Chapter 12 Distribution Travel and Tourism

Selling Tourism Types of Selling 1.Personal Selling= direct interaction with customer – they must be well-trained, have good timing, overcome customer’s objectives Do not call list 2.Business to Business Selling One business sells to another business. Like towels, bedding for hotels

7 Steps of Selling 1. APPROACH Identify customers Qualifying them (are they ready to purchase?) Needs and wants 2.Determine Needs Ask open ended questions

3. Present the Product Look for buying signals ( verbal and nonverbal signs) 4.Overcome Objectives Ask for more info and give options or alternatives to customer 5.Close the Sale Getting a commitment

6. Perform Suggestion Selling Presenting additional product sales Cross-Selling = selling customer additional related products tied to one name Selling up = offering a more expensive or upgraded product 7.Follow up Get a customer for life

The Importance of Service – pg 246 SELLING FEATURES AND BENEFITS Product Features = physical attribute of product Product Benefit = feature advantage of product USE Benefits to SELL

12.2 Channels of Distribution Direct Channels A path a product takes without help of anyone else Indirect Channel = using a “middle man” Travel Agents – most familiar in tourism industry Consolidators – an agent who buys unsold products in bulk from suppliers and then resells to consumers

Tour Operators = wholesaler. Negotiates rates with hotels, cruises, etc. Internet Channel= Etail = sale of goods and services to customer by means through the Internet INTERNET COMPANIES Company Web sites- hotel sites Affinity Sites-geographic locations ( expedia) Discounts sites- priceline.com Portal Sites – MSN, yahoo