This comment, by JP, was posted on our story Are fam trips still about learning?
I think suppliers are sometimes missing very clear opportunities.
Most of us are in travel because we love to travel, but the reality is that opportunities are few and far between. And when we do get the opportunity, many agents simply cannot afford it.
Don’t get me wrong – after more than 25 years in the industry, I have been on many great educational trips, and some of them were completely free. But the reality is that most are not, and even the free ones still come at a cost to someone – most of the time, the suppliers themselves. I can’t remember the last time I was on an international flight that wasn’t sold out, which means suppliers may have been sacrificing real revenue to host agents.
I’m having post-COVID flashbacks to when the world first started reopening for tourism and business, but clients were still hesitant to travel. How many calls did we receive from worried clients looking for reassurance that it was safe to travel? They wanted to know what protocols were in place, whether attractions and restaurants were open, and whether it was even worth going away for a short break.
At the time, we could only tell them what we had read online – and, if we were lucky, maybe share feedback from a client who had already travelled.
The same thing is happening now, but only with a few suppliers. I’m specifically talking about Emirates and Qatar Airways.
There are daily flights departing South Africa to these two hubs, and many are nowhere near capacity. I receive daily questions about whether it is safe to fly with Emirates or Qatar Airways. All I can say is that the airlines are flying, schedules are improving, and we are seeing fewer disruptions. But when clients are finally ready to book, most choose other carriers.
The same is happening on the ground in the UAE and Qatar. Hotels are empty. Clients are asking whether it is safe to visit these countries, but the bookings simply are not coming.
Now, imagine a different approach.
Why not give agents first-hand experience – not as part of a formal educational trip, but with their husband, wife, partner, parents, or children? Offer tickets at a minimal fare that only covers the real additional costs of occupying an already empty seat, plus government taxes – no YQ, no YR.
Hotels with empty rooms could offer heavily reduced rates, excluding meals if necessary, but ensuring it costs them very little to host agents.
Let’s educate a massive sales force that is ready and willing to sell.
Let agents experience what it’s like to fly to Doha and Dubai now. Show them what’s happening in these cities now. Let them experience the culture, attractions, hospitality, and atmosphere now.
No onward travel to other countries – simply to your hub destination and back home again.
Let’s get tourism back on track. Let’s get business travellers back to face-to-face meetings.
Give agents the opportunity to confidently tell hesitant clients: “I’ve just returned from Doha/Dubai, and it was fantastic. You have nothing to worry about.”
That kind of first-hand reassurance is incredibly powerful. Agents can then encourage clients to take advantage of the current fares and room rates and experience these destinations for themselves.
I want to end by saying that I am not looking for a free trip. I understand that many people and businesses are struggling because of what is happening in the world right now.
But there is a genuine opportunity here: to allow agents to experience your product and your hub first-hand, while hardly displacing any meaningful revenue.
Because at the end of the day, it is always easier to sell something you truly know.
