Basic Ingredients Geography & How to Sell It Part I.

Basic Ingredients Geography & How to Sell It

Part IPart I

Copyright © 2007 by Nelson, a division of Thomson Canada Limited

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5 Strategies of Selling Geography You must:

Know relevant facts Know what kind of traveller destination

appeals to Know your client Ready to respond to misgivings Search for enhancement opportunities


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Know All the Facts: Travel geography

Climate Hurricane season

Transportation Options How to get there and how to get around

Itinerary Routings Geographic locations to avoid backtracking

Hotel Locations Proximity to beach, attractions

Key Attractions & Events Where and what is there to see and do at a destination


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What kind of traveller should go? Each destination attracts its own type of traveller

Match destination with traveller type

Satisfied client = Greater sales

Business Traveller•Business

•Sales•Conventions•Conferences

•Usually destination is pre-chosen

and is not optional •Often will add leisure component

to the business trip25% domestic

40-50% international

Leisure Traveller•Pleasure•Vacations•Holidays

•VFR

Usually destination, date & mode of transportation is

chosen by traveller


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Leisure Travellers

History Buffs Culture Seekers Ethnic travellers Religious pilgrims Environmental

travellers Recreational travellers

Adventure seekers Entertainment seekers Shoppers Sensual travellers Status seekers Interpersonal travellers


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Take a Look….

Take a look at your client Figure out what “type” he/she is Identify some destinations that would fit your client Identify the type of hotel that would fit your client’s

needs Identify the mode of travel that would best suit

client’s needs


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Know the client you are serving: Qualifying the client

Ask open-ended questions Probe Who What Where When Why

Listen carefully to what they say And what they don’t!


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Qualifying the Client

Questions Open-ended vs. Closed Leads to more info yes/no

Is your trip for business or pleasure? Have you been there before? What did you enjoy about the destination? What didn’t you like about the trip ?


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Qualifying the Client (cont.) Some clients know exactly what/where

they want They have researched They have information They want efficiency, quality and insight

Some clients have a vague idea of what/where they want They need your expertise in choosing their vacation They want you to provide the research and information They need to be “focused”


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Qualifying the Client (cont.) Ask probing questions Listen to your clients answers Try to identify the client’s primary motivation Review the client’s needs Make a recommendation Describe the features and benefits of your

recommendation Highlight benefits to your client Give them some “insider info”


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Responding to Objections Objections need to be responded to

Counters Allaying misgivings Providing information

Objections Rational Irrational Valid Invalid

Do not dismiss objections – deal with them!


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Up-selling Up-selling

Improve quality of clients experience & increase your profits

Better Hotel, class of service, car, mode of transportation… Identify the benefits of the up-sell You get what you pay for…. Why is there a price differential?…..

Always offer the best product suited Much easier to bring down budget than push up


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Cross- Selling Offering

Extras Add-ons

Ask if you can also book the client A car A hotel A tour at the destination Airport transfers Event tickets Travel insurance


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Cross Selling (cont.)

Offers your client more services Booked in advance & pre-paid Client may not know that you have the ability to book

other travel components Shows the client that you are knowledgeable about the

destination and services available Savings and convenience

Allows you To sell more To generate more revenue and income To make commission on more travel services


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Follow Up

Find out how the trip went The good, the bad & the ugly With this info you will be better prepared for the

next sale Deepens your destination knowledge Cements the client- seller relationship Opens the door for future bookings Shows the client that they are still valuable to you

– even after they paid their money


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Travel Sales & Service

1. Know the destinations

2. Create the perfect match between client and product

3. Follow-up


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Maps Flat Maps

Standard Mercator projection Distorted Extreme North & South

appear larger Direct lines are NOT

shortest on long distances

Curved lines arched to polar routes


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Maps (cont.)

Route Maps Airline maps showing routes they fly CAA maps showing driving distances between

cities

Globes Most accurate maps Help to plot itineraries Awkward but useful


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Maps (cont.)

Locator Maps Reference

Location of hotels Location of Attractions

Indicates grids rather than degrees


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Maps (cont.)

