How often have your heard “I’m going to book this on my own.”  I bet you had a dollar (actually, even a dime) for every time someone has said this to you.  I know I would.

Every time I hear someone say this to me, I reply “If you’re going to book a vacation that is even remotely complicated, including any cruise because of all the choices, you should use a travel specialist.  Not a run-of-the-house travel agent, not some travel generalist or worse, not some random booking engine but a real, live travel specialist.” I have to admit, sometimes they get it, sometimes they don’t.

Unfortunately, some people have had bad experiences booking travel with a travel agent.  This is not because “travel agents are bad” but because they didn’t seek the advice of a professional travel specialist.

Many people have also had horrible experiences with trips they booked on their own, for all the obvious reasons.

I recently read an article by Anita Dunham-Potter (I love her stuff) about some 100 passengers who didn’t have the proper Brazilian visa for a Carnival cruise.  They either had to miss the cruise entirely or scramble to get the right documentation and miss the first port of call.  This is a great read.  Next time someone says they “can book it on their own” or they are going some travel generalist discounter, point them to this article.  See: http://tinyurl.com/cfpmwz

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again. Specialize, specialize, specialize.  Okay, that was three times, but you get the point.

I recently spoke at both the New York Times and Boston Globe Travel Shows about creating a niche. It was very encouraging to have so many agents come up to me afterwards and say “I started concentrating on a few destinations I’m really passionate about and my sales and referrals have increased dramatically.”

It takes time to specialize, just like any transition. However, I can tell you consumers are looking for specialists for their trips, not generalists.  Imagine a customer looking for a yacht cruise in the Greek islands.  Do you think that customer wants to book with anyone? Or an agent who can “book anything for anyone”? No. They want someone who went to Greece themselves recently.  Someone who knows the best yacht-cruise line. Someone who can recommend not only the right ship on which to sail, but the right time of year and the right cabin type.  They also want someone who can passionately describe how clear the water is, how hot the black sand is on Santorini AND the sumptuous taste of the fresh octopus at their favorite seaside restaurant on Mykonos.  Get it? They want someone, frankly, who can offer information that can’t be pulled up on the internet in a few clicks.  They want someone with personal experience. They want an expert. For this, they’ll even gladly pay a service fee.

So, if you find yourself telling people “I can help you with that” no matter what the destination, stop it.  Pick a few destinations or pick a travel type and concentrate on those. Haven’t been there in a while yourself?  Jump on a fam fast.  Need help?  Need co-op marketing funds? Talk to your suppliers. As long as you have a real plan, have experience and passion, they’ll be more than happy to assist.

Finally, have you earned your CTC from the Travel Institute?  Consumers are looking for validity in credentials. The CTC, in my opinion, is your best option, not to mention the other destination specialist courses they offer. 

Happy selling.

Starting Friday, the biggest travel-trade event in New England takes place; the Boston Globe Travel Show at the Seaport World Trade Center in, you guessed it, Boston.  If it’s anything like its sister show in New York, you won’t want to miss this.

Friday is trade day and is filled with some really cool panels and presentations.  I am honored to have been asked to participate on a panel so be sure to come and see me. My panel is at 1:30pm and is entitled “Choosing a Niche – and Why.” Come learn why specialization is the key to survival in this economy.  I’ll be sharing some neat statistics from Tripology. Come see me, give me your card and ask for $50 in Tripology credits and I’ll give them to you, but only if you ask me immediately after my panel at the show.

Other than seeing and hearing yours truly, here are some other reasons to attend:

1. Connect with 250 destinations, hoteliers, cruise lines, and tour operators to learn about new products and travel opportunities
2. Enjoy special offers and agent incentives
3. Participate in the networking reception
4. The Conference Program broken into three consecutive tracks – Product Seminars, Marketing Seminars, and Sales Training Seminars – covered by 25 top industry experts.

So, what else do you have to do on Friday? Before you start listing the reasons you can’t come, STOP. In case you haven’t noticed, this is not a time for “business as usual.”   Come to the show.  It is worth the time and effort.

Links for the Boston Globe Travel Show: 

- Schedule: www.bostonglobetravelshow.com/trade_conference_schedule.html

- To Register: www.bostonglobetravelshow.com/trade_registration.html

See you there!

John