Don’t call them a contracted third-party organization or a freelance business development manager. Travel representation companies embed themselves in the hotels and destination management companies (DMCs) they represent — so much so that they want travel advisors to feel like they are part of that company’s team.
Whether its J.MAK Hospitality,Hidden Doorways Travel Collection,Lush Experiences or Waterstone, travel representation companies prioritize helping their hotel and DMC members reach and develop strong relationships specifically with travel advisors.
According to a survey of 300 travel advisors conducted by Lush Experiences, the No. 1 reason advisors use a travel representation company is to secure VIP treatment for clients (86%), followed by receiving information about supplier members (74%) and getting assistance with bookings (55%).
Indeed, there are many benefits to working directly with travel representation companies. Here, Brad Beaty, co-founder of Lush Experiences, tells us what travel representation companies are and are not — and how they can save advisors thousands of hours of research.
How would you describe a travel representation company?
A true travel representation company is an extension of their clients’ sales and marketing team. A travel representation organization, such as Lush, is not a third-party sales organization. We are integrated into every aspect of the hotel or destination management company as much as any of their employees. Just like them, our relationship with the companies’ owners, managers and sales teams is beyond that of a contracted working group. It is personal, engaging and something to be worked on every week.
A true travel representation company is an extension of their clients’ sales and marketing team.
What sort of companies does a travel representation organization represent? Do they have to be smaller or more boutique companies that do not have their own business development managers (BDMs)?
Speaking as one who has owned two representation companies, generally we work best with independently owned small- to medium-sized hotels. We also represent DMCs that are of the size and mindset to offer clients bespoke, one-of-a-kind, customized experiences. We are here to give a voice that gets heard among key target audiences so these members who offer the most authentic luxury experiences stand out in a world of very loud hotel and travel company brands.
Eden Roc Cap Cana in the Dominican Republic is one of Lush Experiences’ hotel members.
Credit: 2022 Eden Roc Capa CanaWould you say the role of a travel representation company is to introduce travel advisors to your clients, and then maintain that relationship like a BDM would?
Our role, in fact, is to bring our members to the advisors. We build the bridges that lead to the formation of solid relationships. The more our members and advisors communicate directly, the more effectively we have done our job. Of course, we remain in the conversation to assist in any way possible, should that become necessary.
Do you have regional representatives, the same way a bigger company would have regional BDMs?
Yes, we have a strong and experienced team of regional directors. BDM is a term that I do not care for, as it is robotic and formulaic to me. Our directors are remarkable people who have created genuine relationships in the travel communities they reach.
Members of the Lush Experiences team, including co-founder Brad Beaty (far left).
Credit: 2022 Lush ExperiencesThey go beyond “developing business.” They get intimately involved in the daily needs of both our members and the travel advisors they know and serve.
Are bookings ever made directly through a travel representation company? Or is your role to mainly provide information?
We are not a booking channel for our hotels. Advisors have many channels through which to book our hotels, and we regularly encourage them to use any of them that are the most efficient and earn them the highest commission. We are here to guide them to all of these options, if needed.
We are more a source of information and assistance. Our hotels are generally not ones where advisors simply go to the GDS and book instantly and move on. Each booking is about creating a carefully curated, fulfilling experience for their clients. And we are here to help them make this happen.
How many companies does Lush Experiences represent?
Lush Experiences is unique in that we may appear to be larger than we actually are. We are so fortunate to have members that have grown on their own and brought us along with them. We have 12 members that have more than one represented hotel, and this includes up to 11 hotels for our largest hotel property-owning member. In all, we have a total of 25 members that bring to our collection to just over 40 hotels and six DMCs.
Do travel representation companies also do public relations for members?
Each representation company works very differently when reaching beyond the traditional sales and marketing role they play with the travel advisor community. At Lush Experiences, we chose to bring on board Black Dog Communications Group to assist us in reaching out to the travel trade, travel media, bloggers and influencers.
Since we are a strict B2B company — and in no way concerned about the B2C sector — our messaging is intended to reach and inform travel media and, ultimately, travel advisors. So as far as I know, it is not the norm for a representation company to handle publicity for its members, as that is an industry of its own.
Travel representation companies can help advisors curate their client’s experience at a hotel.
Credit: 2022 Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf St. BarthWe decided to add [Black Dog Communications Group] to enhance our awareness, and also enhance the visibility of our members. This decision was a big investment on our part, and was made during the pandemic. We felt a responsibility to help our members in every way possible through the most difficult time any of us has seen. Since then, we have all shared the great benefits of the exposure brought by Black Dog.
What are the typical ways in which an agent can work with a travel representation company?
On average, our current eight-person team fields around 200 VIP requests per week. This is just one way that we can help our travel advisor partners shine for their clients. We help to create personal and special experiences at the hotels we represent and with our DMCs.
We can recount thousands of examples of how, with one short phone call or email to us, we have saved advisors hours of research, eliminated hold times and reached the right person to get them what they want for their clients.
In addition, we answer questions about everything from the destination to room types and restaurant recommendations. We are here to connect advisors with whomever it is they need to know, and make whatever they need to happen, happen. We can recount thousands of examples of how, with one short phone call or email to us, we have saved advisors hours of research, eliminated hold times and reached the right person to get them what they want for their clients.
How would you respond to agents who cannot keep track of which members belong to which travel representation company?
This is an issue that advisors express frequently. Our view is that [one of] the best things a representation company can do is maintain a stable and long-term portfolio, as well as provide the advisor with a simple and regularly updated reference tool — and to have a portfolio list easily at hand. Fortunately for us, most of our members have been with us for more than six years, and several of them are going on 14 years.
What about advisors who say they prefer to reach out directly to the supplier?
Depending on the need of the agent at the time, and their relationship status with the provider (our member) we will encourage them to reach out to them and copy us. We always keep a sharp eye on direct communications and many times, for specific reasons, we find the need to jump in and assist.
Villa d'Este is one of Lush Experiences' member hotels in Italy.
Credit: 2022 Villa d'Este
If all is going smoothly, we are happy to sit on the sidelines and observe. But we are all stronger knowing which advisor is working with which of our members. Of course, if there is no relationship, it is extremely beneficial for the advisor to go through us to make a connection with our member, as this prioritizes the bonding process.
How should advisors initiate the relationship with travel representation companies?
We recommend they start with something simple, such as reaching out to us once they have booked one of our hotels and [if] they would like the client to have something beyond a great stay. We are here to make the magic happen and to help things go as smoothly as possible. Beyond that, it is up to the representation company to find ways to show the advisor the additional value they can add in whatever way possible.
Is there anything else you want advisors to know?
We simply want to encourage agents to engage, engage, engage. The more we know about them and their needs, the better we can help. We regularly bring our members to visit advisors when they are touring in the U.S., Canada or Mexico.
We will invite advisors to one of the many events we create on behalf of each of our members, and we will include them in one of our 20+ educational trips hosted annually to help them experience the hotels and destinations firsthand.
As the owners of Lush Experiences, we have personally visited every one of our hotels and have experienced the craft of all our DMCs. Equally as important, each of our sales directors has experienced many, or most, of our member properties and has experienced what our DMCs have to offer, as well.
