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How to Get the Most Out of Fam Trips

How to get the most out of fam trips december 1, 2016.

AlliedPRA Dallas/Fort Worth Fam guests pose at the sculpture signifying how “BIG things happen in Dallas.” Credit: AlliedPRA Dallas/Fort Worth

After months of planning your company’s annual offsite meeting, you are excited to arrive and have the meeting begin. This year, you’ve selected a completely new locale, with new accommodations and uncharted venues. But you’ve heard great things about your selected city from fellow meeting planners and are confident the meeting will be a success. Unfortunately, you arrive and realize that this isn’t the ideal locale for your company or the 200 attendees who have traveled near and far to this destination. The venue is smaller than expected, the hotel lacks the amenities it promised, and the city is difficult to navigate. You should have accepted the Fam trip invitation for this location that crossed your desk months before.

Many cities, hotels, resorts and other meeting venues offer familiarization trips, often referred to as Fam trips, to meeting planners on a fairly regular basis. Fam trips are a way for professional meeting planners to familiarize themselves with a destination and determine if it is a good fit for a future meeting or event.

“Remember this is not a vacation. As a Fam attendee, the planner is a guest. Show up on time, be engaged, courteous and respectful to the hosts. This is a working, onsite opportunity to learn about the city and the hotels and venues. And potentially book business.” — Cookie Walner, CMM, CAE

While Cookie Walner, CMP, CEM, CMM, CAE, the director of events at American Hardware Manufacturers Association, doesn’t attend as many Fam trips as in years past, she believes meeting planners should always determine if the trip is worth the time out of the office. Walner says, “You need to evaluate if the ‘stops’ on the trip will be appropriate to the organization’s needs. I personally recall a Fam trip that included a site of the city’s large university’s meeting space and dorm rooms for attendees,” Walner says. “That would be great for high school and college groups. But this would never have been a consideration for my meeting. Instead, my time would have been better spent elsewhere.”

Where to Start

What deciding factors should planners evaluate when determining whether to attend a Fam trip? Michelle Crosby, CMP, CTA, DMCP, senior national sales manager, AlliedPRA Dallas/Fort Worth, says that some of the key questions meeting planners need to ask are:

• Is this destination on my radar for a future meeting, conference or incentive trip business?
• Does this destination make sense for my group’s demographics?
• Would we be able to afford this destination (airfare, hotel, meals, transportation, offsite excursions, etc.)?
• Is there good airlift in/out of the local airport for my attendees?
• Is the time I host my meetings in the appropriate season for this destination?
• Do I have the time to participate in the complete Fam?
• What is the Fam going to showcase and is that something that is needed or will be utilized by my organization?

Crosby also suggests that planners “have a specific program in mind prior to attending the Fam so that activities offered can stay focused around what the actual attendees of your meeting may be participating in.” Crosby adds, “Have a list of questions regarding hotel lodging rates, inclusions, CMP packages and how flexible the venues are with these items. Request information about who their destination management partner is and how they can assist with onsite and offsite needs and requests.”

Walner also says it’s important for planners to do the research about the city, hotels and unique venues. “Come prepared with questions and as many details as possible about your program,” Walner says. “Remember, this is not a vacation. As a Fam attendee, the planner is a guest. Show up on time, be engaged, courteous and respectful to the hosts. This is a working, onsite opportunity to learn about the city and the hotels and venues. And potentially book business.”

Deborah Cohen, CMP, director of meeting and convention sales at Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau, sees many Fam promotions throughout the industry and feels it is still the best tool for developing new relationships and introducing destinations to new potential clients.

“We now offer one to two Fams per year,” Cohen says. “The challenge for us is that we select a set of dates that works for our team, our destination and does not conflict with any industry events — but it can still conflict with planners’ personal schedules or meeting calendar.” Cohen and her team invite planners who have not visited their destination in the last five years.

“The exception is a scenario where someone has been here on vacation, but did not tour our convention center and hotels,” Cohen says. “We would invite them to come back and learn more about how Branson can also host meetings and conventions.”

Making the Most Out of a Fam

It’s important for meeting planners to accept a Fam invitation only if they have a real piece of business and have sent out an RFP. Planners should be prepared to share the history of the meeting, what the deciding factors are and when a decision will be made.

