Rose dining with a group of travelers . Rose poses with a group of travelers in Antarctica .
kicking and screaming ,” she said . “ I don ’ t know if I thought it was going to be buggy or dirty or rustic … I don ’ t know why but I didn ’ t want to go there .” However , upon landing in Alaska she fell in love , and she ’ s since visited 13 times .
By Gray ’ s third time hosting a WTMJ listener trip , she was ready for more . “ I said to the person Fox was sending along , ‘ I could do this ,’” said Gray . “ I don ’ t know why we have to spend the money to send somebody to be the tour manager and take care of the operations . I ’ ve been in this so long . I see what you do ; I know what you do ; I believe I can do both jobs .” And so , that ’ s what she did , and soon , Fox stopped hosting listener trips and instead started asking , “ Rose , where do you want to go ?”
WITHIN THE STRUCTURE LIES THE FREEDOM When done right , group travel is the gift that keeps on giving — for advisors and travelers . Gray noted big trips , like those to Alaska , are the perfect way for inexperienced travelers to get their feet wet . And often , those same travelers are pleasantly surprised by the experience . “ My quote when we talk about selling groups is , ‘ within the structure lies the freedom ,’” said Gray . “ We ’ ve structured this all for you ; you don ’ t have to do planes , trains and automobiles .” Do it right , and groups generate repeat customers . “ What ends up happening is either , they continue with us in the groups department , which is great , ( or it ’ s ) ‘ what else have you got , Rose ?’”
DON ’ T GET BURNED As an expert in the niche , Gray shared her advice for advisors looking to book more group travel , first and foremost emphasizing the importance of understanding the contractual component of the gig . “ I ’ ve talked to so many people that got into it and got burned because a deadline came and went , they didn ’ t reduce their numbers and they got penalized ,” said Gray . “ It breaks my heart they didn ’ t think that through as much as they should have or investigate the contract as much as they should have .”
Another key component ? Vetting and knowing your vendors . “ Have a variety of vendors , but your portfolio should be pretty small ,” said Gray . “ And make sure you vet those tour operators . If you just randomly pick somebody and haven ’ t worked with them before , I think that ’ s a recipe for disaster because you don ’ t know how they operate .”
Gray acknowledges group travel can be intimidating . “ There are some travel advisors I ’ ve spoken to that said , ‘ I wouldn ’ t touch a group with a 10-foot pole ,’” she said . But Gray wouldn ’ t trade it for the world . “ I enjoy it thoroughly . I love meeting these people ; I love taking them . People say to me , ‘ Why do you go to Alaska over and over again ?’ and I tell them this : ‘ It ’ s like taking grownups to Disney World ; they ’ re blown away by everything ; everything blows their minds .’ I just love standing back and watching people ’ s minds be blown .”
FALL 2023 / THE COMPASS / 23