Sales Prospecting Guide 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups A. The Purpose of This Policy Tour groups are an important part of almost every hotel’s sales action plan. Although often seeking low rates, tour groups have many benefits to hotels, including the following: v Tour groups often book a series of dates. v Tour groups usually need little or no meeting space. v Tour groups can usually be pre-registered and checked in away from the front desk. v Group leaders are often loyal to a hotel for years. v Tour groups will often prepay all or part of the amounts due. They can prepay, because the travelers have prepaid the tour operator. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups B. Sources for Tour Leads Use the following sources for to get leads for tour business: v Use your current MMI Sales Central® database provided by Marin Management, Inc. , including those shown in the following list: § Contact file 51, Tour Operators National, includes about 600 Canadian and U. S. tour operators. § Contact file 22, Tour Operators, Mexico, includes about 300 tour operators, mostly from Mexico City. § Contact file 28, Tour Wholesales, includes about 250 U. S. and Canadian tour wholesalers. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups B. Sources for Tour Leads (cont. ) § Contact file 26, Travel Agents, National, includes about 21, 000 travel agencies and agents, many of which are also tour operators. § Contact file 26, Travel Agents and Tour Operator e-mails, National, includes about 14, 000 e-mail addresses for travel agencies and tour operators. To get access to these Sales Central® contact files, see your regional manager. v Contact the local convention and visitors bureau. Usually, the bureau’s sales staff members will provide a list of tour operators interested in this destination. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups B. Sources for Tour Leads (cont. ) v Check for tour operators using other Marin Management, Inc. hotels. Contact each hotels’ sales departments or Marin Management. v Ask motorcoach associations for lists. Typically, they provide this information to members only. v Check old sales files showing tour operators using the Hotel in past years. v Note the telephone numbers of busses at other local hotels and attractions and call the bus companies. v Participate in the U. S. Travel Association’s International annual “Pow Wow” travel trade show. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups C. Entertainment Tours A special “tour” segment (although actually a corporate segment) is lodging for traveling entertainers. A Web-site for posting hotels available for entertainment tours is Tour Connection, “the entertainment industry’s tour guide”. Those handling lodging for traveling entertainers use this Web-site. There is a fee for posting hotels on this site. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups D. Eco-Tours “Eco-tours” are travel, usually by groups, to see sites of ecological importance. This is one of the fastest-growing tour segments. To get these tours, contact ecological organizations, such as the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society. Also call on organizations overseeing local sites that are known to be of ecological interest. Continue ► SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups D. Agricultural Tours (Agritours) “Agritours” are travel, usually by groups, to see methods of farming and ranching. For example, a group of Korean almond growers may come to the U. S. to see American methods for growing almonds. To get this business, contact your local and state farming agencies and associations to see if they sponsor any local agricultural tours. End SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary

Sales Prospecting Guide, 8256 Prospecting for Tour Groups SALES & MARKETING GUIDES © Marin Management, Inc. , confidential and proprietary