On Tour
❖ marty sarbey de souto, ctc
What Do You Bring To Your Tour Members? We knoW ThaT our tour partici-
to learn something new. Call it
pants join us for many reasons, but do
ongoing education, extended learning,
for them to go is to build that base of
we ever sit down and analyze exactly
intellectual enrichment or what you
memories – trips and good times that
why they have selected our particular
will. It needn’t be a formal class or
one can look back on as the years
tour?
lecture, but at least an opportunity to
go along. Call it emotional fodder for
s-t-r-e-t-c-h those brain muscles. This
some empty times in the future when
motivations of our members – what
is particularly important for recently
one may not be able to travel as readily
brings them to us in the first place and
retired folks or for seniors who may
and must rely on photos and remem-
what makes them come back time
feel this lack in their lives.
bering to fill the void.
Do we truly understand the
after time, tour after tour? If we really understand these reasons, it can help us tremendously in planning future
And one of the strongest reasons
If you, as the tour coordinator and The BonD oF FrIenDShIP Another motivation is that of making
perhaps as the tour leader in-thefield, can bring all of the above to your
trips and in developing marketing
new friends or revisiting with old friends
participants, you should pat yourself
efforts for these trips.
who may have gone on an earlier trip
on the back for a job well done. Not
with them. I have a group of women
just the job of being the very best tour
First of all, we may bring new destinations to them – or perhaps old destinations revisited. (I’ve had many a tour member sign up for a trip saying, “I’ve already been there years ago but
Tour planners offer their clients fun, enrichment and emotional fodder
I’d like to go back.”) Just the clarion call of a new destination that they may have read about or seen in the movies
who have traveled with me every fall
leader you can be and operating
can serve as a motivation to go.
since 1980! Each year we go to a
another successful tour. Not just by
different international destination:
providing a successful, fun, friendly,
Normandy, Provence, the Colonial
emotionally fulfilling tour. Not just by
Cities of Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Brazil,
ensuring wonderful memories for
be a strong motivation. Let’s face
Argentina, the English Cotswold
your members to look back on as the
it – many of our tour members are
villages and so forth. Of course, we
years go on. But by knowing that you
weighted down these days with wor-
lose a few and we gain a few new
are providing a necessary, helpful,
ries, unhappiness and uncertainties.
members every year, but the first
enjoyable experience for all and are
Many are facing daily fears of whether
thing they ask me when I send out my
contributing to the well-being and
they’ll lose their job, whether their
yearly tour announcement is not
happiness of your clients.
spouse’s health will take a turn for
“Where are we going this year?” It’s
the worst, whether their daughter’s
“Who’s going?”
Make IT Fun Secondly, the promise of fun can
romance will work out or whether a
Another thing you bring to your
grandchild will get into the college of
participants is the feeling of security
his/her choice. How many of your tour
and caring – that you are looking out
members would welcome some plain
for them, that you are protecting them,
old-fashioned fun in their lives: frivolity,
that you are there for them and they
laughter, an upbeat atmosphere?
can look to you for guidance and
Many are looking for a chance 10 June 2012
Be proud of yourself. You’ve done an important job, provided an important service. Give yourself an “A.” You deserve it.
Marty is a Certified Travel Counselor who designs and leads tours. Her travel industry consulting and educational firm is Sarbey Associates (sarbeyassociates.com).
direction. LeisureGroupTravel.com