familiarization trip definition

What is a "FAM" and why are they so important?

A familiarization trip, or FAM for short, is a trip designed for travel advisors to learn about a destination, a partner travel company, or an airline, and sometimes, all of the above.  

While I can discuss unique experiences, boutique hotels, and level of service with our partners over the phone, on webinars, and at trade shows, nothing compares to experiencing firsthand both a destination and the level of service offered by a specific partner. 

In the last year, I have accepted opportunities to travel to Jordan with G Adventures, to the Canadian Rockies with Rocky Mountaineer, and to Bora Bora with Marriott’s Luxury Hotels. Next Spring, I will travel to Colombia with Big 5 Tours & Expeditions.

Our FAM with Rocky Mountaineer in the Canadian Rockies

Experiencing travel with a specific travel partner is important because, with every destination, we as travel advisors usually have multiple options as to who we can work with. Each partner offers unique experiences, a variety of hotel partnerships, and different areas of specialization. Some partners focus solely on one region of the world while others operate around the world in many countries and come with a very recognizable brand. Some partners specialize in active and adventure travel whereas others might cater more towards families with young children. Finally, each travel partner works within a different budget range.  Some partners are best suited toward high-end luxury travel while other partners are able to cater to a variety of travel budgets. 

I often talk about the 1-million piece puzzle that we as travel advisors assemble when crafting each unique itinerary.  Matching a client and their preferences to a specific travel partner that caters to both their style of travel and their budget expectations is one of the biggest pieces of this puzzle.

Our FAM with G Adventures in Jordan

So, what do travel advisors do on these FAMs?  

A large focus of the FAM is to experience a destination or a product just as our clients would. That means that we visit the sites, we meet the guides, we ride the buses, and we stay in the hotel rooms, just as our clients will when they book that particular trip. This is important because it enables us to then return home and talk to our clients about our trip and to help manage expectations.   

These opportunities enable us to return home to tell some clients "You will love this!" while we tell others "You know, maybe this isn't right for the trip you're envisioning, and this is why....Let's try this instead." Each trip you go on comes with a large investment, both in your time and money.  These FAM opportunities aid us immensely to make sure we're utilizing your investment in the best way possible. 

Throughout each trip, we also visit hotels to see the properties and to meet the General Manager and the sales team with whom we’ll be in contact prior to a client's arrival.  They take us around the entire property to see different room categories, the restaurants, the spa, and all unique features.  We'll also dine in one of the hotel's restaurants whenever possible.  When client's ask what the difference is between one room category and an upgraded option and if they should have dinner in the hotel or not, we can advise from personal experience. More often than not, we’ll visit a variety of hotels throughout our trip so that we have some points of comparison.  

The most important aspect in each familiarization trip is to build and maintain connections with our partners. This helps tremendously when we have special requests or unexpected challenges. 

Touring the St Regis Bora Bora by bicycle on our FAM with Marriott Luxury Brands.

Each FAM opportunity offers travel advisors insights into:  

Travel with a specific partner and which type of client will be best suited to their services

Travel to a specific destination and which type of client will be best suited to the experiences offered

Budget expectations for a specific destination

Which elements need to be considered when planning an overall budget

Returning home from each FAM experience, we are better able to identify the type of traveler that a specific travel partner’s service and expertise is best suited for. After traveling with G Adventures, I now have a great appreciation for how they are able to create small group itineraries around the world and how they make such an effort to immerse their travelers in each destination by employing local guides and including unique experiences and destinations. 

As much as I love G Adventures, their offering is not suitable for all travelers. 

Personal travel experience in a specific destination offers insights into what type of clients will be interested to visit this destination.  I was astounded at how fascinating Jordan was and how it offers such a rich and diverse cultural experience. Jordan is at the top of my list of favorite countries to which I’ve traveled. 

But as much as I love Jordan, this destination is not suitable for all travelers. 

FAM trips enable travel advisors to gain a deeper understanding of the tourism infrastructure in each destination.  Is it possible to work with a wide range of budgets? What does a 5* hotel look like in this destination and how does this compare to standards in the US or Europe? What type of budget should be allocated for activities, souvenirs, and taxis?  

Bora Bora is absolutely one of the most beautiful places on Earth, but it just won’t be possible to design an experience there with a small budget. 

Finally, FAM trips enable us to better understand the logistics of each destination. Will a rental car be necessary? Will private guides enhance the experience or can independent exploration be a suitable option? What budget should be allocated on a daily basis for meals?

We enjoyed spectacular meals throughout our journey in the Canadian Rockies. While less expensive meals can surely be found, it’s definitely worth considering a larger budget per day for top notch meals in Western Canada.

All these insights and more come with each opportunity to join a FAM.  Ask your travel advisor if they've traveled on a familiarization trip lately and what their thoughts were!

Never worked with a travel advisor before? To give you a little sneak peak into our world, we travel as often as possible to build relationships with travel professionals around the world. That way, when you tell us where you'd like to travel, we know exactly who we can work with to design a trip that is personal and unique to you!

Undiscovered Sunsets was a long time in the making, even if I myself didn’t realize it. During my time at the University of Northern Iowa, I studied abroad in New Zealand. Upon graduating, I bought a one-way ticket to France, lived with a French family and studied with classmates from Turkey, China, Russia, Germany, Italy, and everywhere in between. In 2010 I began teaching English as a foreign language. This job quickly took me to China, where English teachers were in high demand and within three years, I began working in a 5-star hotel, speaking Mandarin throughout most of my day. In total, I lived abroad for 7 years.

I consider Undiscovered Sunsets to be the perfect mélange of my personal experience traveling the world and my professional experience working in the hospitality industry.

I look forward to designing your next adventure!

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How to choose: Private guide vs Small Group vs Go it alone

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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Diversity Dictionary: What is a fam trip?

Many hotels, tours and cruise lines offer discounted rates to travel agents so that they can experience what a traveller would get .  Travel and accommodation suppliers and tour operators embrace the opportunity to raise awareness of their services and provide the best portrait of their business . They should aim to answer any and every question a travel agent may have, so that this information makes its way to potential new customers !

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Travel Agent FAM Trips: What is a FAM Trip?

