Romance Travel Is Heating Up

Wedding bells are ringing, and so are your phones! We know you are getting calls to book or rebook destination weddings, honeymoons, vow renewals, and anniversaries.

But there is much to be familiar with, and plan for with this market. The Travel Institute’s Honeymoons and Destination Weddings course will help you from understanding the market, to choosing the best wedding shows, following up, asking the right questions, and creating a romance travel brand that will keep prospects coming, this program is filled with practical tips and ideas from experts who will prepare you to plan even greater experiences for your clients. If romance travel is on your specialty list - ENROLL NOW - and earn your Certified Honeymoon and Destination Weddings credential. 

One expert who contributed is Jennifer Doncsecz, CTIE, owner and president of VIP Vacations Inc. The following is her Insider Insight, taken directly from the new Honeymoons and Wedding Destinations course. 

Q&A with Jennifer Doncsecz, CTIE

How does an agent develop their own romance travel clientele?

Appealing to the romance client begins with understanding what a couple is hoping for and expecting. There might be little touches in the rooms: making sure there is a king bed, perhaps an adults-only resort or cruise line.

Next is to seek out and become familiar with resorts/cruise lines/destinations catering to honeymoons, destination weddings, and anniversaries. Several of these suppliers offer their own certification programs. Once equipped with these tools, travel advisors must market their services. They can begin by highlighting their specialty/niche on websites, via social media, on business cards, and even in signature lines. They can show the certificates and post photos/videos of destinations/resorts catering to this niche. Then, once these steps are taken, if advisors want to invest in advertising campaigns or exhibit at a bridal/wedding show, the credibility has been established, and fishing leads can take place. 

Wedding shows should be viewed as the “long game.” The return on investment (ROI) often is found after attending several shows and is not instantaneous. Online “wedding” advertising also takes time because many require testimonials and reviews from clientele, so it is important to be patient. Building consumer faith in the advisors’ specialty requires branding their business to highlight this specialty and providing client reviews to confirm it.

What are some of the qualifying questions to ask to identify client needs?

Aside from the basics (dates of travel, preferred airport, and budget), I like to get some background as to what expectations the couple is hoping for and where they have traveled in the past. I also ask if an all-inclusive resort is preferred and if they would like to be in an adult-only environment.

What tips do you have for agents who want to sell romance travel products, and what should they focus on?   

I suggest agents get training on specific destinations and resort brands. Many couples would love to experience something unique to commemorate their love. Because of this, I love destinations that are considered exotic and speak to a “once in a lifetime” special vacation. Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, and Greece are often viewed as romantic destinations, and several of those destinations offer training and host FAMs.  Advisors also can work with resort brands catering to destination weddings, such as Sandals/Beaches Resorts, AM Resorts, Karisma, and Palace Resorts. These resorts have certifications and conduct routine FAM/site inspections.

What kinds of things are important to honeymoon and destination wedding travelers?

• Stress-free planning: This means clear communication and timely responses to questions.
• Detailed invoicing: Wedding couples often work with a budget, so detailing out specific costs is key.
• Organization: Specifically, with destination weddings, it is a must to know deadlines, invoice effectively, track rooms in a group and be timely with payments. (Having advanced knowledge in Excel can help immensely).
• Detailed invoicing/contracts: Wedding couples use many vendors when planning their honeymoons or destination wedding, and vendor agreements must be clear and signed by the wedding couple. Beyond including their travel details, it is imperative to detail payment requirements, payment deadlines, and non-refundable components, as well as the agency’s terms and conditions. Specifying these things provides clear communication, which is a necessity.
• Empathy: Wedding couples often carry a lot of anxiety and can become overwhelmed easily. If an advisor is sympathetic to their needs, the couple will realize this, and it makes working together so much better. 
• Listening skills: As advisors, it’s our role to provide direction to clients. Yet I have found asking questions and really listening to the responses actually is more important than simply providing guidance. This is made evident when I ask for feedback or receive a review after a couple has traveled because many couples relay this typical message: “She really listened to our requests.”

What things should travel advisors watch out for?

Developing a romance niche takes time, so advisors should watch out for disappointment if they are hoping for a quick turnaround. Travel advisors also should realize wedding couples suddenly can flip from even-tempered to irate in a blink (and it might have zero to do with their travel plans). The term “bridezilla” is based on this erratic behavior. A travel advisor should not take this behavior personally.

Thank you for your tips, Jennifer!