Happy New Year to my Tourism Industry Partners
I'm sending you my hope for your well-being, success, prosperity and good health in 2012.
With 2011 in the rearview mirror I'm looking forward to 2012. With some hard work, determination and luck I think as an industry we will all move forward in 2012.
Staying up to date with industry changes and creating awareness of your product are a must when marketing to motorcoach & group segments.
I've been involved in the Travel and Tourism Industry for many years. I've watched the constant changes that have occurred and I've found that the best way to stay up to date is to watch and listen to tour operators (not just one or two but as many as possible). It's their clients that determine the direction of their tours.
I've attended NTA, ABA, OMCA and numerous other travel trade conferences since the mid-90s and I remember these organizations announcing that the baby boomer generation was going to change the way group tours would be delivered in the future. At that time these organizations didn't have a handle on when the change would happen only that it was coming.
In the last 15 years tour operators have struggled with a changing market. Tour operators who diversified their offerings and developed tour packages, which cater to all types of groups seem to have re-established themselves. Other operators that couldn't or didn't want to change have disappeared.
The biggest change, which I've observed firsthand, is that today's seniors (which include baby boomers) don't have the same mindset as seniors from the 1970s & 80s. Today's seniors don't want to be called seniors at all…
Years ago adult motorcoach travelers wanted to be entertained and catered to. Walking and physical exertion had to be held to a minimum for these groups. The adult motorcoach travelers of today want freedom and the opportunity to learn from every experience. They want to have meals at their leisure and the opportunity to pick from a list of sightseeing options. Physical exertion is left to the client's discretion instead of being planned by a professional tour planner.
You have to be creative and think of ideas that will interest younger minded physically active senior adults who are looking for education and life experiences.
Student groups, international inbound groups and tours created by visiting cruise ships offer additional business opportunities for Northeast and Canadian destinations. (More to come in a future newsletter) or call me and we can chat.
Group Tour Media has been publishing group magazines for 25 years. The staff at GTM takes pride with keeping up with industry changes in order to help our clients make the best possible choices when placing their advertising. It's our job to help you create the awareness that sends a message to tour operators and groups that you are group friendly, understand their needs and want their business.
Until next time, good luck and let me know if I can help you.
Fred Hunter |
