The land of romance, cultures overflowing with art & history and some of the most tantalizing food & drink on the planet, Europe practically sells itself. It doesn’t hurt either that the continent is consistently being showcased in some of the most popular films and television shows on our screens.
Europe is perfect for honeymoons, culturally-focused family vacations, religious pilgrimages, soccer-watching trips, outdoor adventures and almost every other type of vacation you can think of.
In short, there’s a Europe trip for every type of traveler. If you sell Europe, the following tips will help you sell even more of 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 that your clients want to go to and in many cases have dreamed about seeing for years. So you’re going to want to know these cities inside and out in order to close a sale or add that extra layer of value.
Hotels? Know them backward and forward. Restaurant suggestions? Have them ready to go and be ready to make the reservations. Best attractions for kids? Have a list. The best neighborhoods to get that “local” experience? Have one or two in each city.
Naturally, in addition to all the marquee attractions and sights, you should know which offbeat attractions and bookable experiences will allow clients to truly get under the skin of these great cities, giving them an experience just a little bit different from everybody else. Remember, when your clients arrive in any of these cities, they won’t be alone, so you need to suggest things like food tours (guided or private) and other insider experiences that will give them an insight into the city that a majority of other travelers simply won’t get.
You will also want to know the cultural calendars of these marquee cities and what major annual events can affect the availability or enhance your client’s experience.
Have Some Secrets Stuffed in Your Back Pocket
Travelers love to feel as though they’ve “discovered” a destination so for every A-list European destination, you should have one to suggest as an alternative or a complementary piece of their trip. Especially in the most popular countries like the United Kingdom, Italy, France, Germany, Greece and Spain.
Pair up London with ultra-hip Brighton or Bristol or perhaps a stop in Manchester to watch some soccer. Instead of only suggesting Rome-Florence-Venice to a client who’s dying to see Italy, leave one of the “Big Three” out and replace it with a hill town in Tuscany or Umbria or one by the coast. France is so much more than just Paris, Normandy and The Riviera, so suggest a stop in a quaint Alsatian village to enhance your client’s experience. You’d be surprised at how often these places end up being a trip highlight.
Learn the destinations where locals go on holiday, as many of these places have managed to stay under the radar of Americans.
Or just sell clients on the idea of a slightly off-the-beaten-path trip full of both surprises and well-known sights. That will give you creative license to construct an itinerary full of places you’ve introduced them to. Trust me, they’ll thank you for it afterward.
Central Location
The ultimate destination suggestion that will pay dividends for you and your client is the region of Central Europe. We’re talking about countries like the Czech Republic, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia here.
In Central Europe, you can experience some of the same fascinating histories and experiences as Western European countries (Castles! Gorgeous cities like Prague & Budapest! Wonderful wine & beer!) but your client will get considerably more bang for their buck--all while getting the bragging rights of venturing a tad bit off the tourist track.
Send Them in Shoulder Season
When your clients go to Europe is nearly as important as where they go when they’re there. And year in, year out "Shoulder Season" (April & May and September & October) comes out on top. During these stretches of the travel calendar, the weather is pleasant (especially in southern Europe) and crowds are thinner. There are exceptions though, with Easter being a big one, so make sure you know where and when the crowds are going to be.
If Shoulder Season simply just isn’t an option, then work to get the best “shoulder style” experiences for them at the peak of the summer by some of the aforementioned methods: lesser-known locations, personal tours and custom experiences.
A Viking longship docked on the Seine in Paris. (Photo Credit: Bruce Parkinson)
River Cruising Additions
Instead of just selling a client on a once-in-a-lifetime river cruise in Europe, use that cruise as a springboard to an amazing experience before or after the cruise.
Adventures into the Alps, Italian escapades and pre-departure tours around the Low Countries and London are just a few of the best trips to suggest to clients.
Always Be Learning
Europe is home to dozens of countries, hundreds of cities and thousands of potential destinations for your client. You’re never going to be able to know everything, but you can have fun trying.
Watching a movie set in a pretty place in Europe? Hit pause and look up the location and tuck that nugget away for the right client. Consume travel documentaries and books about European travel.
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There are so many places where you can find inspiration and selling points about destinations, they just need discovering.
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