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A land of romance, cultures steeped in art and history, and some of the most inspiring food and drink on the planet, Europe sells itself. It doesn’t hurt that the continent regularly appears on our screens in some of our favorite movies and TV shows.
Europe is great for honeymoons, culture-focused family vacations, religious tours, soccer trips, outdoor adventures, and just about every other vacation you can think of.
In short, there is a European trip for every type of traveler. If you sell Europe, the following tips will help you sell the world’s most popular continent.
Know the classics like the back of your hand
London, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Florence, Amsterdam, Venice. These are the places your customers want to go and in many cases have been dreaming of seeing for years. So you want to know these inside and out to close the sale or add that extra layer of value.
Hotels? Know them back and forth. Restaurant recommendations? Get them ready to go and ready to make the spots. Best attractions for kids? Have a list. Best neighborhoods to get that “local” experience? Have one or two in each city.
Naturally, in addition to all the fascinating attractions and sights, you need to know which attractions and bookable experiences allow customers to get under the skin of these great cities, giving them an experience that’s a little different from everyone else’s. Remember, your clients won’t be alone when they arrive in any of these cities, so you’ll need to suggest things like food tours (guided or private) and other things that will give them an insight into the city. Other travelers simply don’t get it.
You’ll also want to know the traditional calendars of these charming cities and which major annual events can impact attendance or improve your customer experience.
Keep some secrets in your back pocket
Travelers like to feel like they’ve “discovered” a destination, so you should have an A-list destination for every European destination, either as an optional or additional part of their trip. Especially in the most famous countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Greece and Spain.
Combine London with ultra-hip Brighton or Bristol or maybe a stop in Manchester to watch some football. Instead of just suggesting Rome-Florence-Venice to a client dying to see Italy, ditch one of the “big three” and replace it with a hilltop town in Tuscany or Umbria or somewhere on the coast. France is more than Paris, Normandy and The Riviera, so suggest a stop in a simple Alsatian village to enhance your customer experience. You’d be surprised how often these places end up being the highlight of a trip.
Find out where the locals go on vacation, as many of these places have managed to stay on Americans’ radar.
Or simply sell clients on an off-the-beaten-path trip full of both surprises and famous sights. That gives you creative license to build an itinerary full of places you’ve introduced. Trust me, they’ll thank you later.
Central location
A final destination suggestion that will pay dividends for you and your client is the Central European region. We are talking about countries like Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia.
In Central Europe, you can experience some of the same amazing stories and experiences as Western European countries (castles! beautiful cities like Prague and Budapest! great wine and beer!) but your client will get more bang for their buck — by far. Getting the brag of getting off the tourist track a little.
Send them during the shoulder season
When your customers go to Europe, it’s as important as where they go when they’re there. And during the year, the year-round “shoulder season” (April and May and September and October) is at its peak. During these travel seasons the weather is pleasant (especially in southern Europe) and crowds are thin. There are exceptions, with Easter being a big one, so make sure you know where and when the crowds will be.
If shoulder season simply isn’t an option, work to find the best “shoulder-style” experiences at the peak of summer through some of the methods mentioned above: lesser-known spots, private tours, and customized experiences.
A Viking tall ship docked on the Seine in Paris. (Photo credit: Bruce Parkinson)
River cruising extras
Instead of just selling a client on a once-in-a-lifetime river cruise in Europe, use that cruise as a springboard for an amazing experience before or after the cruise.
Adventures in the Alps, Italian escapes and pre-departure tours in the Low Countries and around London are some of the best trips to suggest to clients.
Always be educated
Europe is home to dozens of countries, hundreds of cities and thousands of potential destinations for your customers. You can never know everything, but you can have fun trying.
Watching a movie in a beautiful place in Europe? Hit pause and find the spot and save the spot for the right customer. Use travel documentaries and books about European travel.
Sign up for free courses at Travel Agent Academy.
There are many places where you can find inspiration and sales about destinations, they just need to be searched.
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