Mental Maps How you picture

geography in your mind Deceiving No sense of distance Misconceptions


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Reading Maps Hemispheres

Northern & Southern Equator is the division

line Seasons are reversed

Eastern & Western Western

North & South America Eastern

Africa, Europe, Asia


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Reading Maps (cont.) Latitude

Distance measured north & south of equator Degrees measured by latitude lines/parallels

Farther from equator Greater variation between seasonal temperatures Greater variation between hours of night & day

Polar latitude Land of the Midnight Sun

Tropical Latitude Minimal variation of temperature & daylight

Temperate Latitude Absence of extremes in temperature and daylight hours Location of most industrialized nations


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Reading Maps (cont.) Longitude

Distance east & west of prime meridian Longitude lines( meridians) are measured in degrees Sir Sanford Fleming proposed time zones 1884 world agreed to create 24 standard time zones –

earth takes 24 hours to turn 360 ° 360° ÷ 24 hours = 15 ° degrees time zone Tend to follow time zones

Greenwich became reference point Greenwich Mean Time - GMT


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Time Zones Time zones EAST of GMT are expressed as positive Time zones WEST of GMT are expressed as negative China

Even though 4 zones wide – it only recognizes 1 time zone India

Averages the 2 time zones for the whole country Canada

6 primary time zones http://atlas.nrcan.gc.ca/site/english/maps/reference/national/timezones

Daylight Savings Hour change in spring & fall Saskatchewan, Arizona, Hawaii, & parts of Indiana do not

observe.


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Time Zones (cont.)

Trips that cross many time zones Jet lag

Travelling east more disruptive than travelling west Fatigue , loss of sleep, disorientation

Elapsed time vs. apparent time Airlines give arrival and departure times in local

time Ensure that YOU know day your client arrives in

international city to avoid error in hotel reservations


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International Date Line Vertical zigzag line Bisects Pacific Ocean Direct line from GMT

Cross line travelling west Day change to next Hour stays same

Cross line travelling east Day change to previous Hour stays same


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Elapsed Flying Time

Military Time 24 hour clock 2400 is midnight - 1200 is noon

How long does a flight take? Within 1 time zone

Subtract departure time from arrival time 0915 – 0700 = 2 hours 15 minutes

Crossing time zones Subtract departure time from arrival time then ADD 1 hour per time zone on a Westbound Flight SUBTRACT 1 hour per time zone on an Eastbound Flight


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Landforms


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Landforms (cont.) Continents

Major landmasses 7 North American, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia,

Australia, Antarctica Islands

Caribbean, Mediterranean, Pacific Cays

Keys, sandy coral islands Cayman Islands, Florida Keys

Atolls Small coral islands usually ringlike, enclose lagoon


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Landforms (cont.) Peninsulas & Capes

Projections of land into water Peninsulas are longer than capes

Gaspé, Baja, Iberia, Florida Cape Cod, Cape Canaveral

Panhandle Narrow portion that sticks into another

Alaska Panhandle, Florida Panhandle Reefs Ridges of land rising to water Great diving

Great Barrier Reef, Philippines, Hawaii


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Mountains Dramatic beauty

Scenery Snow covered slopes

Ski & Snow sports Travel

Slow & indirect Volcanic

Show & danger Affect climate

Windward rainy Leeward drier


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Mountains (cont.)

North America South America Europe Asia Africa Russia France/Spain Mexico US East Coast Quebec

Rockies Andes Alps Himalaya Atlas Urals Pyrenees Sierra Madre Appalachians Laurentians


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Plateau A broad flat area rising above surrounding land

Elevation Cooler

Mesas Smaller steeper version of plateaux

Buttes Smaller, tower-like versions American Southwest


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Bodies of Water Gulfs

Large areas of ocean that penetrate into land Gulf of Mexico

Bays Smaller and less enclosed

than gulfs Hudson’s Bay

Fjords Inlets from ocean or sea Usually long, narrow & lined

with steep cliffs Norway BC, Newfoundland


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Bodies of Water (cont.)

