Gone are the days of 7 or 10-day long vacations. These days, travelers are opting for shorter trips.
A common trend 1-2 decades ago was booking a week-long vacation package to somewhere tropical. This generally required more extensive planning, taking days off of work, and so on. Thus, it didn’t get to happen often. For some, this vacation took place annually and for others, it took place once every few years.
Nowadays, travelers are opting for shorter trips so that they may travel more frequently. Instead of going on the occasional long vacation, they go on a few quick getaways per year. This stems from the desire to travel more in general, especially after a pandemic.
As travelers opt for shorter trips, they are less budget-constrained, as well. According to our agents and clients, travelers are willing to spend a bit more on their quick getaways for a luxury experience.
This trend is evident in all modes of travel: road trips, cruises, all inclusive vacations, and so on. So what does this all mean for you as a travel agent?
First off, more frequent trips + bigger budgets = a whole lot of commission for you!
Secondly, it means that you should keep this trend in mind as you perfect your sales strategies. Some clients come to you already having a solid idea of what they want, and that may be a long vacation. That is perfectly fine and you should do your best to plan their trip accordingly.
However, you may come across clients who are less sure of what they want. Or you may have prospective clients who are hesitant about traveling because they think they don’t have the time. In those cases, you can steer them toward going on a shorter trip.
Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley echoed this sentiment in a recent panel. “Please acknowledge and understand that the shorts market is the on-ramp,” he said. He was speaking in regards to selling 3-4 day cruise trips on the Utopia of the Seas.
There is a lot of money to be made on short trips, so get to it! For more marketing and lead generation tips, check out our Travel Agent Academy.