THE INTERVIEW
An appointment
with density
BY BOB ROUSE
Business appointments at Travel Exchange are not to
be entered into lightly, according to these experienced
members. While you likely have you own strategies for
maximizing your appointments, take a minute to see how
others do it. We talked to four people who represent
different membership types and geographic regions.
Pam Williams
Huntsville/Madison
County CVB
Huntsville, Alabama
Christian Utpatel
Terra Lu Travel &
Consult GmbH
Homberg, Germany
Tom Jaffa
Jaffa Travel &
Receptive Services
Seattle, Washington
Chantal Cardinal
Atlific Hotels
Montréal, Québec
Rapport that begins in a business appointment can be nurtured at meals and social events.
20
January 2017
We often hear it takes three years of
attending Travel Exchange for suppliers
and DMOs to earn the trust—and business—of tour operators. Is that true?
And are there ways to build relationships faster?
Williams: It’s true, but it is not necessarily a negative thing. Operators generally work 12 months or more in advance
to create and publish tours. If you are a
destination that is new to them, it takes
a few face-to-face meetings to encourage them to include your location and
activities. Following up and providing
exactly what you promise are essential
to building that rapport.
Utpatel: This is very true. It was exactly
at my fourth TREX that I took the first
serious business home to Germany.
There might be a way to build relationships faster, but I didn’t find it. It’s all
about ongoing contacts.
Jaffa: As tour operators, we are responsible for the well-being of each passenger and for the quality of their experience. Our reputations (and liability)
are in the hands of those providing the
services at each venue of the tour, so we
need to have confidence in the partners
we select. Many of my choices of destinations and suppliers are based upon
my confidence in those who represent
them, and trust takes time to build.
Relationships take time to forge.
Cardinal: It definitely takes a few meetings before you see the first booking—
unless the tour operator is desperate.
Seven minutes is fast, and you need
more time to get to know each other. To
build relationships faster, follow up and
make face-to-face visits when possible.
If that’s not possible, you can always
use Skype.
What’s the best way to turn around a
seemingly mismatched appointment to
gain something from it?
Utpatel: I remember one appointment where we both had no idea what
brought us together. Our markets and
products were to tally different. But I
gave my regular speech, we had a fun
time and I found out that my new colleague had heritage connections to
Germany. We keep in contact, and, who
knows: Maybe one day he will bring a
group to Germany. Of course it’s best