Last week, we discussed the unparalleled allure of Tanzania and emphasized the importance of destination knowledge. It’s clear that expertise in destinations and niche markets is paramount to professionalism in the travel industry.
In fact, our recent survey indicated that 70% of agents see destination knowledge as their top training need, and it also revealed that those who specialize in destinations average 17.8% more in annual income!
For the past six decades, The Travel Institute, too, has prioritized destination and niche market training as essential elements of a travel agent’s toolkit. Gaining firsthand experience through familiarization (FAM) trips remains the primary method for achieving this. However, it’s impractical to visit every destination. To address this, we offer comprehensive destination specialist (DS) and lifestyle/niche market specialist (LS) courses designed to immerse you in these areas, ensuring you can confidently advise your clients.
Our Premium Library provides subscribers 24/7 access to ALL niche and destination specialist courses, including early access to all NEW content, such as the upcoming Netherlands course! (Oops, we might have let that cat out of the bag. Shhhh!)
True travel professionals, new and experienced, never stop learning! Therefore, as part of our 60th Anniversary celebration, we added two NEW DS courses—Paris and Vietnam—underscoring the value that destination knowledge contributes to your success.
Stay tuned for The Netherlands coming very soon. Thank you to our partner AmaWaterways River Cruises for helping us bring this amazing learning opportunity to you. Click here to listen to one of our alumni and a long-time Travel Institute ambassador, Diane Horan, CTC, Director of Strategic Partner Networks for AmaWaterways, who has a passion for education and professionalism in our industry.
Quality education is our North Star. The curriculum in our 11 DS courses typically includes:
- A breakdown of popular cities and sights, including UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
- Attractions and unique experiences, such as accommodation options; cultural celebrations and events; custom tours for special interests (e.g., cruising, food, and shopping); day and evening activities and entertainment; and, of course, dining experiences.
- Practical knowledge, such as passport and visa requirements; currency considerations; intra-country transportation; geography and climate; contacts and resources for travelers in need; and more.
- Additional resources include desk reference guides, itinerary suggestions, and interactive activities and progress quizzes to create a comprehensive learning experience.
Our lifestyle/niche market specialist courses are equally robust and critically important to success. The Travel Institute offers five LS courses, the latest of which is the popular Groups Specialist course, also launched this year.
Highlights of our LSs include:
- Practical information on niche terminology; current trends; buyer profiles; and a wide range of travel products. `
- Tips from senior travel advisors; insights from industry suppliers; and best-practice training content and tools.
- How-to advice for the sales conversation—including the WOW effect—as well as effective communication to manage expectations and ensure traveler satisfaction.
- Specific, implementable business advice and tools on strategic business planning, brand development and promotion, and sales lead generation.
Whether you are pinpointing your niche or expanding your specialties, these programs will be an important resource in your toolkit. We take this opportunity to thank our partners and sponsors who see the value in education and who help bring these resources to you!
