Veteran Training

1. Veteran Training Group & Tour Operator Business August 2011

2. Give top 10 current • World Strides • Colonial Connections • Mount Vernon Travel • Trafalgar Tours* • American Christian Tours • School Tours of America • Smithsonian Student Travel • Tauck World Discovery* • Julian Tours • Close Up Foundation

3. Top 10 Tour Operators in 2010

4. Admission: August 2010-2011 Groups= 21% of total admissions!

5. Guided vs. Self-Guided:2010-11 Goal = Convert 15% Self-Guided Tours into Guided Tours

6. Combination Group Visits Goal = Up Sell Combination Admission

7. Revenue Goal = Increase Adult Groups SMERF: Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal

8. Groups by State Groups from 45 States and Canada

9. Marketing: Sales & Promotions • Sales Calls & Sales Missions • Attend Annual Conferences: Tour Operators • ABA: American Bus Association (2 Reps=200+) • SYTA: Student & Youth Travel Association (60+) • NTA: National Tour Association (90+) • VMA: Virginia Motorcoach Association (30+) • NCMA: North Carolina Motorcoach Association • PBA: Pennsylvania Bus Association (400 GL) • Going on Faith Conference • African American Travel Planners (190)

10. Marketing: Sales & Promotions • Database of over 1600 Tour Operators & Receptive • Familiarization Tours & Trainings (On-Site) • Tourism Alliance Sponsored Area FAMs • Site Inspections • Guide Training • Special Events: Exhibit Opening & Godspeed Sails • Direct Marketing • Eblast newsletters, special events and group planners.

11. Student & Youth Travel Association Update from Joan There are 91 companies present and a 150 tour operator delegates, there are also receptive operators who specialize in our destination here. 28 countries are represented here. This conference is small compared to others ABA, NTA with only 950 attendees, we get more time to spend with everyone. These tour operators are so valuable to us, they sell directly to the schools and reach many more than we ever could. They bring us multiple groups, where a teacher may bring us only one a year. So please remember as you greet the groups, the tour escort is very important to us, they report back to the tour operator on their guided tour experience. If they are not happy we might not get the repeat business or may even be written out of the tour. I’ve met with 50 companies so far and will meet with more this afternoon. They are all pleased that we offer the same rate for guided and self-guided tours at JYF, they see the value of guided tours and prefer to sell them. I’ve received nothing but excellent comments about our facilities and service at JS and YVC. There is even more interest in HO programs. So MPA’s pat yourselves on the back and keep up the good work.

12. Customer Service Customer = 1. Tour Operator/Escort & 2. Group TIME “Our biggest challenge is having the MPA’s return the group at the time requested by our tour escorts.  Often times when a group is late returning the MPA(s) say it’s because the group was having a good time or they had lots of questions or the MPA had a lot to cover.  We want our groups to have the best possible experience and we appreciate the MPA’s enthusiasm, but please ask them to keep in mind that the group has other places to go and things to see that are also part of their itinerary. ” -Tour Operator Goal = Educating & Keeping the Customer Satisfied!

13. Website

14. Flip book

15. Pricing

16. Cafe • Bag Lunch Menus • New Elementary • School • Adult • Café Buffet

17. Gift shop Groups can order pre-packaged educational souvenirs. Request that school groups have chaperones in gift shop with students.

18. Enewsletter • New in 2011, quarterly enewsletter! • Currently consumer or general interest. • Next phase, target market segments. • Sign up today on www.historyisfun.org!

19. Williamsburg Commercials www.visitwilliamsburg.com Slide Fife Mom Coordinate efforts with partners to maximize joint marketing opportunities.

20. Thank you!