TRAVEL AGENTS MARKETING TIPS

 

Mexico is an enormously diverse country with infinite sales possibilities. This diversity can be a double-edge sword. Agents sometimes shy away from selling Mexico because they feel intimidated by Mexico's foreign language, and diverse cultures and business environments.

 

Retail agents can no longer sit back and wait for Mexico business to come to them. Agencies must have the sales and customer service skills to close the sale and keep customers coming back. Developing and maintaining a Mexico revenue stream first requires a strategy. Here are a few tips to help you build your Mexico business.

 

MEXICO'S VISITOR PRODUCT IS EVER-CHANGING

 

Keeping abreast of changes is essential. Take advantage of several trade publications that regularly feature Mexico, i.e. Tour & Travel News, Travel Age, Travel Weekly, Travel Courier, Canadian Traveler, Canadian Travel Press.

 

REMEMBER, MEXICO IS MUCH MORE THAN A SERIES OF BEACH RESORTS

 

Visitors to Mexico are diverse, as are their motives for travel. On a typical international flight to Mexico, you might encounter a Mexican family going to visit friends and family, an American business woman going to a meeting in Mexico City, a father and son returning to Mexico after working in the States and students heading for studies abroad. Be open-minded about developing a strategy and target audience. The country offers something for everyone.

 

BECOME A SPECIALIST IN A PARTICULAR GEOGRAPHIC AREA

 

There are many regions of Mexico that have tremendous attractions. Become an expert in one area. SOME IDEAS INCLUDE: Copper Canyon, Colonial Mexico, Mundo Maya, the Yucatán Peninsula, Oaxaca, Chiapas or Baja California.

 

BECOME A SPECIALIST IN AN AREA OF PERSONAL INTEREST THAT CAN BE TIED TO MEXICO

 

Almost any hobby or leisure activity can be found somewhere in Mexico. Think about combining activities (cooking and Spanish language instruction; tennis and photography; archaeology and folk art) to create a program of broader appeal. SOME IDEAS: Cooking schools, learning Spanish, weddings, archaeology, soft adventure, ecotourism, fishing, hunting, diving, golf, tennis, photography, religion, arts and crafts, museums, Native American culture or European architecture. The list is almost endless.

 

ALLY YOURSELF AND YOUR AGENCY

 

Ally yourself and your agency with a select group of major Mexico suppliers (hotel chains, airlines, tour operators) and persistently seek cooperative promotional support.

 

PROMOTE YOURSELF AND YOUR AGENCY AS MEXICO EXPERTS

 

There are numerous opportunities to spread the word about who you are and why you're special. Many are free of charge, such as local radio talk shows and articles in local newspaper travel sections. Also consider doing a Mexico newsletter to current clients, or developing a slide show for local service clubs.