The travel industry is filled with interesting niches to specialize in, and one of the most popular and profitable areas of the industry is destination weddings. Working with wedding groups can be extremely rewarding, but if you’re new to destination weddings, it’s important to first prepare yourself so you can be the best advisor for your clients. Following this guide will help you to tap into this growing segment of the industry.
Expand Your Knowledge
Educating yourself is the key to success for any area of the industry, and this couldn’t be more important when it comes to selling destination weddings. It is almost impossible to book a destination wedding without prior education, but where to start?
Learn From the Pros
One of the best resources in the travel industry is a veteran advisor. Find the destination wedding experts to talk to and soak in all their knowledge and expertise. You’ll learn a ton just by listening to their tips and advice and asking questions.
“I would recommend having a mentor who specializes in destination weddings who can teach you the steps of having a destination wedding,” said Kendra Carver, the owner of Kendra & Company Travel Agency. “Destination Weddings are multi-faceted and involve attention to detail, organization and being able to communicate effectively, not only with the destination wedding couple but also all of the guests. Having someone who knows the process and is successful in destination wedding planning, can help you navigate the steps in planning and design.”
Training Programs
Another way to learn about this segment of the industry is by taking training courses. The Travel Institute’s Honeymoons and Destination Weddings Specialist Course and the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association’s Specialist Course and Master Classes are great places to start.
Just like the entire industry, the destination wedding segment is constantly evolving. It’s important to stay up to date by taking continued education courses and getting the latest updates from the hotels and destinations you work with.
Get Feet on the Ground
What is one of the most important parts of a travel advisor’s job? Traveling of course! People come to you because you’re the expert in all things travel and have been to all the destinations they’d like to visit. The same goes for destination wedding clients.
FAM Trips and Conferences
It’s important to visit the destinations and hotels you work with in order to become familiar with all the details. You can do this on your own or find a wedding-focused FAM trip to attend. Seeing the venue options, honeymoon suites and all around ambiance is extremely helpful when matching your brides and grooms with their ideal wedding location.
Attending wedding conferences and events is also helpful for expanding your knowledge. At these events, you’ll be able to talk to several suppliers all in one place. The Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA) and the International Association of Destination Wedding Professionals (IADWP) both offer in-person events for travel advisors to attend.
Supplier Relationships Are Key
Establishing strong partnerships with the brands you work with will make life a whole lot easier for both you and your clients. One way to do this is by reaching out and connecting with your BDMs and continuing to be in touch with them often – not only when you need something. Having a close relationship with your partners means you always have someone in your corner to count on.
“Travel advisors who cultivate strong relationships with local vendors benefit from efficient communication channels, streamlined logistics, and a network of professionals dedicated to bringing the couple's vision to life,” said Johanna González, leisure sales manager at Discover Puerto Rico. “This level of coordination minimizes stress for the couple and elevates the travel advisor's reputation for delivering exceptional destination wedding experiences.”
Potential wedding clients will be impressed to see you have a network of brands that you work closely with. For some advisors, it works best to choose a few go-to destinations and resorts to have in a portfolio. This allows them to hone in and become even more familiar with certain brands.
Create a Strategy
Once you’re feeling prepared to begin selling destination weddings, it’s crucial to have a plan. Are you going to charge a planning fee for wedding groups? Will you have a scheduling tool for clients to use? How will you market yourself as a wedding specialist? It’s better to have these decisions made so you aren’t playing the guessing game along the way.
Have systems in place to organize client details. This may change as you book more weddings, but incorporating a wedding timeline can help to keep both you and your clients on track during the planning process.
Learning Along the Way
Don’t get discouraged if you don’t quite feel like an expert from the start. Becoming a destination wedding specialist takes time, and you’ll learn something new from each wedding you book. For example, it’s important to encourage couples to choose their date early, as hotels and resorts book up far in advance.
“Book your wedding early for best date and venue availability, especially if you want to have your ceremony over a weekend,” Gina Johnson, senior manager, destination weddings & celebrations at Hilton, All-Inclusive advised. “We suggest 12-24 months prior.” This is just one of the many tips you’ll learn along the way.
This guide only scratches the surface. To dive even deeper into learning about selling weddings, visit the dedicated destination weddings page on VAX VacationAccess.
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