Travel Trade Top Tips created for tourism businesses

Expanding your international visitor market? Access tips on working with the Travel Trade.

Industry guide
Tourism and hospitality businesses looking to grow their international visitor market will now be able to access top tips on how to work with the Travel Trade.

Developing a travel trade strategy for North East England is a key strand of Destination North East England, the country’s first Destination Development Partnership Pilot. Part of this strategy is to engage with businesses who want to grow their international visitor numbers by working with online tour operators, travel agents and buyers from key overseas markets.

To support visitor attractions, hotels, transport providers and tourism experience providers in ensuring they are “Travel Trade Ready” a toolkit has been created to give businesses a step-by-step guide on what they need to do to adapt their business.

To be able to start attracting international visitors who book a trip through a travel agent or online tour operator, businesses in the region will need to think about creating a bookable product that can be booked in advance.

The How to Get Involved with Travel Trade Guide gives essential tips and information on:
  • Who is the Travel Trade?
  • What is the benefit to your business in working with the Travel Trade?
  • What is a bookable product and how can you create one?
  • What is a familiarisation trip and how will it benefit my business?
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It also highlights the benefits of working with the Travel Trade such as being able to fill gaps in their season when visitor numbers may traditionally be lower; manage staffing levels as bookings will be made further in advance; increase visitor spend as international visitors spend three times more than domestic travellers and working with a tour operator means a business can reach new markets and customers that they wouldn’t be able to reach on their own.

Alongside this toolkit Destination North East England has also been running a series of webinars to further support businesses looking to work with the Travel Trade.

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The value of tourism to the UK is huge and is estimated to be worth £257 billion by 2027. It contributes over 7% of the UK’s GDP, with 80% of international visitors to the UK currently using tour operators to book to come here. The travel trade and inbound tourism has a positive impact on regional economies, being able to sustain and bring skilled jobs to the region.  International visitors are incredibly valuable to the North East, spending £400 million in the region in 2019. Working with the travel trade, will further aid the growth of this sector, supporting jobs and businesses across the region. There are some fantastic tourism and hospitality businesses who all have something to offer the international visitor, and we want to support them in being able to develop a product which is attractive to overseas markets. This toolkit will aid businesses in giving them a snapshot of what is needed before we can further support them in bringing that product to market.
Alex MacKenzie, Travel Trade Manager at NewcastleGateshead Initiative which is leading on Destination North East England on behalf of the seven local authorities in the region

For further information

To discuss further or to talk to the team please email us: trade@dnee.org.uk

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