Fam Trips

Fam Trips Are Not All Relaxation And You Do Have To Work!

Fam trips are trips a travel agent earns.

If you think that you'll get a travel id card and all of a sudden suppliers will start bowling you over with free or discounted trips. Good luck! Don't take the rejections personal!

The bottom line is if you produce and sell lots of travel, the suppliers will see you as valuable. It's similar to your boss rewarding you for producing the best results on a project except as a outside/independent agent YOU ARE the boss!

There IS a way for you to enjoy some benefits while getting valuable knowledge in the process. Attend seminars given by suppliers. Sometimes those seminars come in these forms.

Listen, I'm not an expert on these trips. Like you I'm learning about the business. I'll relay to you what I've learned so far.

I've signed up for a newsletter. Travel Weekly. www.Travelweekly.com or joining organizations like OSSN (Outside sales support network). www.ossn.com.

There are different types of trips.

One's a trip that's not really a discount and you still have the obligation of "working" while on the trip. Remember, these are NOT relaxation jaunts. There may be SOME relaxing moments but these suppliers expect you to bring them future business. How can you do that if you don't know the product?

There are good deals where discounts ARE discounts. You really save money on your trip.*(ex. One agent was offered a "seven day fam trip to Chile that included air, transfers, hotels and almost all meals for $449. the airfare alone at the time was running about $1000 round trip.") Remember this has to be earned and you need to show proper credentials to show you're a travel agent.

Lastly, there's the you have to be INVITED to this.

Usually these are free and rarely announced in the public trade magazines. This happens when you're sending consistent business to a supplier who offers this "gift" for continued business sent their way.

Since most of the time they aren't free, there are fee categories you should be aware of.

Agent fare means this is your price to pay.

Single supplement means if you decide to stay in a room by yourself you'll have to pay a single supplement fee.Usually hotels will charge for double occupancy which is less.

If you decide to bring your significant other they'll have to pay a few hundred more than you the agent will pay.*(Ex."a one day fam trip to Bulgaria cost you $690 and your significant other would have to pay an additional $130. If you go to China it will cost you $1390, your significant other would pay $1590.")

For more comprehensive information on these excursions go to www.hometravelagent.com

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* Quotes taken from "Home-Based Travel Agent" by Kelly Monaghan.