Written by: Guest on April 16, 2018

There are a lot of perks to becoming a travel agent and one of them is FAM Trips. FAM Trip stands for “familiarization trip” and it is a trip exclusively for travel agents (and sometimes their guests!) that are provided by suppliers or travel operators. Seminars at Sea are similar to FAM trips, but they are offered by cruise lines and give agents the chance to experience the ships and sailing itineraries that they’ll be selling.

These trips are provided as a way for agents to gain an understanding of the benefits of different trips that they can sell to their clients.

When you’ve seen a resort or on a cruise for yourself, you can better help your clients understand what to expect. The more first-hand experience you have, the better you will be able to choose the perfect vacation for your clients based on their wants and needs .

KHM Travel Group agents participate in various FAM Trips and Seminars at Sea throughout the year. We have excellent relationships with many of the top preferred suppliers in the industry, and that allows our agents to get great deals and have wonderful experiences on FAM trips.

One of many benefits to becoming a travel agent, these “working trips” allow our agents to have fun, enjoyable and useful experiences at resorts and destinations across the country and around the world. When you go on a FAM Trip, you will return with the education and confidence you need to make new bookings! In fact, you can take photos and post them on your own social media accounts or share them directly with your clients to spark their desire to reach out to you about their next trip.

Another benefit to FAM trips and Seminars at Sea is that while you’re having fun, you also get the opportunity to network with other travel agents! While these trips are “working trips” there is usually time set aside for agents to relax and enjoy the pools, beaches, bars and other activities. Take advantage of the “down time” and mingle with fellow agents and discuss what has and hasn’t worked for their business. Make sure to exchange information and stay in contact. It’s a great way to extend your professional network!

Curious about what these trips are like? Check out our recaps from a few of our past FAM trips and Seminars at Sea:

KHM Travel Agents Experience Culture & Adventure on Azores FAM

Club Med FAM Highlights an Action-Packed, All-Inclusive Punta Cana Experience

Exploring the Western Caribbean on the Norwegian Getaway Seminar at Sea

Want to become a KHM travel agent? Contact us to learn more about this rewarding career, or easily get started online today .

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What is the meaning / definition of FAM Trip in the hospitality industry ?

The term FAM stands for Familiarisation. The Tours – commonly known as FAM Trips – are trips organised by travel providers (can be a Tour Operator, an Airline, a Hotel Chain , a Tourism Board or other DMOs representing a Destination, etc.) with the purpose of educating about their products &amp services and promoting them.

Usually it is dedicated to everyone who is involved in the selling and promoting process of this particular product/ property / destination. It typically hosts travel agents and expedients, travel media (writers, journalists, bloggers) and other important players &amp partners.

Creating awareness and at the same time networking and building relationships are the main aims of a FAM trip .

FAM´s are very important in the hospitality industry . Basically speaking if the travel agent knows and likes your property (and the location), he will book his clients into it. FAM´s are usually FOC ( free of charge ) or available at a discounted fee.

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Travel Agent FAM Trips: What They Are + How to Find Them

Ahhhh.... the travel industry. It's a beautiful industry and one we here at HAR are lucky enough to work/play in! One of the greatest perks in travel are travel agent familiarization trips, or FAM trips for short. They're also sometimes called FAM tours.

Here's the thing, people outside the industry usually have two conflicting thoughts about travel agents:

1) When they find out I work with travel advisors they ask if travel agents still exist.

2) Then they immediately think I'm a travel advisor and ask, " Do you get to travel a lot? For free?!? "

Here's the answers to those questions:

1) Ooooooh, my friend, travel agents sure do exist! In 2022, traditional travel agencies market share was 21% and online travel agencies was 22% ? True story. Here's more on a travel agent career outlook .

2) And yes, as a producing travel advisor you get to travel a lot and sometimes for free or at a significant discount. Producing is the key word here. :)

What I can never figure out is how you can think travel agents aren't around if they get to travel all the time to gorgeous destinations for free or reduced costs. 🤔 Wouldn't the market be flooded with people wanting to become a travel agent if that was the case?!

These enviable trips are called FAM trips and they're key to travel advisors being invaluable resources to their clients.

(For those of you dying for some 'me time' on the beach, don't worry, FAM trip is short for familiarization trip. It DOES NOT mean you have to bring your family with you on the trips. 😂 In fact, if +1s are allowed, it is often at a little higher cost but often FAM trips are just for advisors.)

So let me break down what a FAM trip is, what happens on FAM tours, where you can find FAM trips, and the question I know you all are asking, how you can get invited on a familiarization trip!

What is a FAM trip for travel agents?

A travel agent FAM trip is a trip offered by a vendor, destination or another entity in the travel industry

Let's clarify one thing. A FAM trip is not the same as travel agent discounts on personal travel. For that, you can check out our article with over 200+ travel agent rates we lovingly keep updated for you. :)

A travel agent FAM trip is a trip offered by a vendor, destination or another entity in the travel industry—like an industry association, a host agency or a travel consortium to travel advisors—allowing the travel agent to experience the product/destination so that they can better sell it.

Travel advisors are salespeople at their core and like any salesperson, they can sell more when they experience the product or service.

Vendors and destinations know that travel agent FAM tours are a cost-effective way to increase sales. All the pics the travel agents post while on FAM trips are darn good PR and advertising!

I'll tell you a secret: once you become a travel agent and start connecting with industry colleagues

a) you will get out of offices all. the. time. from colleagues traveling to awesome places and

b) your social feed will be crammed full of pics from your industry besties traveling around the world. :)

What are the different types of familiarization (FAM) trips?

Those social feeds crammed with enviable travel photos I just mentioned? Well, they are meant to be marketing the destination/property/etc. So you should definitely be feeling FOMO and jealousy.

BUT! That could literally be the only hour the advisor was able to enjoy the pool or beach during their 3-day familiarization trip. Like most things on social, the reality of a FAM trip is often much different than what the photos painted.

Let's break down FAM tours into a few categories so you have a better idea of what to expect.

And for the record, I just created these categories since I really feel like we need to differentiate them so please help me grow this industry lexicon and start throwing them around in industry forums! 😂

Working FAM trips

These FAM trips are exactly what they sound like. Working FAMs are the majority of familiarization trips and they are meant to maximize your time in the destination.

