Clockwise from top left : Special bedouin lunch at Wadi Rum , Jordan ; traditional Arab dinner near Petra ; church of the Holy Sepulchre ; tomb of The Virgin Mary
Utilizing a Consultant If you ’ re not sure where to start when marketing to or working with AAPI travelers , bringing in the expertise of a consultant can be extremely helpful .
“ Travel suppliers need to start bringing in consultants , and again consultants who are AAPIs , consultants who have traveled , consultants who have seen the world , consultants who can bring the value from around the world to them to do that ,” Mohta said . “ I think that ’ s the most important factor on the marketing side .”
It ’ s also important to ensure everyone on the team is treating people with respect . Consistent training can be key to breaking down barriers and ensuring everyone who calls your company is treated kindly . Mohta expressed that he has been faced with a change of tone on the other end of the phone when the representative hears his accent .
“[ Suppliers ] need to train the people on the phone to have the right attitude towards anyone calling , especially travel advisors of different colors and shapes and sizes ,” Mohta said . Otherwise , the person calling in will want to hang up and call another company .
When it comes to inclusivity , it ’ s really about having a balance of celebrating everyone ’ s individuality while also bringing people together . “ What [ travel companies ] need to do is to separate , yet bring together , people of different colors . When you do an event , you need to make sure that everybody gets a chance to talk ,” Mohta said . “ You listen to people so that you ’ re covering the right topics .”
When you begin being more diverse yourself and including everyone , Mohta points out that the world begins to open up . Travel is for everyone , so why not work to make your travel business one of the most inclusive ones out there ?
Mohta has been leading group trips all over the world for years , and on a recent Arctic expedition , the youngest guest was eight years old , and the oldest ones were in their 70s . Don ’ t ever just assume someone isn ’ t interested in a vacation based on how old they are or how they look .
“ The more we see the world , the more we learn about each other ,” Mohta said . “ The more we learn about each other , we face lesser problems in the world .”
WINTER 2023 / THE COMPASS / 57