While I’ve not followed it closely, I know a lot of travel agencies have closed or had to change their business plan due to sites like Expedia and others. But here in Washington State there is an example of a travel agency that is building a tribe of people who follow them, Rick Steves, and seeming to have great success at it.
Many of you know him from PBS and his shows there, but after seeing his organization I am convinced that he got on PBS because he gets it, and not the other way around. Here’s what I observed:
1. Offering a free service to the tribe. Since I’m planning a trip in the future I was looking online for information, when I saw that Rick Steves Travel was offering a free lecture on the location I was curious about. It was on a Saturday morning at a little theatre in Edmonds, Washington. When I arrived there were at least 200 people there. The information was great, friendly and free. They didn’t withhold information on the “secrets” to easy and fun travel to this location for paying customers, they just shared.
2. Having a point of view. Interestingly, Rick Steves is apparently famous for touching base on the stuff you won’t get from anyone else. The backroads, the B&B’s, etc. Of course, to do that takes more time and information. You can’t figure that out from Edmonds, you’ve got to do your research.
3. Offer various stages of services based on your expertise. Most Travel agents seem to make their money from tours these days. Rick Steves Travel was offering tours just like the rest of them. But he also offered a consultation for those going their own way and not taking a tour. (but they also spent a bunch of time answering questions for free) My guess was that many of the folks in the speech were thinking of a tour. Here’s the thing: I’m not taking a tour, and I’m not paying for a consultation, but I still spent about $70 on misc. things I need on my various trips in his travel store. Plus my family and I had lunch, as did most of the other 200 people, in the little restaurants in Edmonds.
It was fascinating to see an industry leader and how they build their business in an industry that is struggling. It seems to me that these lessons apply to what I do and to what others do as well. What experiences have you had with other the travel industry or others that you could learn from? Please share your feedback.
David Curry