This means that you're often up at 6 am, on your feet all day visiting multiple properties (called site inspections ) or having in-destination experiences like a pasta-making class or white water rafting.

After a full day of action, you sit down for your dinner and do some serious networking. You don't hit the bed until 10 or 11 pm. FAM trips are tons of fun, but they are also tiring! It's like traveling with your ADHD friend that is inexhaustible. :)

The company or destination that organized the FAM trip wants you to see and experience as much as possible so you often have a jam-packed schedule from sun up to past sundown.

EXPERIENTIAL FAM trips

Experiential FAM trips are still working familiarization trips but have a more relaxed schedule, as in you won't be touring 4 resorts in Jamaica a day and then have evening activities. :)

You might be staying at a dude ranch and each day have an activity or two planned.

Or you might have attended a travel conference and signed on for the pre/post tours where you get to do a guided activity each day and then return to your hotel at night. (Here's a guide to maximize your travel conference learning and networking.)

Experiential FAM tours are my favorite FAMs because they're easier to remember more vividly. Plus, I don't come away completely overstimulated and sleep deprived!

AWARD FAM TRIPS

When your agency starts really producing, award FAM trips will open up for you.

Simply put, they're awards trips for top producing travel agencies but they also function as a FAM because they may include visiting a few properties. Plus, when most people think of FAM trips, they're wondering about free or discounted tours and award FAM trips fall into that category.

On award FAM trips, the host really pulls out the stops so you can experience all the host and the destination have to offer

On award FAM trips, the host really pulls out the stops so you can experience all the host and the destination have to offer! After all, these are the agencies that bring in a lot of sales.

Award FAM trips are typically fully comped and the familiarization trip host will have all sorts of great things planned for you! It's a lot of networking and fun, and less work. :)

What happens on a travel agent FAM trip?

Your itinerary will vary based on the type of travel agent FAM trip you're on. As I mentioned earlier, working FAMs have jam packed schedules!

If I were to generalize, I would say that on a FAM tour expect to be wined and dined at different properties or restaurants. You'll tour various properties where you'll see different room categories as well as meet with key staff that will allow you to better serve your clients.

When it comes to cruise ships, cruise FAM trips are often called Seminars at Sea when you get to sail on the ship and ship inspections when you tour it while it's in port.

And equally as important on FAM tours is the networking and bonding that happens with your host and fellow travel colleagues. Most advisors have their family and then they have their 'travel family', which are the colleagues they get to travel around the world with. As we all know, travel bonds people like nothing else!

Cruise FAM trips are often called Seminars at Sea when you get to sail on the ship and ship inspections when you tour it while it's in port.

Travel agent FAM trip technology + FAM trip marketing

You'll take tons of pictures and videos to share with clients and use for marketing. You'll also take a lot of notes. How do you keep all that FAM trip info straight? Here's a few resources for you.

Fam with Intention has a paid course on what to do before, during and after your travel agent FAM tour to make sure you maximize the experience.

Keeping track of everything you see and do, as well as the people you meet on travel agent FAM trips is challenging. HAR has free ship inspection forms as well as free site inspection forms that can help you out. They're old school PDF but can't beat free!

And if you are looking for something way more snazzy in app form (paid), check out MyFamTrip or FamGuru .

How much do travel agent FAMs cost?

I wish I had a specific answer for you but travel agent FAM prices will vary from completely free (sometimes referred to as hosted, as in they're 100% hosting you) to a decent discount.

Here's what you can generally expect included on a travel agent FAM trip:

• Excursions/Activities

What's usually not included on travel agent FAM tours:

• Tips for your drivers, bellhops, guides, housekeeping, etc. (These people work incredibly hard and depend on tips so make sure to bring cash.)
• Your travel insurance (never included)

Where can I find a list of travel agent FAM trips?

Great question! Here are a few places you can find FAM trips listed.

HAR's INDUSTRy calendar

We have a great list of FAM trips on HAR's free travel industry event calendar that you can check out.

Often times travel industry conferences in popular tourist destinations will offer pre/post-add-ons that allow you to experience the destination at a discounted rates.

FAM-SPEcific websites

Other online places to find travel agent FAMs are destination-specific websites like:

• MexicoFamTrips.com
• CaribbeanFamTrips.com
• JamaicaFamTrips.com

There are also a few websites that list travel agent FAM trips like :

• Famtrips.travel
• FAMrates.com (paid subscription)
• WanderfullyFammed , which are led by an advisor/photographer and part of the trip is that she provides all the marketing content for advisors to promote it during and after.

But here's another secret, the real travel agent FAM deals that are generously subsidized are not publicized. They are invite-only FAM trips or require you to apply, where the competition is stiff.

Travel Consortium + Host AgencY FAM TRIPS

Your host agency and/or consortium are one of the places where you can find the generously subsidized FAM trips.

Only members of their networks have access to these FAM trips and there may be sales or other requirements you need to meet. They may send out an email with the opportunity or they may reach out to advisors they know would be a good fit for it so that's another reason to cultivate those relationships with your host and consortium!

DESTINATIONS and vendors FAM TourS FOR TRAVEL AGENTS

Another place where you can find severely discounted travel agent FAM trips is through destinations and preferred suppliers like cruise lines, tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs), and resorts.

\When you sign up as an advisor with them that gets you into their database and you'll receive information on upcoming travel agent FAM opportunities.

These FAM trips may be emailed out to the entire database and you have to apply, or it may be that the organization reaches out individually to their ideal travel advisors. Again, build those relationships at travel industry events so you're top of mind. :)

How the heck can I get invited on a travel agent FAM trip?!?

Love your enthusiasm!

Let's back up a step because the first requirement is that you're a travel agent. If you aren't one but think it would be a cool career (it totally is), check out our article with more info on how to start your travel agency .

The next requirement hurdle is you'll need to be a producing advisor.

On rare occasions, new advisors without a history of sales can be invited on a travel agent FAM trip, but you'd have to show you have the potential to bring in sales. This is usually done by showing your network of friends/colleagues/clients as the target demographic for that particular FAM trip.

Another option for newbies is you can show that you are serious and focused on selling that particular brand/destination/trip type. Do this by reaching out to your BDM (business development manager) and writing up an in-depth sales plan on what you'll do to bring them sales.

