Codie’s Corner: Finding Your Niche Market

Whether you’re just starting out as a travel agent or you’ve worked in the industry for years and you want to increase your sales, consider finding your niche market. Similar to other industries such as fashion, food or fitness, people often search for a specialist in the type of travel they are hoping to do.

If a person is looking for a specific type of food, they will most likely go to a restaurant that specializes in it, not a general restaurant where it’s one of many things on the menu. Fitness people will look for a facility that has a focus on the type of workout they want, whether it’s yoga or barre or something else.

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Similarly, when people are interested in booking a trip, they are probably going to start by finding a specialist in the area of travel they are thinking. Maybe it’s an anniversary trip or maybe they are looking for a biking trip in Ireland. Either way, they will want to find a travel agent that is familiar with the destination, trip type or tour operator.

When I asked Susie Chau, owner of Carpe Diem Traveler, if she finds it important for agents to have a nice market, she replied, “I think it's very important for travel agents to have a niche market in order to attract clients that are the best fit for their services. You will feel most aligned when working with clients that value your unique set of knowledge and expertise, which will in turn result in the best client experience.”

So how do you find your niche market?

One way is by thinking about the type of travel you personally like to do. This way you’ll not only be passionate about it, but you’ll have experience traveling this way. Maybe you recently got married and really enjoyed planning your own honeymoon. Consider marketing to other wedding couples and positioning yourself as a honeymoon specialist.

Or maybe you have school-age children and can relate to the other parents hoping to treat their family to a vacation. Family travel or multi-generational travel might be the perfect niche for you at this time in your life. You could even go narrower and focus on something more specific such as all things Disney, family travel to Europe or tours with a specific tour operator such as G Adventures.

Another way is by looking at either what markets are already popular and need more specialists or a market that no one else is selling. For example, there will always be people traveling to all-inclusive resorts. Figure out a few brands you enjoy working with or specific destinations you are fond of and specialize in that department.

On the other hand, there are niches you maybe didn’t know existed such as pilgrimages, solo travel or pet-friendly travel. Find an area there is a need for and figure out if it’s something that would interest you.

Chau’s niche is planning sabbatical trips that are at least four weeks in duration. During her career prior to becoming an agent, she took two monthlong sabbaticals and one yearlong sabbatical. “After discovering the transformational benefits of sabbatical travel, I realized I could combine my experiences to help other professionals avoid burnout and renew their zest for life,” Chau said.

Once you have your niche picked out, become an expert in that area. Take all the training programs on it that you can find, go on a specialized FAM trip and begin positioning yourself as a specialist in that area of travel. Soon you’ll find travelers in that niche market will be contacting you specifically to book their next trip.

And yes, you can still help customers with all types of travel that you feel comfortable selling, but it’s near impossible for one person or agency to be an expert in all areas of the world and all types of travel.

So, consider finding a niche that you can make your specialization and advertise that above the rest. It’s okay if these interests change throughout your time as an agent. The travel industry is always evolving, and it’s okay for you to change and grow with it.