Tips on how to better sell tours to the romance market

The days when tour operators shuffled their clients through a panorama of sites so rapidly they barely knew what hit them are long past. Today’s tour operators are catering to a public that has told them emphatically that mere sightseeing is not enough. For today’s tour takers, it’s all about experience. Baby Boomers want to dig into a local culture and everything that means, from eating the local foods and drinking the local wines to mixing on a personal level with local people.

The basic value proposition of an escorted tour is that it solves the logistical problems of travel and provides the professional guidance needed to appreciate fully the destination, and it does this at a much lower cost than you could get on your own. Why wouldn’t a tour be romantic? Traveling with a loved one to exotic places with no worries and being treated like honored guests–that can certainly set the stage for romance.

Vacation Agent tapped some of the top escorted tour operators for suggestions about how travel agents can sell their clients on an escorted tour as a romantic getaway. Here are some of their ideas and suggestions.

Emphasize that escorted tours allow romance to happen. An escorted tour can be a perfect way to set up a romantic vacation. Marc Kazlauskas, president of Insight Vacations, gives the example of Nicole, an Insight customer. “When Nicole was planning her honeymoon in 2006, the only thing she and her fiancé knew for sure was that they wanted to spend roughly two weeks in Italy,” Kazlauskas says. “After lots of research, she realized that traveling in a foreign country with little understanding of the culture, not speaking the language and not knowing how they were going to get around was just too

stressful. She happened to stumble upon Insight Vacations’ website and found exactly what she was looking for—someone to do the thinking for her and her future husband.”

All the honeymooners had to do was show up. According to Nicole, “I will admit I was a little apprehensive to travel with a group of strangers on our honeymoon. I was fearful that it would take away from the romantic element.” But Nicole’s travel agent told Insight that the couple was on its honeymoon, and Insight informed the tour director, who was, according to Nicole, “just wonderful. He made arrangements for us to have some private moments, recommended romantic restaurants and cozy little spots. Word traveled throughout our group that we were honeymooners. They were all so kind, always wishing us well and even buying us cocktails. It actually added to our overall enjoyment.”

Sell the worry-free aspect of tour travel. Tom Armstrong, corporate communications manager for Tauck World Discovery, points out that having to deal with the logistical hassles of travel can affect the mood of a trip. “Escorted tours remove the hassles normally inherent in travel, and those hassles can easily cause frustration that might put a damper on romance,” Armstrong says. “Anyone who has been lost while driving around in a foreign country, arguing with their spouse over directions, knows what that’s like. When you finally arrive at that romantic inn two hours late and no longer speaking to each other, it’s hard to shift gears and suddenly feel amorous. Besides revealing the true culture of a destination, a good tour leaves couples feeling indulged and pampered, which can definitely enhance inclinations toward romance.”

Dennis Pinto, president of Micato Safaris, says, “The greatest way to ensure a romantic trip is to make sure the trip is utterly seamless and without mishap, and that is precisely what our safari directors are trained to do.” He says his directors are also discreet and know when to step away when private alone-time is needed. “After all, nothing can squelch feelings of ardor faster than getting lost on one’s way to the hotel, not knowing where to eat dinner or getting scammed at a curio shop,” he says.

Elaborate the benefits of social interaction. A romantic vacation requires time alone, but social interaction is also part of a well-rounded romantic vacation. People who choose the same itinerary from the same tour operator often find they have many other things in common besides their choice of tours.

Pamela Lassers, director of media relations for Abercrombie & Kent, says, “Although you may think of tours as not very romantic, they offer the chance to share the experience with like-minded people, along with an inspiring local guide that orchestrates your entire trip down to the smallest detail. And Abercrombie & Kent’s small-group escorted journeys include time to explore on your own and opportunities for private dining à deux.”

According to Perry Lungmus, vice president, sales and marketing for Travcoa, “There is a fun social aspect to our Escorted Journeys, and we always plan special events that would be very difficult or costly if traveling independently as a couple. Plus, all of our Escorted Journeys are led by a Travcoa Travel Director who essentially acts as a traveling concierge adding a high level of personal service. Those Travel Directors can, and frequently do, organize independent excursions for couples who want to pursue something of personal interest, shopping or sightseeing along the way.”