Other than that, each FAM will have its own requirements which they'll communicate to you.

You now are fully educated on one of the best travel industry secrets... travel agent FAM trips! I hope you can experience one soon as they're amazing experiences. :)

If you're an advisor that landed on this article, I would LOVE to have you share any FAM experiences or advice in the comments below!

About the Author

Steph grew up in the travel industry, helping on and off with her mom's homebased travel agency. She has worked with thousands of agents in her role as a former host agency director before leaving in 2012 to start HAR. She's insatiably curious, loves her pups Fennec and Orion, and -- in case you haven't noticed -- is pretty quirky and free-spirited.

If you’re looking for Steph, she leaves a trace where ever she goes! You can find her on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn (her fav) and Pinterest as 'iamstephly'. 🙂 You can also catch her on her Substack, Bumblin' Around, where she writes on things outside the world of HAR.

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What Are Fam Trips And How To Get The Most Out Of Them

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Familiarisation Trips, better known as Fam Trips, are educational trips organized exclusively for media partners or travel agents and resellers, by travel businesses such as tour operators and accommodation establishments.

Fam Trips are designed to equip participants with adequate product knowledge to either sell onto clients or publish for media coverage. Travel businesses host Fam Trips to showcase their business and product to the people who resell or cover them in media.

Either way, the fundamentals of Fam Trips remain the same, you want to create memorable, fun, and personable experiences for the people who undertake them. They are essentially marketing tools that highlight your travel offering and are one of several ways to generate leads and new business for your travel company.

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Who Goes On Fam Trips?

Fam Trips are usually set up either as invitation-only sponsored learning trips or at discounted rates exclusively available for travel agents to book.

Travel agents and resellers go on Fam Trips to experience first hand a travel product or offering. This gives them insight into the finer details of the offering and lets them add a personal touch to their sales pitch.

Travelers are on the lookout for personalized travel experiences and something as simple as a travel agent knowing whether there is a packed breakfast available to take on a day hike excursion without needing to check details with the establishment saves time, conveys efficiency and will attract customers to your travel business .

Fam trips are not only for travel agents or resellers though, media partners also participate in them too. Travel writers or photographers join Fam Trips for media to write up articles and take beautiful images to post and share in their publications.

Tips On How To Run Successful Fam Trips

You want to apply the same basic principles to your Fam Trips regardless of whether you are hosting Media or Suppliers. In both cases, the trips should be experiential and relevant to your product.

Set Expectations

Email your suppliers and media partners their proposed itineraries a few weeks in advance so that they know what to expect from the Fam Trips and can raise any questions they may have to prepare for it.

When hosting Fam Trips for Media discuss your expectations for the press coverage before the trips begin so that you are all on the same page. Establish where the write-ups will be published, the length and frequency of the articles, expectations for social media posting etc.

Offer Authentic Experiences

While you do need to pull out the stops and offer the same experiences that full paying guests would get, you do not want to misrepresent your offering by including something not ordinarily part of your repertoire.

Clients will be disappointed if they read about a sundowner experience on the riverbank but discover on arrival at your lodge that it is not in fact on your activities list it.

Create Partnership Offerings

Contact surrounding travel businesses to see if they would be interested in creating partnership offerings to provide to the suppliers and media partners.

Approach restaurants who might be interested in hosting groups for some of their meals. Or contact a bicycle tour operator to ask if they would lead groups on a trail experience.

This will give the other businesses the opportunity to increase their visibility and get mentions in the media and it will help you to spread some of the costs involved in hosting Fam Trip groups.

Offer Alternative Itineraries

Where applicable, showcase a number of your most popular activities to the people on your Fam Trips. Not only will this highlight more aspects of your travel business, but it will also negate the possibility of accidentally excluding someone from partaking in particular activities.

Consider people’s varied interests and add one or two alternatives to your itineraries. The idea is for your suppliers and media partners to make the most of their Fam Trip experience so limiting your educational Fam Trip activity to a snorkeling trip might not work in your favor if you are hosting people who do not enjoy swimming for example.

Set A Manageable Schedule

Remember the people you host on your Fam Trips are working even if it may not always seem like it. With this in mind, remember to allocate a certain amount of downtime on your Fam Trips to allow your travel agents and media partners to check in with the office, organize the information they are putting together on your travel product, or have a quick catch up with the family at home.

Provide All Necessary Information

Your suppliers and media partners are going to need the details of all the accommodations they stay in, restaurants they dine at, and activity providers who guide them on their Fam Trips. As the organizer, you will have easy access to all of this information.

Compile a list of all the names, email addresses, contact numbers and social media handles of your partners onto a database and share it with the people on your trip. This way they will be able to accredit everyone accordingly.

You can include the brochure images and write-ups of your travel product in this informational package too. You might find that your suppliers need to update your product on their site and this will make sure that they have what they need.

Most of this information will likely be required in a digital format, so either email it or make it available to download from a limited access portal.

Make Follow Ups After The Trips

Do not leave it too long after your Fam Trips have finished to follow up with your travel agents and resellers to get their feedback.

See if they have any questions or suggestions for you and check that your media posts are published and all the information is optimized, correct, and up to date.

Keep the communication lines open and find out what worked and what didn’t and learn from each experience and Fam Trip.

Remember that your travel agents, suppliers, and media partners are key players in your business’ success and Fam Trips are a good way to nurture relationships with them. So consider the time and resources you spend hosting Fam Trips and nurturing relationships as an investment in marketing your business and promoting your travel offering.

In an industry where experience is everything, going the extra mile and working together to give clients the best possible service will translate into stellar reviews and glowing recommendations for all parties involved.

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White Paper: Familiarization Trips

Table of Contents

• Executive Summary
• Introduction
• What are familiarisation trips?
• What are the benefits of Fam Trips?
• The future of Fam Trips
• How can FamTrips can create a successful destination?

1. Executive Summary

Familiarisation Trips, also known as Fam Trips, could be seen as an added value to Destinations & Marinas since it has many benefits. Here you can think of benefits such as first-hand experience, both valuable sales- & marketing tools, and your participants can expand their professional network. In addition, Fam Trips are not only popular these days but will become even more popular in the future. In order to get familiar with the impact of Fam Trips, you should first become aware of what the future and success of Fam Trips look like. After this, you can apply this to your own organisation and take advantage of all these benefits.

