Get in touch with your romantic side
MOST travel
professionals
seem to agree that
honeymoons offer worthwhile
business. TNW recently
conducted a Romantic
Getaways survey on its
online sister publication,
eTNW, in which more than
150 travel agents and tour
operators took part. Over
65% of respondents reported
that honeymoons were a very
lucrative niche market, as
clients see these holidays
as a once-in-a-lifetime
experience. A further 33% of
respondents agreed that it
was a rewarding segment of
the travel industry but noted
that they didn’t sell many
honeymoons. Only 1% said
the returns were not worth
the effort.
However, Alan Campbell,
sales and marketing
director for Premier Hotels
& Resorts, warns that,
although they are profitable,
selling honeymoon packages
takes real commitment
and travel agents must be
prepared to go far above and
beyond.
“This is a stressful time
for a couple about to tie the
knot and you’re in charge of
the pot of gold at the end
of the rainbow as they take
their first steps as man and
wife. Not only do you need
to understand and have
confidence in the myriad
of options available to
honeymooners but you also
need to understand what
your couple really want from
their trip – matching the
options to the dream is the
objective,” he says.
Each couple is different
One of the biggest
challenges when selling
honeymoons is finding the
perfect fit, as each couple
is different, says Theresa
Szejwallo, md of Trafalgar.
“Applying a one-size-fits-all
approach won’t work.
“Our experience has been
that honeymoon couples
vary as much as ordinary
travellers in what they’re
looking for and it’s up to
the agent to qualify them
properly,” she says.
Honeymoon travel should
be complication free, says
Joanne Visagie, sales
and marketing manager
for Beachcomber. “The
challenge is to ensure that
the honeymoon couple
go somewhere that has
it all and doesn’t require
much traveller savvy, such
as catching cabs, finding
beaches or restaurants to
dine at night.”
Be resourceful!
In the current economic
climate, couples shop
around looking for best
pricing, which means
consultants spend a
significant amount of
time quoting, says Alexis
Bekker, head of sales
and marketing for Lux*
Resorts in South Africa.
To help minimise the
workload, she advises
travel consultants to ask
their clients for a clear
and definite budget,
which will assist them in
recommending the right
destination for the couple.
A limited budget can be
a challenge, notes Alan.
He says the majority of
honeymooners are looking
for something that will
make their trip ‘uniquely
different’ but at the
same time affordability
is a huge issue for most.
“They have just played the
starring roles in the most
expensive event of their
lives and are starting to
plan the journey forward
together in the midst
of a tough economic
environment.”
However, he points out
that resourceful travel
agents will always find a
way to create a unique
experience. According
to Alan, travel agents
should focus on the little
details, as this is what
customers will remember.
“The ‘Welcome Mr and
Mrs’ rose petals on the
bed when they arrive,
a complimentary bottle
of champagne and a
congratulatory note won’t
cost a ton. Focus on the
little details and features
that provide them with
the magical feeling
they’re looking for and
make sure that the
destinations you help
them choose will deliver.”
Fine details are key
A good understanding and
knowledge of the various
properties and the details
around their offering are also
key when selling a honeymoon,
according to Alexis. She says
that, for instance, while most
island resorts will say they are
honeymoon friendly, they often
don’t have the special touches
that make a romantic getaway
stand out.
Travel agents need to keep
the timing of the honeymoon
in mind to get the best
deals and the most unique
honeymoons, says Gail
Gilbert, product, marketing &
sales manager for AfricaStay.
“Agents should keep in
mind that some honeymoon
offers are not valid over peak
season. If agents have clients
getting married over that time,
it may be a good idea to have
a quick local getaway after
the wedding and have the
honeymoon a month or two
later when prices are more
competitive. Honeymooners
can still qualify for specials six
to nine months after the date
of the wedding.”
She adds that most
honeymooners are not
booking six months in
advance any more but tend to
wait till the very last minute.
“We have noticed that people
tend to finalise the wedding
arrangements first and then
book their honeymoon once
they know how much money
they have left over from their
wedding budget.”
Another technical challenge
when it comes to organising
honeymoons, according to
Trisha Lalla, brand manager
for kulula holidays, is that
marriage certificates can
only be issued by a legally
appointed marriage officer.
“That means that not all
religious ceremonies will
be accompanied by the
issuance of a certificate.
This will prevent the couple
from utilising the honeymoon
special. Agents who want to
sell honeymoon packages
need to know the product and
the restrictions and consult
with the couples and eliminate
offerings that won’t apply,”
she says.
Ask the right questions
What makes selling
honeymoons even more
challenging for travel
agents is that today’s
honeymooners are very
tech savvy and usually
already have an idea of
what they are looking for
in a honeymoon, explains
Jennifer Doncsecz,
honeymoon travel expert in
the US.
She adds that travel
agents will really need to
highlight how they can help
honeymooners with their
experience and expertise,
so it is important to ask
specific questions when
qualifying a potential
honeymooner.
“These are often
questions honeymooners
might not have even
thought about. For example:
Are they looking to relax
the whole time? Are they
interested in destinations
that focus on adults-only
resorts? Are they aware of
specific weather issues that
might pose an issue during
the time of year when they
are travelling – hurricane or
rainy season, etc? Do they
have any key wishes for
their honeymoon?
These are all questions
they might not have
considered.
Often agents put too
much focus on budget,
travel dates, and prepare
a quote based on what
the clients think they want
but during this process
of asking questions, a
honeymooner often realises
that they need to use an
agent,” she maintains.
If travel agents get it
right and organise the
trip of a lifetime for the
honeymooners, they’ll
probably have a client for
life, adds Jennifer.
“Honeymooners are very
loyal. They may not have
travelled before and a
honeymoon done right can
leave a beautiful memory
in their minds and they will
associate that memory with
their agent as they now
embark on years of new
travel experiences.”
