Let's face it! The world of travel is, well, worldwide! It is so vast that is its nearly impossible to know everything about everywhere. Focusing on a particular type of travel or destination will allow you to become a true expert and help you find clients who are eager for your expertise.
Be the Expert in Your Travel Niche
Many travel advisors believe they should keep their range of services broad, appealing to a variety of clients. In today's travel advisor environment, the most success advisors tend to specialize in a specific niche where they build their live of expertise to aneexpert level. By focusing on a specific niche, advisors can process more complex transactions more effectively than generalists. Whether you're looking to venture into a new market or you're just starting out, here are a few questions and ideas to get you thinking.
How to Find Your Niche
Agents new to the industry tend to try to be everything to everybody. And, nothing will sink a travel agent business fast. So it is imperative that newer agents discover their travel niche and focus on it in order to grow their business. Finding your specific niche is easy.
Whether you're looking to venture into a new market or just starting out, here are a few questions and ideas to get you thinking!
What are you passionate about? It's much easier to build a flourishing business if you're excited about what you do. Compile a list of your travel experiences, hobbies, interests, and favorite destinations to get you thinking.
Who are your clients? Does your niche appeal to a certain age range or personality type? Are you working with couples or families? Church or school groups? Solo female travelers? Answering these questions will help you determine where and how to direct your marketing efforts. For example, your adventure sports travelers might have a stronger presence on Instagram, while your family vacation goers might spend more time on Facebook.
When and how often will your clients travel? If build a solid customer base that returns to you year after year is important to you, then maybe honeymoon travel should be your specialty. If you want to build a a business around ski travel, be prepared to have busy season in winter and a slow season in summer.
What are you knowledgeable about? If you already have expert knowledge on a subject related to travel, this might be an excellent area to develop. If you are an expert photographer and love to shoot African wildlife then perhaps putting together photography safaris to Africa would make a ton of sense.
What fits your desired lifestyle? Many people get travel agent credentials just to see themselves traveling around the world. Your travel niche should be entirely consistent with your desired lifestyle. If going on 15 different cruises is your personal objective, then specializing in group cruises might make sense.
The Riches are in the Niches
The more knowledge you have about a particular subject the better equipped you are to help others with that knowledge. Here are a few niches to help you get started.
Destination Weddings & Honeymoons Specialist - how many people do you know are getting married, just got married, are renewing their vow?
Cruise Specialist - focus on one cruise line or many, theme cruises, group cruises, family cruises, the possibilities are endless
Disney Specialist - everybody loves Disney, young and the young-at-heart
Faith-based Travel - people of faith travel to conventions and other faith related activities as well as other travel not involving faith plus many would like to visit the Holy Land or even the Holy Land theme park in Florida
All-inclusive Resorts Specialist - these resorts are the rage because clients can pay for the entire vacation for one price
Don't see the niche you want? I can help you figure out the perfect niche for you and get you started. Contact me at alynettabeckceo@gmail.com