kind of there to do a job because everything except your transportation most likely was free for you. Understand that there's some things expected of you to give back. So know your customer base before you go. Who are you going on this spam for? Are you looking for your senior adult group? Are you going looking for students? Just kind of understand and with in mind who your customers are.

What is sellable for your clients? Know before you go so that you can kind of be prepared to ask some of those things and look out for some of those things. The best operators are evaluating consistently and not just there to sightsee casually and have a good time. Some tour operators highly take advantage of free more free beverages than they should. That's not a good look. Right. Have a good time, but you're there, it is a work trip. So do some of your homework before.

Brian Jewell (23:55.458)
I don't see as much of that as we used to say fifteen years ago. I feel like that really changed in the pandemic. you know, people's some people's relationships with alcohol changed or they they just had time in their lives to kind of, you know, reconsider like, wait, am I making good decisions? So you know, certainly we always have our eyes on consumption when we're, you know, facilitating a a fan, but it's not it's not the situation it was, you know, back in the day where you you might have to really babysit somebody at the end of the night and make sure they get back to their room. Okay. Yeah.

Stacy Berry (24:22.892)
That's you you're there, you're showing off and here's the other thing, and we'll talk about this too in networking, but you're there to represent yourself and your company. I feel the same way about trade shows, honestly. You know, you're still a representation of your brand and your business. And so it is fun, but it's work fun. And I think there's a little bit of difference there. So

Be prepared, ask your operational questions. A lot of people on fams focus on what they would enjoy and not necessarily what their groups would enjoy. And I get asked this all the time, Brian, because when I go to Louisiana, you know, I don't eat seafood, I don't eat spicy food, and I don't drink. And so people will look at me in Louisiana and say, Why are you here? I say, Because my groups enjoy my groups enjoy seafood, my groups enjoy a good gumbo and my groups love to have a good time. So the bourbon tour in Kentucky.

Brian Jewell (24:59.128)
Right.

Stacy Berry (25:08.792)
Don't drink. Why are you here? I still had a great time at the speakeasies. Like I thought it was fantastic. There's there's ways you can look at it that's beyond yourself. So making sure that you're viewing for your customer. anywhere that I can take, I have a high school daughter at Riley, and anywhere that I'm allowed to take her, if I'm going for students, I love to have her because she will be very honest with me about what high school kids are going to.

Enjoy, not enjoy how they view things. This was too long. This wasn't you know long enough. So that's a big asset, just knowing who you're going for and asking the questions. When you get there, like we mentioned earlier, asking, where do your buses park? Do you have a group menu? If if they don't have these things, then you suggest that on your feedback because you will you will be given an evaluation every day and reminded relentlessly to fill that up.

Brian Jewell (25:57.038)
I don't know what you're talking about, Stacey.

Stacy Berry (25:59.458)
Don't be dumb. Fill out your evaluation today. But it's true, they're not doing this. And I did ask this on my very first fam, how honest do you want us to be? and and there is a balance, right? You want to be you don't want to excessively complain. Remember, this is a free trip and this is a people that are giving a lot of time and money to you, but you also want to be be honest and and just some critical feedback about things that this

This won't work for me unless this happens. I can't bring a group here because and and give that feedback. Sometimes it's an easy change. Sometimes you just it's it just may not be the right fit for you and your groups and that's okay too.

Brian Jewell (26:41.914)
You know what's interesting? I have the benefit of seeing everybody's answers on those evaluations when we facilitate the trips. And and there every trip, there's something that I walked away saying, Well, man, that was just a bummer of an experience. Like there's they're gonna get shredded in the evaluations. There's no way anybody's gonna do this. And then I read through them and you know, half the group is like, Yeah, not for me. And then half the group is like, This is awesome. We're definitely back for this. So I'm realizing that I'm even I'm not.

immune to, you know, my own personal biases. Like I might think it was bad just because it's not for me. But that doesn't mean it's it doesn't mean it's not for everybody. So be honest, but don't don't shred something that somebody has you know, it's their life's work. It's something that's really