2. Introduction

Familiarisation Trips (Fam Trips) are an undervalued marketing tool that any destination can use. Nevertheless, Familiarisation Trips have become increasingly popular when it comes to destination marketing over the years. This white paper was written with the intention of answering the following research questions: “How can Fam Trips create additional value and a competitive advantage to your destination?”, and “Why should you have Familiarisation Trips as part of your marketing and sales proposition?”. In order to do so, an explanation of what Familiarisation Trips are will be done, followed by an explanation of the benefits. Next, the future of Fam Trips will be discussed, and finally, an overview of how Fam Trips can create a successful destination will be done. 

3. What are Familiarization Trips?

Familiarisation Trips are a marketing tool that highlights what your destination has to offer and can also be used to generate new leads. By definition, Fam Trips are exclusively organised educational trips that equip participants with sufficient knowledge of the destination to either sell clients or publish for media coverage. The purpose is to allow participants to experience the destination first hand (Alban, 2018). The participants of Fam Trips vary and are based on the organisation hosting the Fam Trips.

4. Benefits of Familiarization Trips

Fam Trips can have many benefits to your organisation, which will lead to new business opportunities. In the following section, we will elaborate further on these benefits and how they can help you to grow as an organisation in the yachting industry.

1. First-hand experience 

As it has been said in the previous section, Fam Trips will give a better view of the products and services your destination has to offer. Participants are going on Fam Trips to experience this first hand (Alban, 2018). According to Annie Brigham who is working as a digital marketing coordinator at Connect Worldwide, this involvement enables participants to better understand the several benefits that different kinds of trips and excursions offer to their guests (Brigham, 2021). As a result, they can better supply the perfect products and services to their guests based on their desires and needs and effectively inform their clients on what they can expect. Next to that, it will help participants to provide high-quality content, details, and photographs for their future publications. For example, the trip may introduce them to a chef who has a fascinating life story or recipe to share (Brigham, 2021). 

2. Valuable sales tool 

A further benefit of organising Fam Trips is that it can help your organisation to generate sales. According to the Good Tourism Institute, you have the potential to put your destination and your business on the map. The main aim of a Fam Trip is to network, build relationships and personally promote your products and services (Pohl, 2021).

3. Valuable marketing tool 

According to Annie Brigham, it will give a better understanding by permitting these professionals to gain first-hand experience with your product (Brigham, 2021). 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 destination (Brigham, 2021). 

4. Expanding your network 

Another benefit is that Fam Trips guests can expand their professional network by building connections with other participants who will have different kinds of field expertise; most Fam Trips embrace downtime to relax with other professionals (Brigham, 2021). This schedule allows them time to get in touch with industry experts and exchange stories on what has worked for their organisations. By developing long-lasting relationships with other participants, they will also acquire better deals for themselves and their future clients. 

5. The future of Familiarization Trips

‘’Fam Trips are more important now than they ever were,’’ is what Natalie Browning said, owner of Insider Travel Planners in Danville, West Virginia. ‘’Given the circumstances, the general public is afraid to travel, or they have concerns. When they see someone they trust out travelling and experiencing new things, they are likely to follow suit. We need Fam Trips in order to show the world that we can travel and things are open.’’ (TravelAge West, 2020)

According to TravelAge West, the new world of Fam Trips is going to be very exclusive, focusing on changes in order to provide consumer confidence (TravelAge West, 2020). It will stay important to focus on what the traveller wants and anticipate this in the future. ‘’Moving forward, we will be hosting smaller and more personalised Fam Trips with a stronger focus on social media’’, said Carilis Felipe, the company’s director of field sales (TravelAge West, 2020). We want to encourage agents to document their experience on their social platforms for consumers to see and feel comfortable travelling to the destination. 

Regardless of how they take place, Fam Trips are likely to become an increasingly important educational source for travel advisors, according to Thomas Carpenter, owner of Huckleberry Travel (TravelAge West, 2020). 

6. How can Familiarization Trips create successful destinations?

People often believe that Fam Trips hold no value, but this is probably because things went wrong in the organisational process. Maybe the right people weren’t invited or the proper follow-up process did not take place. Therefore, carrying out Fam Trips the right way can be beneficial for any company (Lucht, 2015). 

According to Lucht (2015), the Taiwan Convention Bureau invited 12 corporate buyers from China for a six-day Fam Tour. On the last day, the Bureau presented 12 destination management companies and travel agencies to the corporate representatives, and they generated three corporate travel deals. This amounted to 1,500 MICE travellers heading to Taiwan. The Fam produced an ROI of 3000%. The cost of the Fam was $25,000 and Taiwan generated at least $750,000 from the MICE travellers for the destination (Lucht, 2015). 

Additionally, ACREW hosted a Fam Trip for a marina who received a ROI of 1000% based on the return visits for those who attended the Fam Trip. Another broker Fam Trip hosted by ACREW for a destination resulted in $3.4 million charters being brokered. This shows that Fam Trips can indeed create successful destinations once done right. Here are some tips on how to successfully run Fam Trips:

Set Expectations

Sending the participants their proposed itinerary in advance is a good way to manage their expectations (Alban, 2018). You can also organise a meeting a week in advance to go through the itinerary to discuss and give further details. Managing expectations is one way to ensure that the participants are not disappointed during the Fam Trip. 

Creating Connections

You would think that displaying your destination and tourism products should be your first priority during Fam Trips, but it shouldn’t be. Your top priority should be building connections with the participants of your fam trips. Only then would you fully connect them to your destination, and be able to show their uniqueness and potential (Pohl, 2021). 

Make Follow-Ups After The Trips

Don’t wait too long to follow up with the participants of the Fam Trip and get their feedback. See if there are any questions or suggestions. Keep the communication lines open and find out what worked and what didn’t. Their feedback can be crucial going forward (Alban, 2018).

