Connections, Cruising, and Collaboration at August Boot Camp
Written by: Michelle on August 30, 2019
Diving into the world of travel is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. We provide our agents with the online education and tools they need to get their travel businesses started. For a more immersive, active instruction on starting their travel businesses, agents have the option to attend one of our live Boot Camp events here in Ohio.
From August 13-16, we hosted our third Boot Camp of the year to walk agents through land travel, cruising, and business skills as well as making connections to empower them in the world of travel.
Business Skills
Day one was spent on many of the important business skills that lay the foundation for travel agents to find success and growth in their businesses. Agents shared their personal reasons for starting their travel business and for attending Boot Camp. Then agents dove into understanding the basics, like travel agent lingo, navigating MyTravelAgentPortal, and how to find KHM Travel Group’s Preferred Suppliers.
“Although I had been an agent for a year before attending Boot Camp I realized I still had much to learn! This is just what I needed to propel me to Basecamp and beyond!”
– Daryl from Pennsylvania
Through the event, agents heard from our team members and learned how KHM Travel Group provides support and business resources. The Agent Support panel discussed some common issues agents encounter and how to navigate the world of working with clients. Agents also walked through using myTravelCRM to stay organized and manage booking information. Our compliance session addressed the laws and regulations travel agents must follow, and how our team can assist them with their travel business. Agents were also introduced to simple marketing ideas to help spark their creativity and start thinking of strategies to build their client list.
Cruising
Running a travel business means getting to know the different types of travel. Cruising is one of the largest segments of the travel industry, and one that many travel agents love. Agents got to learn more about cruising from Charles Sylvia, the Vice President of Membership and Trade Relations with the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). His impactful presentation helped agents to better understand the world of cruising and how CLIA works with travel agents in mind.
Agents also heard from our Royal Caribbean Business Development Manager (BDM), Kathy Killen. From CocoCay to the line’s newest Royal Amplified initiatives, agents learned what makes their client a Royal Caribbean cruiser. They also had the chance to meet with our Norwegian Cruise Line BDM, Soleil Domagala at the NCL-hosted social hour.
Land Travel
Learning Mexico and the Caribbean is a top priority for new agents as these are always among the most popular destinations for travelers. Our Education Team discussed the geography and cities of the region and shared their insights on the different resort options. To help our attendees better understand what matters when booking a land vacation Bill and Chantelle walked our agents through the process of qualifying a client and showed agents how to make a practice booking using the online booking engine VAX VacationAccess.
Apple Leisure Group joined us for a presentation to share how they work with many resort brands in Mexico and the Caribbean. The presenters demonstrated how agents can use VAX VacationAccess to plan their clients’ vacations. We were also fortunate to have Delta Vacations sponsor one of our social hour events and join us to talk about the offerings they have domestically and around the world.
Making Connections
Throughout the event, Boot Campers were introduced to the team from our Corporate Office. In addition to Bill and Chantelle, there were KHM Travel Group team members leading presentations on their areas of expertise while others attended Boot Camp to gain an agent’s perspective. We were also fortunate to have the agents visit our new corporate office in Brunswick, Ohio. For our team members, these events help us to connect with our agents and build one-on-one relationships to help each agent reach their business goals.
One of the valuable benefits of attending a Boot Camp event is the chance to connect with fellow travel agents. It’s one of the things that Boot Campers find most exciting about their time at our events, and these connections frequently pay off down the line as agents continue to find support and gain advice from one another.
“I’m so glad I attended Boot Camp! I got info, tips and suggestions I wouldn’t have received if I hadn’t gone. The plus was making new friends. Unquestionably worth it!”
– Marva from Maryland
We were so thrilled to work with this latest class of Boot Camp attendees. To see some of the fun we had, check out our Flickr photos from the event. Thanks again to all who made this event possible and to those who attended. #KHMRocks!
Are you interested in becoming a travel agent? With online education tools and live events like Boot Camp, KHM Travel Group is here to help agents learn the travel business and support them as they grow. To learn more, fill out the form to the right, or give us a call at 1-888-611-1220.