6 Ways DMOs Can Reach Luxury Travel Advisors

When international DMOs and tourism boards leverage MMGY Myriad’s trade expertise, they are also accessing our deep connections with luxury travel advisors. So when we were invited to sit down with the AFAR Travel Advisory Council, we grabbed the opportunity to learn from their collective experiences.  

Instagram is an inspiration generator.

Travel advisors can build an entire itinerary inspired by one Instagram image. When a traveler spots an intriguing image – without even knowing where it’s located or how to get there – they can message it directly to the advisor to begin planning. This underscores just how important it is for DMOs to push out high-quality visual content through their social media channels. And that promotion should be a mix of professionally shot originals and organic user-generated images to nurture both inspiration and engagement.

ROI matters, but so do relationships.

Budget constraints often put DMOs in the tough position of choosing between marketing, sales and public relations strategies. While the instinct is often to direct funds toward marketing initiatives that show ROI, investing in face-to-face time with advisors is invaluable. Approximately 20% of advisors are driving 80% or more of the revenue, so focusing on building relationships with high-performing advisors can put your destination at the top of their mind. 

Incentives work.

Knowing about a spike in inquiries and concrete numbers of bookings is critical for DMOs, but getting that information is a challenge. If a destination can provide exclusive information or offer VIP perks to clients, advisors may be more incentivized to reach out and provide important feedback. 

Be mindful of busy schedules.

While webinars are an effective tool with excellent reach, the general consensus is to limit them to 10 to 15 minutes long – downloadable, detailed and to the point. With face-to-face events, there’s a growing demand for shorter, informal cocktail hours to deliver information. 

Data makes a difference.

MMGY Myriad’s destination marketing strategies are backed by the best data in the industry. With research provided by MMGY Travel Intelligence, advisors can access valuable information – from modeling potential clients to analyzing market trends. That proprietary information can be paired with the latest destination information such as airlift and hotel openings. 

DMOs need to have crisis plan in place.  

Luxury travel advisors have a duty of care responsibility to their clients, and it’s up to them to help their consumers can make informed decisions. When managing a crisis, be it a natural disaster or high-profile crime, destinations must have an open line of communication with up-to-date, accurate information. If that information isn’t readily available, say so! And then keep the conversation going.