By Niraj Vashi, Founder Director, Nivalink Holidays
FAM trips (or familiarisation trips) have been part of travel industry for long. For outsiders it is assumed to be a godsend opportunity for “Free Travel”. For those within the industry it’s an opportunity to take business/relationships to the next level. There are many assumptions and half-truths being floated around these trips. So let me bust some of the myths around FAM trips.
Myth no 1 – FAM Trips are Free Travel
25-30% of all FAM trips are all-inclusive; otherwise you pay for at least the flights. We were recently on a FAM trip where even at 50% discount, we paid about USD 3,000 for the trip.
So word FAM does not definitely imply it is Totally Free Travel. It could be, but not always it is.
Myth no 2 – FAM trips are fun
FAM trips are high energy trips where you meet other trade colleagues, visit a new hotels/destinations, meet local trade partners/stakeholders and get overall vibe.
Those who offer FAM ensure that your schedule is packed to make most of your time there. We often wakeup at 5:30 AM, and are up and running till 11 PM attending formal dinners.
While it is exciting to be on a FAM, but they are very hectic as well. Our recent Utah region FAM involved constant travelling, hiking, sightseeing, B2B meetups, dark sky experiences and much more. It also had odd-hour meals, unseasonal rainfall and even an unscheduled Western movie photoshoot. So it was all about spending time absorbing information, soaking in the experience and understanding the destination.
If you are passionate about your business and exploring a destination, it can energise you as a business owner; however it’s no walk in the park to be called “Fun”.
Myth no 3 –Travel agents to accept all FAM Invitations they get
As a travel company, we refuse FAM invites for many reasons. Some of them are:
Destination not part of core strategy – Few years ago we refused to be on an all-inclusive FAM to Cuba as we didn’t see sending travellers in near future.
Time Constraints – Can’t make it if we are already committed to something else for those dates.
Visa Constraints – Can’t make it if there is not enough time for Visa Application.
Been there done that – Already been there in recent past, so there is no point of repeating it.
Not the right kind of FAM – All FAMs do not suit the kind of travel you recommend. So we opt for FAMs where itineraries are not in line with what we plan to sell.
Myth no 4 – FAM trips are always given to those close to the organisers
FAM organisers (Typically local office or representation company) have the difficult task to decide who to invite for the FAM trip. So the list is narrowed down based on available information. Picking 10 (Typical size of a FAM is about 5 to 10 agents) out of a list of 1,000+ is often not easy. Organisers look for serious travel agents who have a good business reputation, the right communication skills and can represent their companies well. Due to lack of readily available data, some subjectivity creeps into decision-making, and that is typically the bone of contention with those who miss out.
Organisers can never please everybody. So those who miss out should instead focus on their own business, business visibility and communication. It’s a privilege to be on a FAM and considering so much of it happening around, if you are good enough, you will be on one sooner than later.
Myth no 5 – FAM is a must to grow business
I am just back from Uganda FAM and I had someone with 23-year old travel agency business, on 98th country visit, on his first International Travel FAM! Therefore FAM trips are just one of the many drivers that can be used to grow destination know-how and overall business.
Summary – FAM trips are much like fruit vendor spending a day visiting a large Mango Farm and getting a basket full of Mangoes in return. Select agents are invited with intent to grow business to that destination. It is a form of business travel where you spend time understanding hotels/destination/activities and experiences. So an outsider may envy FAM trip part of travel agency profession, but in reality FAM trips is a tough grind we all undertake in a bid to take our business to the next level.