Industry experts agree that planners should ask themselves if the destination is one they’ll really utilize, book business in or seriously consider in the coming years. They should determine if they have the time to attend, the knowledge of the potential of putting business there and if realistically their budget would accommodate such a location.

Phyllis Klasky, director of events at the NYC-based American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), advises planners to come prepared to discuss their potential meetings and their specs when visiting the city.

“Planners should be able to provide a real date when a decision for the respective meeting/conference will be made and the other cities under consideration,” Klasky says.

According to Klasky, invitations for familiarization trips are sent to ASME meeting planners as a result of the volume of meetings ASME conducts and their buying power.

“Acceptance of Fams is one of ethics,” Klasky says. “If ASME is seriously contemplating holding a conference in a certain city to which a site visit is required and the planner is not familiar with the site or hotel and time is available, and an invitation for a Fam is received at that time, then ASME will accept the invitation.”

She adds, “Fams should be accepted by planners who make decisions about meetings and have a real piece of business — it should not be used as a vacation.”

Gregorio Palomino, CDMP, CEP, CWP, CMP, CSEP, the executive officer at San Antonio, Texas-based CRE8AD8, an International Event Management Agency, has this rule of thumb: A Fam shouldn’t be taken unless a planner seriously thinks they can place business in that location within one to three years or they already have business there and need to finalize their plans.

“I also believe that a planner should have a ratio of 1:3 for events to Fams,” Palomino says. “So if an organization annually plans three events a year, they should limit their Fams to about nine annually.”

Crosby adds that it’s tempting to bring along a spouse on a Fam trip to the Bahamas instead of a colleague who helps plan meetings. “This turns into a vacation, and the focus turns away from the reason for the Fam invitation in the first place,” Crosby says. “This takes advantage of the generosity of the destination and the vendor partners that have spent time and money preparing for the Fam trip and the invited guests.”

Preparing for Fams means planners should have some questions and be ready to share those questions about the events they are willing to place — from numbers of attendees to budget constraints to entertainment needs. The planner also needs to take photos and make notes about the options at the location.

It also may be helpful to create a customized briefing guide to share with salespeople at hotels and various venues. The briefing guide should capture any open or anticipated RFPs and other high-level information.

Most companies have a policy that only one individual from the organization may attend a Fam, and that individual is often required to provide a Fam report, which can include these questions and observations:

• Flight time and ease of arriving at the destination.
• Hotel facility and ease of check-in process.
• Size, service and cleanliness of all properties and venues.
• Quality (and safety) of food/water.
• Travel time to activities and off-property venues.
• Risk management: Is local/national government stable?
• Currency exchange.
• Customs and ease of shipping materials to the destination.
• Language barrier: Will translation services be required?

All the paperwork should be completed during the Fam registration process; the more information provided, the better the suppliers can prepare.

“Every planner prepares differently, but it’s obvious who’s there for the trip and those who are there for the free trip,” Palomino says. “To make the most out of your Fam, prepare to walk a lot, see a lot, hear a lot of numbers and try to remember it all. Some destinations don’t do a good job at preparing for a Fam. Some pack conference space one after another and before the third one, you’ve lost it. Only go on Fams you can keep up with. Make the Fam your own, and be ready to move at your pace.”

And while attending a Fam, it’s important to meet as many local service professionals as possible, and to participate in as many activities as possible, all of which allow planners to speak from firsthand experience and more confidently sell the destination to their stakeholders.  AC&F

What You Should Know About a FAM Trip

Annie Brigham, Digital Marketing Coordinator

What is a FAM trip?

Who attends a fam trip, who pays for a fam trip.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip for Travel Agents and Media Personnel?

What are the benefits of a FAM trip for the Hosts?

What are some things to keep in mind when planning a FAM trip?

A FAM trip stands for “familiarization trip” and is one incentive of being in the travel industry. FAM trips are exclusive educational trips for travel agents, media personnel, and resellers. These familiarization trips provided by travel businesses such as travel operators, tour operators, and accommodation suppliers allow them to experience their services and destinations first-hand. FAM trips are opportunities for travel businesses to familiarize agents and media personnel with their destination and immerse them in the local culture, introduce them to local operators, and highlight the benefits their company offers, essentially take them backstage. For instance, they can have the opportunity to meet a celebrity chef that they have been referring their clients to.