Stacy Berry (27:27.178)
we call that don't yuck somebody's yum. Exactly. So that that's the phrase. But yeah. So be you know, t be honest and explain why it's not gonna work for you or hey, I think this could make it better, or my groups would enjoy. But be respectful and understand that this is still a professional evaluation that you're giving somebody. So

plan to sell a location. If you're going on this fam, it's because you actually plan to try to sell it. Now we all know that the market sells what the market sells, and your people are going to be the ultimate judge of what sells for you. And just because you thought a trip was fantastic, this group may not. And especially for me, because I'm not B2C. I am B2B only. And so I'm selling to a company who then has to sell it to their people. And so even though I think it's great and and I may sell two or three trips, if they don't make, the people are going to decide what makes and what doesn't.

And so we know that with the caveat, but you have to go in with the mindset of this is a place I want to sell or I would like to add, or you shouldn't probably go. Absolutely. If you know for sure, I can't stand XYZ location, but I can go for free. Like, you know, that's not the right mindset. And even and I'll be honest too, and I was very guilty about saying I will never never sell that place. And then

You know, it's just not my market or it's not where I feel comfortable. And then I go and sell three trips. And so I don't think there's there's harm in having an open mind. I don't think these locations expect you to send a bus the next year. You know, they they are sometimes happy to open it up to people who will just consider because you don't know if you love it unless you go. And so I do think there is some, you know, there's a gap there, a grace gap there. However

If you're going, that means you're planning to package, or if somebody requests it, you'll put it together. And I think going in with that mindset of of that will help with some of the critical thinking questions and some of the feedback. don't skip activities. I mean, obviously people get sick or something happens. I totally understand that. And you know, with with my migraines and and all the health things I have going on, so much grace for people who don't feel well and have to step away. So this is not that. But just because you don't want to do something.

Stacy Berry (29:35.2)
that doesn't look fun. That's not what you're there for. these people have all put a lot of money and time into this. So you need to attend all activities and you need to be engaged. Don't I know we talked about earlier, having to answer emails and sometimes having to step away for a phone call. But you need to make sure you're in a space where you can give the activity and the venue and the people the time it deserves and not not be on your phone the whole time or, you know, not engaged with the activity.

Brian Jewell (30:02.67)
I would also add on the topic of attending all the activities. I think people need to be very realistic with themselves about what they can do. Right. you know, it's no secret there are a lot of people in our industry who are in a season of life where maybe they are not as mobile as they used to be. They get tired more easily, they can't deal with the heat, deal with the cold. Sometimes I can't deal with heat. but but

It's no good for anybody if you, you know, optimistically tell yourself, I bet I can pull that off. And then you get on site and you're like, Yeah, there's no way. It's too much. I'm on the bus or I you know, so it's we try to share itineraries with people as far out as we can so so they can kind of self select out, honestly, if it's not for them.

Stacy Berry (30:52.494)
Well even, you know, with my dietary stuff, which I think I'm not picky at all until I go on a fam and relax there's a lot of things I don't eat. But you know, we were speaking about a fam in in Louisiana and and Matt Cope is fantastic. And he said, Stacey, I don't know if they're gonna have anything here that you can eat. I just want to make sure. And I said, Do not plan a single meal around me because I absolutely know how to operate DoorDash. I am fantastic at making reservations and and DoorDash orders. Okay. So don't worry about that. I d

I guess my point to that is there is a there is a point to making sure that if you have an allergy, your need is met, or if you have these things. And I am allergic to shellfish truly, but then there's just things I don't like. And I don't expect anyone to cater around to that. I can eat a salad and a dessert and skip the meal and be just fine. I can order myself some food. We can dump me in the 7 Eleven and I'm gonna grab a snack. It's okay. And I think travelers, especially on a fam tour as tour operators, need to take a little bit more responsibility for themselves.

because we know how hard it is to cater to thirty dietary restrictions and things of that nature. But this trip is free for you. So try try your best to also be able to plan for yourself. And that I don't want I don't want a fam trip to plan around will Stacey Berry have something to eat. So you know, just understanding, like you said, what your boundaries are and what you can and can't do, I think is important. And

