Photo. A man
making cigars on the Cuban stand. He attracted a lot of attention. © Travel
Explorations.
As Lonely Planet writes on its website: "Cuba is the Caribbean's largest
and least commercialised island and one of the world's last bastions of
communism".
The Cuban standProbably the most creative stand on the whole exhibition was
the Cuban stand. It was designed in an original way. The ban sitting in the
front of the stand attracted big attention. Visitors stopped for a long while
for observing how he made Cuban Zigars. But where were the back up staff for
catching potential travellers to Cuba? So far I could see there were no one to
collect good leads and contacts. And there were no visitors in the stand so the
staff could talk directly to them, but anyway I think Cuba was well profiled.
Cuba has become a very popular destination among people
from around the world because of the inhabitants hospitality, culture,
beachlife, party life and traditional music
The USA Stand
Always big as usual. The sound from music and loud
speaker from the USA`s stand sounded as thunder and lightening, and it disturbed so
much on a far distance in the hall that I think it was devasting for they
who had other stand. It`s also annoying for visitors who search for information and
want to talk to represents on other stands. It`s a mystery for me why
the organisator accept this.
The Irish stand
A quite big and well designed stand, but nothing more than that.
It's always popular among visitors, especially when the live band began to
play Irish folk songs as "The Wild Rover", but here it seems to me that the stand
was understaffed. Then it`s easy to stop for a while for listen to good music,
but it's also easy to walk further without asking for information about tour opportunities
and other things.
|
Photo. Two musicans from Ireland. They
really spreaded happiness with their beautiful music. © Travel
Explorations.
|
 |
General speaking about the sales work on the travel
fair
Based on my own impressions and comments I have got from
others, is that some exhibitors try to make it in an easy way, maybe to easy.
The managers hire young people, some students, to represent the company on the
stand while the managers are absence. The students and other young people are
very enthusiastic and service minded, but how much credibility do they have when
they are selling tours to places they never have been to, and know little
about?
What next step to capture clients after the travel
fair?
Every tour operator and other travel business make
their efforts to provide great service to potential
clients and current customers. Their aim is to generate satisfaction among their
target groups. So what will they do to
follow up people who expressed their interest during the travel fair? And what`s the
quality of their work?
One way to follow up potential clients, as the tour
operators have been in touch with, is to invitate them to
presentations, offer them to subscribe to a mailing list or opt-in
list. This is a list where potential clients agree to be sent promotional
materials such as newsletters, catalogues and such that could keep them updated
about tour operators tour offers. These promotional materials could
be sent via e-mail to the members of the list in different time intervals.
In this e-mails there should be links to their website and website articles.
I think is better to use links to the website instead of
sending attachments. Attachments fill easily up receivers Inboxes, and can
sometimes be pretty annoying. It`s better to direct potential clients directly
to a website where tour operators can present their offers completely and with
booking functions. So I wonder; how many tour operators have collected names and
addresses to potential clients on travel fair?
So what about after the tour?
Customer
satisfaction is your key for a new sale to the same customer (client). Many tour
operators forget their clients easily after they have travelled with them. There
is a great chance for that potential clients and current customers who are
satisfied with their tours, products or the services, will come
back and book again. In addition they will recommend their
choosen tour operators to other travellers. This could generate more
bookings and business for the tour operators.
I look forward to meet friends, eager travellers, business contacts and other who have
passion for travelling on the Norway International Travel Fair next year! See
you there!
Stein Morten Lund, 2 February
2006
Additional information
You will also find
several reports with photos on our website from the previous travel trade
in Norway: Reiseliv 05. Click on the link www.TravelExplorations.com and search
for the articles.
Travel Explorations is specialized in running
tailormade promotion campaigns for tour operators and other travel companies. We
attract clients (travellers) to our buisness partners. Based on travel tales,
articles and news reports we create ideas, give inspiration and make people
dream about adventures. And so they wonder who can help them to fullfill their
dreams.
Tour operators and other travel companies who are interesting in
information and offers about what Travel Explorations can do for them, please
contact us on e-mail: stein@travelexplorations.com.
E-mail this
Print this