Alban, M. C. (2018). What Are Fam Trips And How To Get The Most Out Of Them. Retrieved from https://www.wetravel.com/academy/fam-trips/

Brigham, A. (2021, July 06). https://cww.travel/blog/what-you-should-know-about-a-fam-trip. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from CWW: https://cww.travel/blog/what-you-should-know-about-a-fam-trip  

Lira Alban, M. C. (2018, September 22). What Are Fam Trips And How To Get The Most Out Of Them. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from We Travel Academy: https://www.wetravel.com/academy/fam-trips/  

Pohl, C. (2021, January 29). 3 tips to stand out with the most memorable Fam trips. Retrieved March 17, 2022, from Good Tourism Institute: https://goodtourisminstitute.com/library/fam-trips/  

TravelAge West. (2020, June 16). What Is the Future of Fam Trips? Retrieved March 17, 2022, from TravelAge West: https://www.travelagewest.com/Industry-Insight/Business-Features/What-Is-theFuture-of-Fam-Trips  

Lucht, J. (2015). The Value of FAM Trips. Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/value-fam-trips-joern-lucht/

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Getting the Most Out of a FAM Trip 

What is a familiarization—or FAM—trip all about?

There is no substitute for personal visits as a way of learning about a destination. Governments, as well as suppliers—such as cruise lines and tour operators—often sponsor FAM trips. These trips are offered to bona fide travel professionals and others in the travel industry at a reduced rate to familiarize them with the travel destination or product.

And there is no better time to schedule your FAM trips than right now because your clients are traveling again and expect YOU to know the best destinations, cruise ships, attractions, and accommodations to recommend. To jumpstart your trip planning, don’t miss the engaging, informative, and entertaining session A Master Class on Making FAM Trips Work , presented TOMORROW at 1:00 pm (EST) by Anne M. Smith, CTIE . This session will be extremely popular, so register immediately!

In some cases, FAMs are offered as an incentive by suppliers or the agency’s owner or manager as a reward for performance. More often, however, travel advisors take FAMs so they can inspect hotels and restaurants, sample attractions, experience local culture, and learn about the sponsoring companies. This allows travel advisors to be able to sell those products more effectively. FAMs usually are short, concentrated learning trips in a business format.

But what should you know about a FAM trip? Sometimes, the best tips come from you, and we like to share those when we see them. In a recent Facebook blog, “Travel Agent Hacks,” the blog’s creator, Lene Heltberg Minyard, asked agents what factors they consider in deciding whether to go on a FAM and what makes FAMs so valuable.

There were many helpful responses, but Margie Jordan, CTA, Vice President of Agency Education at CCRA Travel Commerce Network, provided insightful questions for travel advisors to ask before embarking on a FAM. Here are excerpts from her post:

• Is it a destination that is represented by your agency, something you actively market and sell or have in your existing business plan to add as a new destination?
• Are the properties you’ll see ones that match the quality of hotels/resorts you sell?  If you go, have you mapped out key questions, goals, things you need to know or see? 
• What’s your plan to market the knowledge you gain from the FAM? Blog posts, articles, videos, newsletters, photos? 
• How will you turn what you learned into marketing that converts? 
• Do you have any clients interested in going who can follow your journey? 
• Does the cost of the FAM fit within your marketing budget for education and training? 
• If all of this is a go, the FAM is of huge value to you and your business. Set up a series of automated social posts so you can actually work and learn without the pressure of sharing up-to-the-minute updates on your trip. Perfect to schedule are posts like, “Today, we’re on our way to Florence.” Include a few things to know about Florence with a great photo. At the end of every day, I make a recording of all the things I saw, learned or experienced. It’s a great way to remember the small details. Send that recording to a transcriptionist, and you have the beginning of some great content. FAMs should be strategic and can work really well in your marketing if you plan well. Research where you’re going, the tourist spots you’ll see, the history of the region, hotels close to those spots that you may not see during your FAM, etc.

These are excellent questions for advisors to consider when prepping for upcoming FAMs. We also recommend observing proper etiquette while on FAM trips. This means you should:

• Plan to immerse yourself in the local culture to really experience a destination.
• Be kind to everyone with whom you come in contact because you represent yourself, your agency, and your country.
• Don’t overindulge because this surely will detract from your learning and harm your reputation.
• Always exhibit professional behavior because this is a business trip, not a vacation.

Last, but not least, we urge you to sign up for tomorrow’s exciting A Master Class on Making FAM Trips Work webinar. If you don’t, you’ll be missing something SPECTACULAR!

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Home / What Is A FAM Trip And Why Are They Important?

What Is A FAM Trip And Why Are They Important?

“A FAM trip is a huge investment of time, money and personnel. Make sure that you’re giving it your all and you should definitely see results that match,” Nicole Amiel, Beattie Tartan.

We had the chance to chat with Nicole Amiel, Director – Eastern Canada at Beattie Tartan on the power of Media and FAM Trips in the Tourism industry. A familiarization trip, or FAM for short, is a trip designed for traditional media, social media influencers and bloggers to learn about a destination, a tourism operator, a hotel chain, or a tourism board, and sometimes, all of the above.  

“ But what makes a media tour or FAM (familiarization trip) a success? “

Glad you asked! In this Q&A, Nicole will guide you through the recipe for a successful FAM trip. This includes the strategy, process, and tactics used to drive significant earned media attention.

Throughout the year, RTO 9 invites media and hosts press trips in an effort to increase awareness of destinations and operators within the South Eastern Ontario region. Learn more here.

View the transcript.

“Nicole is a passionate communications professional with a proven track record in creating successful campaigns across digital and traditional channels, engaging media at both the local and national level. She has worked in public relations, marketing, communications and events in Montreal, Miami and Toronto for over a decade, gaining experience in all aspects of brand building. Whether as a publicist at boutique firms, an Internal Communications Specialist at the Aldo Group or as a project manager launching new brands, there’s one thing that she has always focused on: building culture and identity through information. Over her years in the industry, Nicole has worked with a range of clients in the fashion, travel, arts and entertainment, cannabis, cultural events and festivals, hospitality, F&B, tech, health and wellness, nightlife, charity/non-profit and design industries.”  [email protected]

Familiarization (FAM) Tours and Why They're So Important

With a special interview from aic representative kerry mcmahon.

What exactly is a Fam tour?

A "FAM Trip,” also known as a Familiarization Trip or FAM Tour, is an opportunity provided by hotel venues to meeting and event planners to personally experience their properties and services. These trips often involve site inspections, which allow planners to experience and learn about the venue's offerings firsthand. During these inspections, hotels and other suppliers aim to familiarize participants with their meeting space(s), sleeping room categories, hotel amenities, facilities, and dining options. Additionally, FAM trips allow planners to fully immerse themselves in the destination, experience the local culture, and meet with local vendors.