Then of course, networking, that's a big one while you're on a fan. Network constantly. I am I am never not networking and selling, maybe to an annoying level, but that's how I pay my bills. So honestly, the other two operators some make the trips the most fun. And this last one we went on, we, you know, most of them I go on. Some of us always end up in a group chat together, sharing pictures and sharing feedback about things. And we just have a really good time. You're there to have fun. and to to

Make friends and connections with other tour operators. There has been a fam that I went on and two other people on the fam had me plan the trip for the same fam they went on just because I already had it planned. We were there together. They trust me. They know what they don't want and what they do want. And and because we're networking on those fam, I got extra business out of that. That that wasn't even the purpose of being there, but it worked. So establishing those connections while you're on the fam is really important. I've been on fams where people just kind of stay in the back of the bus to themselves.

Stacy Berry (33:12.872)
Or, you know, don't really talk with people. And I think that's a missed opportunity to not get to know your network. And there's people that will never come to the southeast. That's not what they sell maybe, or they're gonna do it themselves, but they know somebody who knows somebody. So it's just always good to connect and and form relationships with the people that you're spending a lot of hours with.

Brian Jewell (33:33.14)
It's a long it's a lot of time together for sure.

Stacy Berry (33:36.096)
It is. And there's no reason that you shouldn't all, you know, have a good time and get to know each other. We've I've left knowing people's families and kids and why their marriage didn't work and you know, all the things. But it builds a trust for for business in the future. And and if nothing else, you've like I said, you've got some good relationships for when you go to trade shows. It's just more people added to your travel family, you know, which is always a a fun thing when you go.

Brian Jewell (34:00.492)
Yeah.

Stacy Berry (34:02.444)
Yeah. And then the other part, like I said, is just making sure that you get your materials while you're there. I know we don't always want to leave with a whole bunch of paperwork, but at least digitally, at least, you know, can you shoot me that now? And and some CVBs have been really great about as soon as it's over, recapping with us, sending us every destination and the group salesperson name and number email again. And that's really helpful because while you're there, you're getting bombarded with information.

so even that follow-up email of here's everybody that we saw, here's the contact at each place. Because then again, when I go to copy paste that tour, I already have everybody listed out. Yeah. And details blur together really fast when you're there. But the operators who get the most value from the fam tours are the one who has approached them as lifelong opportunities and not just a you know a vacation or one off. So definitely making making sure you're taking advantage of that with your other operators and your suppliers and getting everything you need is important.

Brian Jewell (34:59.66)
Yeah, absolutely. So what do you think about the gifts, the turn down gifts, the tchotchkis, the listen.

Stacy Berry (35:10.798)
I love them, but some people do not. I even love them more when other people don't want theirs because then I will happily take those home too. for several reasons. I have children and I don't I cannot leave town and not bring home a treasure to my child. But also we use them as giveaways for bus trips as well. Now a lot of the things I keep and we use and I have here, but here

Truth be told, it's it's not only for that. I mean, I could show you, but it's embarrassing. The two cabinets full of things like that that I have here. Whenever I have a tour go to those places, though, that's what I save and send with the group leader. So they have something from that place they can send. I'm reusing it to resell, basically. I think it's everybody loves gifts and free things when they go on a tour. So the next time I send a tour to that place, I now have things I can send with them to use as prizes on the bus. That's why I like that. the other pieces.

I do a lot of social media for for our company. And I will always make sure if I get sent a gift or or try to anyway, if I get sent a gift or even on the days of the fam, that becomes its own social media post. So again, I can re-advertise back. Can't always send a group everywhere, but I will always try to help market. And so I can always take pictures of those and that becomes its own post on every trip.

highlighting that destination based on just the picture of that. It gives me something to put on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and highlight that destination. I'll tag the the rep, you know, who sent it. And so trying to steer more business back to them, that's a helpful tool for me to be able to do that.