Rivers Large natural channel of water running to sea or

another body of water Cruise opportunities

North America Mississippi

St Lawrence Europe Rhine, Danube Africa Nile South America Amazon


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Glacier River of ice and compacted snow that flows VERY

slowly from high cold places Canada, Alaska, Switzerland, New Zealand

Ice Field Mass of ice sits over broad area

Ice Sheets Biggest ice fields


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Bodies of Water (cont.) Waterfalls

Cascades of water Niagara Falls, Iguaçu Falls, Victoria Falls, Angel Falls

Seas Large bodies of water

Usually salt, - sometimes fresh More than 50 seas in the world Mediterranean, Caribbean, Red, Baltic, Black

Lakes Small than seas

Usually fresh Mostly or fully enclosed Great Lakes, Caspian Sea, Dead Sea


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Lagoons Shallow bodies of water Separated by reefs or barrier reefs Snorkelling opportunities

Caribbean & Pacific Islands

Bayou Marshy, swampy areas

Louisiana

Deltas Low, V-shaped areas at the mouth of rivers

Mississippi, Nile


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Geysers A spring the throws a Jet

of steaming water into air at regular or irregular intervals Iceland, New Zealand, Old

Faithful Springs

Water flowing naturally to the earth’s surface

Hot or cold Often spa resort areas

Baden Baden, Banff, Radium, Miette


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Oceans

Greatest bodies of water Attract many tourists

Atlantic Pacific Indian Arctic

Ocean water temperature Season Latitude Ocean currents


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Coriolis Effect Oceans circulate in the Northern Hemisphere

CLOCKWISE Oceans circulate in the Southern Hemisphere

COUNTER-CLOCKWISE Currents pick up

WARM water at the equator COLD water from the polar regions

Variation Gulf Stream

Shape permits warm water to be carried up to Great Britain Seacoast has fewer extremes of temperature

Cool ocean water coasts drier Warm water coasts wetter


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Winds Westerlies

Blow west to east Between 30° & 60°

East to west flight take longer

Jet Stream High velocity core

Western coastal regions tend to be wetter than east


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Winds (cont.)

Trade Winds Humid breezes blowing east to west Tropical band

Central , South American, Australia & most islands Between 25° N and 25° S

Tropical islands with mountains Western coast usually leeward Eastern coast usually windward

Suggest clients stay on leeward side


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Storms Hurricanes

Violent storms High winds > 120km/hr Heavy rains Caribbean or Mexico

Hurricanes Western Pacific

Typhoons Australia & Indian Ocean

Cyclones


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Hurricanes

Northern Hemisphere June – November 80% in August, September, October

Madagascar & Mozambique Cyclones

Hurricanes rarely maintain strength as they move inland

In 2005, there were 27 storms in the season


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Monsoons

Winds reverse direction & cause heavy rainy season

India June – September

China May – September

Korea July – August

N. Australia, Indonesia, Singapore December – March

Southern West Africa May - October


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Cloudbursts Sudden heavy showers Major factor in tropics Clients should be advised as to pattern in the

destinations they will be travelling to

Tsunami Massive wave usually triggered by an earthquake 2004 Tsunami http://newton.uor.edu/departments&programs/AsianStudiesdept/tsunami.html


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Weather

Weather Atmosphere at given time, given place

Climate Weather that is typical at a certain time of year

Climate is a critical traveller concern


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Weather Tips

Higher altitude = Cooler Temperature Windy = seems cooler Check climate at destination AND stopovers Careful with charts & graphs

Canadian or American Metric or imperial measurements Fahrenheit or Celsius


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Human Geography

Tourist patterns High or Peak Season Shoulder Season Low or Off-Season

Cost, availability, crowds Holidays

Many do not take vacations over family holidays VFR traffic is up – (Visiting Friends & Relatives)

Some holidays set off peaks of tourism


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Human Geography (cont.)

Events Events can be positive or negative and will affect travel

patterns Usually disproportionate impact Need to verify the safety of destination to client Reaction will fade away as time passes

Positive events Olympics, World Fairs, Sports Events, Movie or Television

venues Negative events

War, political turmoil, terrorism, natural disasters

Basic Ingredients Geography & How to Sell It Part I.

Documents

traveller slide

insurance slide

focused slide

money slide

client ready

insider info slide

kind of traveller destination

client seller relationship