Why are they important to us, A2E, specifically?

If you’ve been following us for a while, you know that we never skip the site visit. Visiting a potential venue equips us with all that we need in order to step into the event planning process with a greater understanding of the venue, knowledge of the area, and enhanced creativity. However, conducting a FAM tour doesn’t just help us plan the event; it also lays the groundwork for our attendees to have the best experience possible.

The more knowledge we have about a venue or destination, the better we can plan a show-stopping event—down to the last detail. During a FAM tour, we get a feel for hotel amenities, onsite staff, meeting rooms and unique event spaces, cuisine, sanitation standards, and possible day trips or excursions. As a result, we’re able to create a trip that highlights the venue's best features and incorporates exciting extras such as local cuisine experiences and offsite activities for our clients.

In addition to everything FAM trips can do for our client partners, we also reap significant benefits. For one, we are traveling to breathtaking destinations like Cabo San Lucas. But the most important benefit is meeting and networking with FAM tour hosts and invitees. While there, we often form more significant relationships with industry experts from whom we can gain knowledge and insight, as well as suppliers who can offer us the best deals for our clients in the future.

What did our FAM Trip experience look like with the Hard Rock and Nobu Hotels, Cabo San Lucas?

Our most recent FAM Trip to the Hard Rock and Nobu Hotels, Los Cabos, was, without a doubt, a comprehensive and well-organized tour by the AIC (All Inclusive Collection) Hotel Group . The hosts crafted a trip that perfectly balanced informative learning with immersive experiences, room for personal leisure, and networking opportunities among invitees. If you're curious about what a FAM trip entails or considering the ideal destination for an upcoming event, read on for a breakdown of everything the tour and these stunning venues had to offer. F rom the beginning, our hosts at AIC went above and beyond to give us a firsthand look at the exceptional experience we could deliver to our clients.

Upon arrival, we experienced the VIP check-in service at the Hard Rock Hotel and were escorted to our Junior Suites, which provided spacious accommodations with ocean views. After settling into our hotel room, we were invited to soak up some sun at the lively Lyric pool – which hosts anything from live music to fun pool games and activities. Our particular favorite was going down the water slides!

After giving us a few hours to enjoy the main pool, we were later treated to cocktails and a special Maui Jim sunglass fitting at their sunlight bar, which offers a picturesque view of the main grounds and ocean. It was a great start to our trip, which gave us a genuine sense of what our clients can expect upon arrival at this destination and how including a special gifting experience, like Maui Jim, can help to set a fun and positive tone for any event.

Following the sunglass fitting was dinner at Los Gallos restaurant, a Mexican hacienda that serves traditional Mexican cuisines and icy margaritas and houses a fun, festive atmosphere. To top off a (very) well-done first day, we were treated to a private bonfire on the beach, showcasing the venue's ability to host private and more intimate experiences.

Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos

On day two, we got down to business, conducting thorough site inspections of the Hard Rock and Nobu Los Cabos hotels. Read on for a full breakdown.

Meeting Space The Hard Rock Hotel hosts one of the largest meeting spaces in Los Cabos, with 60,000 sq. ft of total space (including indoor and outdoor), making it the ideal venue for large-scale conferences, national sales meetings, product launches, and more. But don’t just take our word for it; check out their meetings brochure here .

Restaurants Many different restaurants and cuisines are offered on-site (8 in total), including Italian fine dining, a modern steakhouse & Brazilian grill, a luxury steakhouse, a Teppanyaki-style eatery that serves Chinese and Japanese, and laid-back buffet-style options.

Additionally, the hotel offers a one-of-a-kind multi-sensory immersive dining experience at Awaken Your Senses .

Pools The hotel offers six different pool experiences for any occasion or preference. The main pool, known as the Lyric pool, boasts live music, water slides, and a vibrant party atmosphere, making it ideal for an energetic audience. On the other hand, the Eden pool provides a serene and luxurious experience, ensuring a relaxing option for guests. We thought the Red Pool was the perfect spot for those seeking an Instagram-worthy moment. All this to say, there seemed to be something for just about anyone. '

Rooms and Suites The Hard Rock has 639 guest rooms ranging from deluxe king and queen rooms to rock-star suites, ensuring there is something to suit every taste. Several rooms offer stunning oceanfront or partial ocean views, private swim-up pools, or serene garden views. At this point in our inspection, we couldn't help but feel that the Hard Rock Los Cabos truly had it all.

After a full day of touring the Hard Rock Hotel, we were transported to the sleek and modern Nobu Los Cabos, which is located right next door (a five-minute walk). We were eager to learn about Nobu and what sets this hotel apart from its neighboring property.

Nobu Hotel Los Cabos

Nobu hotels are renowned for combining sleek, modern luxury with contemporary Japanese aesthetics. So, as we arrived at the property, we were excited to learn about its contrast from the energetic and colorful atmosphere at the Hard Rock.

Meeting Space The Nobu Hotel offers 14,389 sq. ft of total meeting and event space , including two ballrooms, one boardroom, and stunning outdoor space. With about 45,000 sq. ft less than the Hard Rock, the Nobu is an ideal location for more intimate meetings such as sales incentive trips and leadership meetings and retreats.

Restaurants As you may already know, Nobu is well-known for its exquisite cuisine from its signature Nobu Restaurants. Guests and attendees can indulge at the world-famous Nobu restaurant, which offers elegant cuisine and fresh fish, enjoy a lively gastronomic steakhouse or Mexican fine dining, or experience their newest Mediterranean-inspired cuisine at their panoramic rooftop restaurant— Muna .

Later that evening, the hosts treated us to uniquely crafted cocktails at the M bar, which boasted gorgeous panoramic views of the ocean and evening sunset, followed by a private, curated dining experience at Muna – where we, of course, indulged in the delicious food.  This restaurant is a must-visit for anyone staying at (or near) Nobu Los Cabos!