Brian Jewell (36:41.73)
Yeah. I love the way you think. You're just always like selling. I mean, honestly, you're you're always thinking about how can I be effective with this? How can I use it to move the business forward? You know, how can I help my partners and not just like, I liked that shirt or I didn't like it, and so I, you know, threw it away.

Stacy Berry (36:57.814)
No, yeah. I always try to re re give it back out to groups or at the very least post it and and tag and sell. it helps everybody that way. People see that I'm selling that destination, which is helpful. People see that that destination exists and and it was a great time. And so they can reach out to them directly. And those partners, if they ever hear of anybody that that wants to come, then maybe they say, Well, we have a tour operator who packages it and they send them that way. So I think it's just a mutual benefit for everybody.

Brian Jewell (37:27.148)
Yeah, fantastic. Well, I will take a minute and plug our on-site familiarization tour program. we have opportunities every year in lots of great places. Stacy's been on a a lot of those trips with me. listener, you can find that at group travel leader.com slash fams. There's always an up-to-date listing of current fam opportunities we have, and you can see our our catalog of all the places we've been. Look at those itineraries. it's really, really super helpful.

Stacey, if somebody wants to learn more about you or Cher the South, what's the best way for them to do that?

Stacy Berry (38:01.374)
I am always available through social media, through email, but our website is shareinthesout at uh.com. It's S-H-A-R-I-N. So just sharing without the G, sharing the south.com. I have an Instagram under the same name and my LinkedIn is under my name, Stacy Berry. And then of course my email is just Stacy S-T-A-C-Y at shareinthysout.com.

Brian Jewell (38:23.8)
Yeah, fantastic. We'll link to all that in the show notes. Now, before I let you go, we always ask guests some just refined questions at the at the end. The problem, Stacey, I use the same questions every time. Like every time. Well, you've the thing is you've answered them once before because you've already been on the show. So well, so I had to create a new set of questions. So you I'm breaking in a new set of questions on you. I'm glad. Are you ready?

Stacy Berry (38:36.12)
So I shouldn't feel targeted.

Brian Jewell (38:50.67)
If you had your pre well on your next trip, would you drive, fly, or take a train?

Stacy Berry (38:57.922)
Very simple, easy. I despise loathe driving. so I will fly any day of the week or have someone else drive me is also the thing, but I don't want to be the driver. Really I wish teleport was an option because I get so impatient just sitting. Yeah, I'm not good at that. So flying is always the one for me.

Brian Jewell (39:20.258)
Yeah. Plus with flying you can maybe get a little

Stacy Berry (39:22.806)
Or a motorcoast. I'm bigger proponent of motorcoach tours.

Brian Jewell (39:25.976)
There you go. Absolutely. Let somebody else drive. That's the best way to do it. All right. So since you love flying, what is your go to layover meal in an air?

Stacy Berry (39:36.782)
Well, listen, I'm gonna do everything I can to not have a layover. There have been some trips that it's like a long flight day with a layover, and I'm just like, never mind, I'm not going. It's that big of a deal to me that I don't like it. So when, for example, we have a conference coming up in Calgary, you know, the one? The biggest drawback for me is wow, I have to have a layover. And I think maybe because I've lost my luggage for several days during a layover that I have been scarred forever. But usually, oddly enough, I've never thought about it until right now, but

Brian Jewell (39:51.842)
Yeah I do.

Stacy Berry (40:04.774)
I I tend I guess to get barbecue nachos whenever I'm laid over. They're never good. They're always airport quality. Right. But I think that's what I end up getting is barbecue nachos now that I'm thinking about that.

Brian Jewell (40:16.896)
Yeah. Hey, win and roam, right? I mean you just gotta it make the

Stacy Berry (40:21.484)
No one goes to the airport and says, Wow, they have great barbecue nachos here, but that tends to be what I get, I guess. I don't own anything too heavy because I'm flying. I think that's the problem.

Brian Jewell (40:31.352)
Yeah. Well that's probably smart. So what is the most memo battle experience you've had in the last year?