The usual people presented on these trips are Travel Agents, suppliers, and media partners such as Journalists, Editors, Influencers, & Tour Operators. These individuals are necessary for countless travel businesses’ success, and as suppliers and travel operators, you are looking to build a long-term working relationship with them. The aim is to keep track of key industry influencers and invite people relevant to your industry’s success. These invitations may rope in a travel agent you have worked with in the past, who you want to enhance your relationship with or introduce new offerings to, or a new prospect who has recently jumped on your radar who can potentially help you collect new business.

Though FAM trips are endlessly changing and evolving, and differentiate per business, tour operators, cruise lines, and hotels interested in showcasing their points of interest typically provide everything for these trips. FAM trips are more often than not fully sponsored invite-only events unless there is a partnership with a rental car company or airline that exists. Sponsorships are customary because the host provides the money or product in exchange for their visit.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip to Travel Agents and Media Personnel?

Familiarization trips present numerous benefits to the attendees. The head benefit of a FAM trip is that it allows travel agents and other travel industry providers to gain ideal first-hand experience. This involvement enables them to understand better the several benefits that different kinds of trip excursions offer to their clients. As a result, they can better supply the perfect services and vacations to their client based on their desires and needs and effectively inform their clients on what they can expect. In addition, media personnel, travel writers and editors, and photographers can gain first-hand experience that can help provide better content, details, and photographs for their future publications. These trips grant journalists opportunities to develop tailored stories that they may want to develop further. For example, the trip may introduce them to a chef who has a fascinating life story or recipe to share. A further benefit is that the FAM trip guests can expand their professional network by building connections with other travel agents, suppliers, and media personnel; most FAM trips embrace downtime to relax with other professionals. This schedule allows them time to get in touch with industry experts and exchange stories on what has worked for their business. By developing long-lasting relationships with travel operators and suppliers, they will also acquire better deals for themselves and their future clients.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip to the Hosts?

Arranging a “familiarization trip” is a valuable marketing tool. As a host of a FAM trip, one benefit is that you can generate new leads and business for your company. By permitting these professionals to gain first-hand experience with your products, they will better understand and share the benefits of your travel offerings with their clients. When it comes to benefits from hosting media personnel is that you are enhancing your media coverage; travel writers and photographers take part in these trips to photograph your offerings and compose content. If you can impress and inspire your guests during a FAM trip, then you should be able to generate first-rate reviews and recommendations for your travel business. For example, one of our clients , Arizona, invited an Editor in Chief on a FAM trip to their destination. The Editor in Chief made a customized trip with a luxury angle and published over 20 full pages of material about the destination and included them in the cover. The clients were very thankful for these results and said that the benefits of these results were worth more than five times that than the overall cost of the FAM trip.

After conversing with some of our employees regarding their client’s FAM trip success stories, we have put together some things we think you should consider when planning your FAM trip: You must research and plan the trip and itinerary during the FAM trip planning stage according to your media personnel and travel agent’s profiles. Look at their previous publications and create activities that they will find appealing, craft experiences with multiple “wow factors” that they can share in their publications. Keep in mind that it is up to the criteria of your guest when it comes to what will get published; not everything that they experience will be incorporated. Provide thorough itineraries and trip information as soon as possible in the planning process; this will allow your FAM trip guests to raise any concerns or questions ahead of time and will enable you to customize their stay exceedingly well. When crafting a detailed itinerary for your guests, you must also be mindful of their time on your trip; you must provide a good balance of activities and educational events with free time to relax and take a breather. Lastly, put together a plan for contingencies; keep in mind that not everything will go to plan. It would be safest to prepare for anything from a last-minute guest cancellation up to flight cancelations, emergencies, or lockdowns. But, again, it is better to over plan.

Special thanks to our Connect Worldwide FAM trip experts Eduardo Peraza and Pedro Berruecos for contributing to this article. Contact us today if you are looking for a destination marketing partner or are interested in learning more about attending, planning or hosting a FAM trip.

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