The Value of Building Relationships with Travel Suppliers

Connecting with Travel Suppliers is the name of the game! As a previous Business Development Manager, who now owns a thriving travel agency, Key Occassions, I know firsthand that building relationships with the reps of your preferred travel suppliers will prove to be beneficial to growing a successful travel business.

These relationships provide an abundance of value to your career as a travel professional because you have the opportunity to work closely with a direct contact whose sole focus is to help you grow your business. The vendor supplier representatives have an abundance of knowledge and are equipped with the latest trends and requirements regarding traveling within their specific brands and travel type. They will work hard to keep you abreast of local opportunities & events, new promotions, and brand updates. As you build these relationships, your local representatives will many times offer you FAM opportunities so that you will have the opportunity to experience the products firsthand which will assist you in increasing your knowledge and confidence in selling their products to your clients. Oftentimes, your travel supplier representative will work closely with you in creating an effective marketing plan to help increase your sales. Many suppliers have great incentives, training, and reward programs in place that will benefit you and your business.

Your supplier rep will lead you in the right direction to assist you with set up and onboarding processes with their programs and services. An added benefit for having an amazing supplier rep by your side is that many of them can and will support you by accompanying you at trade shows and local events to help promote your services. Having a direct representative from the supplier company accompanying you at your event helps increase your accolades and it shows that you work closely with the company. It’s always an effective selling point when you let your clients know that you have a direct contact and working relationship with the local rep with the travel supplier that they will be booking with for their upcoming vacations.