Stacy Berry (40:39.694)
well, that varies. So memorable with my kids, we went to Disney in October and that was great. and we do a beach trip every year, and that's always fun because I get I travel a lot, but it's never with my kids. So getting to share places that I love with my family is always a lot of fun. and then of course I do love fams because I get to just be independent and go and do and not have to think about

You know, did so and so get their stomach and has everybody got their sunscreen? And so there's definitely perks to both. But I prefer having my kids because there's never any time I'm on a fam, I always think, Man, my husband would love this or my kids would have loved this. And I have to bring my family back here. So always thinking about them and and having a good time with them. And and Disney can be not fun for everybody, but I'll say we had a really good time and and

We've managed the art of a park day and a and a resort day. And a park day and a resort day. When we were in our twenties, we did a a park every day for six days straight. And that is just not who we are in our forties. So we now we now have a rest day in between the park day.

Brian Jewell (41:43.214)
Yeah, that is smart. Okay. Well, related question to go out on. When you are traveling for work, what or who do you miss the most at home?

Stacy Berry (41:55.324)
I would never pick one member of my family over the other because that is a death wish, Brian. That is not a good new question. Take that off. Truly, yeah. It's it is my whole family. I do I do think about them every time I'm somewhere and how much they would like it. Matter of fact, we were in Ottawa for NTA and we were at this really awesome museum.

aquarium wildlife place. And as I'm going through, I thought, I can't wait to bring my kids back here. And then I thought, okay, it's Ottawa. That's not happening. My kids don't have passports. They're still little. Like that's way more than I want to take on. But just always thinking about how much they would love everything. So definitely, definitely that.

Brian Jewell (42:33.858)
Yeah, I think that's true for most of us who are still in that mid career phase where you got kids at home. We love Yeah, we we have little ones. We love what we do, but there's a price to it. And yeah, you're excited to go, you're always excited to get home. So I'm

Stacy Berry (42:49.976)
Very careful, yeah, about picking I I'm a lot more selective about trips that I go on now because if I'm gonna give up time I and this is about you know, circling back to fam. If if I don't believe it's gonna produce ROI, I'm not gonna go. I'm just not in my season of life that I can do that. You know, my youngest is six and eight and fifteen. And so if it's not going to be income producing at this point, I'm not coming. So there will be a time that I'm in a very different part of my life, but for now.

being really selective about where we go. So if I show up in your city, it was intentional and it's important.

Brian Jewell (43:23.938)
Yeah. So yeah, absolutely. Well, Stacy, your time is valuable. We appreciate you spending some of it with us today. Thanks a bunch for being with me.

Stacy Berry (43:31.566)
Thank you for having me again.

Brian Jewell (43:40.14)
I sure hope you enjoyed that conversation with Stacy as much as I did. And I hope you took a lot away from it. I also hope that if you have thoughts or questions about fam tours or anything else you hear on Gather and Go, that you will let us know. You can email podcast at grouptravelleader.com. I read every email that comes into that address. I really do love hearing from you.

And you never know. Your ideas or questions might be the inspiration for a future episode of Gather and Go. Well, I'm just about ready to get back to my vacation, but I want to give you a teaser about what's coming next on the show. On the next episode, we have a really insightful conversation with Harish Straff of Indus Travel, a big international tour company. He's going to share insights he has won over the years for how to fill.

Every single group tour departure. I know that is content you are going to be eager to hear. I am eager to bring it to you as well. Have a great few weeks. I will be back with you in late July. Until then, remember this. At the end of the day, we are all on this trip together. So let's make it a good one. See you next time on Gather and Go.

Gather and Go is hosted and executive produced by me, Brian Schul. Our publisher is Mac Lacey. Our creative team includes Dania Simmons, Ashley Ricks, and Rachel Crick. Our sales team is Talesa Reck and Ashley DiLuccia. To advertise on the podcast, call Talesa at 859-253-0455. Gather and Go is a production of the Group Travel Leader. For more information on our podcast, magazines, and events, visit us online at Group Travelleader.com.