Stress that tours are escorted and structured, yet flexible and independent. Tour operators know that most clients want a comfortable balance between structured time and free time on a tour, and so companies offer packages in a wide range of variation between independent and structured. Many tours spend a few days at a single hotel, reducing the amount of packing and moving. Making the right choice of tours can be very important in determining how romantic a vacation will be.

Melissa McKee, a public relations specialist for Collette Vacations, suggests looking for leisure stay tours in which the itinerary allows for multiple-night stays and more time to explore the destination on your own. “That way you enjoy the advantages of traveling with a group and plenty of time to pursue interests that make your vacation more personal and romantic,” she says.

General Tours offers escorted tours with 20 or fewer guests per departure, but also features its Privately Guided series of tours. According to Mickey Huang, General Tours’ marketing manager, “Regardless of who else might be around, some places are so magical that a romantic experience is pretty much guaranteed. Worrying about logistics could dispel the romance, so an escorted or Privately Guided tour is actually the preferred course: Let your guide sweat the travel details so you can savor the experience and romance.”

Jennifer Halboth, director of marketing, for Globus, suggests the independent travel product Monograms for a romantic package trip. “You know what is romantic?,” she says. “Spending time with the person you adore most, say in Sorrento or Hawaii or Paris, just the two of you, drinking wine, shopping, eating great food, going to cool places. And Monograms can make that happen easily. It’s perfect for honeymooners and ideal for couples.”

Steve Perillo, president of Perillo Tours, says, “Tours can be anything you want them to be. You can use a tour just to take care of the logistics of travel, and hardly be seen by the rest of the group. Or, you can be the star of the group, the life of the party. I would recommend a tour that includes few or no dinners (like Perillo’s Italy package “North Continental”). This way, all [your clients’] hotels, transportation and basic sightseeing are taken care of, and then they can do their own thing.”

Sell the experience of thrilling destinations. “Nothing says ‘romance’ like Italy, and an escorted tour is an ideal way to see this amazing destination,” says Virginia Chaves, director of global tour operations for Picasso Travel. “The freedom to explore on your own is coupled with the camaraderie of a small group to create a fun-filled atmosphere of discovery and enjoyment.”

Tour operators create access to the great places of the world that fill observers with awe. “Most visitors go to Africa for the wildlife,” says A&K’s Lassers. “Yet strangely one of the most spectacular sights of all is hardly ever mentioned—the African night sky.” On an A&K trip, “Honeymooners can relax on pillows with after-dinner drinks on top of an enormous granite rock that offers an unobstructed view of the night sky.”

Places that are thrilling to the senses and the imagination are excellent settings for a romantic experience, such as Machu Picchu in Peru, the Lost City of Petra in Jordan or the Taj Mahal in India. As General Tours’ Huang says, “What’s more romantic than the Taj Mahal—the greatest monument ever built for love?”

Arrange for independent dining options. A quiet dinner for two always ranks high on the list of romantic experiences. Travcoa’s Lungmus says, “All of our Escorted Journeys allow for independent dine-around so that travelers can choose when, where and with whom they dine. They can order anything off any menu and, with the exception of alcohol and caviar, it’s included in the upfront tour cost. Many guests prearrange romantic private dining experiences at some of the world’s great restaurants, but our travel directors also know the authentic, romantic local spots that are frequently the most memorable. Room service is also included on our journeys if guests prefer—most guests enjoy it in their view rooms.”

Explain that tours offer relief from financial concerns. Tauck’s Armstrong says, “The best escorted tours are all-inclusive. Money is a very frequent source of disagreement among couples, and having virtually everything paid for in advance can help eliminate concerns about accumulating costs. Escorted tours also offer great value, allowing couples to stay in luxurious, romantic hotels that might otherwise be beyond their means.”