Vacation Sticker Shock

The term “sticker shock” is defined by Meriam-Webster as “astonishment and dismay experienced on being informed of a product's unexpectedly high price.” The term originated in the 1970s when government regulations substantially increased the cost of automobiles. It was soon transferred to any item or service regarded as unusually expensive.

Americans are in the midst of an inflation, where prices are rising in almost every area. According to Forbes, the December 2022 CPI inflation report showed that prices rose 6.5% over the prior 12 months. That means the cost of goods and services in the U.S. increased by an average of more than 6% from December 2021 to December 2022. The cost of almost every product or service in the U.S. has risen quite a bit in the past year or more.

Costs in the travel industry are not exempt from the rising prices. You would think that your clients would expect prices to increase during this time, but many may not realize the different areas of the travel industry that are affected by inflation and how it impacts their trips.  

According to Bankrate.com, 2023 travel costs will remain higher than travelers may anticipate. However, the leisure travel demand is still great, so if travel advisors are diligent in getting clients the best deal for their budget, they will be more successful.

There is not much you can do to control inflationary prices, so you have to be more diligent in finding alternatives to stay within the traveler’s budget, while still meeting their needs and wants. One of the best ways of making sure there are no surprises to your clients is to thoroughly qualify them ahead of time.

Why Qualifying Clients Is Critical

Qualifying clients involves asking them the right questions about what they want from their vacations. When a traveler reaches out to you with a request for your help in scheduling a vacation, you must know details to be able to find the best results. You’ll need to interview them to get answers to questions that will facilitate your research.

Don’t rush the interview. Let the client talk freely when answering your questions. The more you know, the better chance of finding the perfect vacation for them. It will allow you to fine-tune your offering and give them results that they cannot find online themselves. It will also show them you care about their wants and needs and aren’t just trying to make a quick sale.

The number one reason to qualify travelers ahead of time is to avoid wasting your and their time. If you specialize in luxury cruise vacations and they are looking for a mountain hiking trip, you’re probably not the best fit. It behooves you and them to refer them to another agent who has more knowledge and experience in what they are looking for.

The following questions are recommended for your qualifying interview. There are probably more that you can think of, as well.

General Questions

• When and where are you planning on traveling? Are you flexible on dates?
• Are you interested in hearing about some options you might not have thought of?
• Have you done any research on your own? If so, what did you discover?
• What are the ages of the travelers? (For age-related discounts)
• Are any travelers currently or formerly in the military? (For military discounts)
• What is your goal for this vacation? (Relaxing on the beach, honeymoon, golfing, boating, fishing, etc.)

Past Travel Experience

• How are you used to traveling? (Airplane, car, luxury cruise, first class)
• What are some of your past vacation likes and dislikes? (This includes their experiences with airlines, hotel, rental car, resort, destination, customer service, etc.)

Expectations

• Why did you choose your vacation destination?
• What types of vacation activities do you want?
• Is the availability of activities and nightlife after 11 p.m. important?
• Do you prefer casual or formal dress for dining out?
• If budget was not a factor, what would your dream vacation be?

Dining

• Is room service important to you?
• What types of cuisine do you prefer? (American, Italian, local cultural foods, casual or fine dining)
• Do you like all-you-can-eat availability?
• When you’re at home, what restaurants do you frequent when dining out?
• Do you or someone in your party have food allergies or require special diets?

In Summary

Thoroughly qualifying your clients will provide you and them with the information needed to deliver the best vacation experience. If it turns out that you aren’t the right fit, at least you’ll know that upfront before spending a lot of time researching. It will also give you the opportunity to offer alternatives if costs prohibit their desired trip.