Rooms & Suites The hotel offers 200 guest rooms and suites , detailed with Japanese craftsmanship and neutral color palettes for a serene, relaxing experience for guests. Fun fact —all bed mattresses and pillows at Nobu properties are made especially and exclusively for Nobu, ensuring unparalleled comfort. Talk about pampering your guests!  

Nobu was the perfect combination of elegance and luxury, ideal for sales incentive trips, business or leadership meetings, retreats, and other smaller, high-end events. Ultimately, both hotels offer unique experiences for groups of all kinds.

Our last full day of the trip was made complete by a catamaran excursion and farewell dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel.

Connect DMC (a local destination management company) organized the catamaran outing and our transport to and from the airport and hotel. They provided us with exceptional service!

During our four-hour boating excursion, we toured the famous Arch of Cabo San Lucas and cruised the shoreline with lunch and an afternoon of snorkeling and swimming. This day trip provided a perfect look into the local activities we could offer our future clients and guests. In the evening, we were treated to a farewell dinner at the Hard Rock Hotel, where we enjoyed authentic Mexican cuisine and toasted to an unforgettable FAM experience with incredible people.

So, next time you’re wondering whether or not to participate in a site visit or FAM tour, remember that this crucial step can make or break the process. Don't settle for uncertainty when making important decisions about your meeting or event venue space. Unlock the power of familiarity tours and get to know your potential destination from the inside out. Experience the location, connect with the staff, discover hidden gems, evaluate amenities, and make your decision with unwavering confidence. Your event guests will thank you!

We asked AIC representative Kerry McMahon to answer a few questions about FAM Tours from the perspective of someone who’s hosted them for years and is a pro in the hospitality industry. Here's what she shared with us.

How do you define a FAM experience? This is an opportunity for our clients to stay at our hotel and learn everything they need to know about the destination.

Why are FAM experiences important? A FAM trip helps our clients to truly experience the hotel and the surrounding area the same way an event attendee would.  

What is the value of attending a FAM from your perspective? What do you want the planners to experience at these events? A FAM trip allows the planners to really understand all that our hotels have to offer. They can eat in the restaurants, discover the pools, and relax in the spa. It’s also an extended stay, so they have the chance to get offsite and learn about the unique activities the destination has to offer. 

Oftentimes, our clients are so busy that they perform a site tour in less than a day and don't get to experience the hotel and location as their attendees would during their trip. A FAM experience gives clients the rare opportunity to see and do all of the things their attendees would get to participate in, allowing them to plan an even more successful attendee experience.

How do you select which planners to invite to the FAM? We start by looking at the history of planners who have shown interest in our hotels. We also connect with planners through industry events to see who would have the opportunity to book events or meetings in Mexico or the Dominican Republic. Then we go from there!

How many FAMs do you put on each year? Usually, about two trips per year.

Why did you choose to host this FAM at Cabo's Hard Rock & Nobu properties? Cabo is a popular destination and many East Coast planners have never been here.  Having two hotels right next to each other was an ideal opportunity to easily showcase two hotels and make the most of the planner's time.

What are the main groups you’ve hosted at both properties?  (i.e., NSM, Incentive, Leadership Retreats, etc.) Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos typically hosts incentive programs and sales meetings. Nobu Hotel Los Cabos hosts a number of incentive programs and leadership retreats.

What is your favorite part about the properties?  Why are they great for meetings and events? I love all of the ocean views from the hotels. Cabo is such a fantastic contrast of desert and water. It’s a unique spot, and both hotels really showcase the landscape. Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos and Nobu Hotel Los Cabos offer everything a group could possibly want. Hard Rock Hotel Los Cabos can accommodate a large group with great energy at the hotel. Nobu Hotel Los Cabos is ideal for smaller groups looking for an elevated experience.

Who are the vendors/suppliers you partnered with to execute this trip? Connect DMC is one of our greatest partners in Los Cabos and Punta Cana. They handled all of the airport transfers and excursions. Maui Jim Corporate Gifting is another one of our favorite partners. Crafting a gifting experience during the welcome reception was a great icebreaker and started the trip off on a high note.

AIC Hotel Group is a collection of all-inclusive hotels that originally launched the Hard Rock Hotel brand. For over 30 years, AIC Group has introduced luxury, all-inclusive resorts to Mexico and throughout the U.S.

Are you interested in hosting your next corporate engagement at the Hard Rock or Nobu Los Cabos? Reach out to us at [email protected] for a free 30-minute consultation.

Mastering the Art of Corporate Meetings &Events

A2e spotlight: amy disatham, ph.d..

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3 tips to stand out with the most memorable fam trips.

• January 29, 2021

• Fam trips as sales opportunity

In the tourism industry, a Fam trip is one of the biggest sales opportunities. As a tour operator, you have the potential to put your destination and your business on the map. The main aim of a Fam trip is to network, build relationships and to personally promote your tourism products.

Definition of a Fam trip

Fam is short for Familiarisation. A Fam trip is a complimentary or reduced-rate travel program for travel agents, tour operators and travel media. It’s designed to familiarise themselves with a specific destination or business. All this to experience the tourism product first-hand and to stimulate sale of travel.

Make a positive impression

Many destinations and tourism experiences are fantastic, but if the Fam trip experience is weak, the entire destination and experience will appear weak in the eyes of your guests. Always keep in mind that your Fam trip guests are well travelled, have high expectations and are requesting good hospitality. It will not be their first Fam trip. The Fam trip is your time to be memorable, so make sure to make a positive impression!

In this article

• Tip 1: Connection
• Tip 2: Curiosity
• Tip 3: Stand out

Virtual Fam trips

Top 3 tips for an epic fam trip.

To find out what makes the perfect Fam trip, we have conducted a survey with key industry leaders. We have found the top three things that are game changers in your fam trip experience.

1. Connection

The number one answer our surveyed leaders saw as a changemaker in a Fam trip is the “Who?”. Meaning who is conducting the Fam trip and can this person deliver and create real connections? Can they read verbal and non-verbal cues? Can they invoke excitement curiosity adding value to the overall experience?

“I felt the Fam trip was about me” – someone shared. Displaying your destination and tourism products is first priority, but should it be? This may sound strange, but your top priority should be building a connection with your Fam-guests. Only then you will be able to fully connect them to your destination and tourism products. Only then are you able to show its uniqueness and its potential!

2. Curiosity

When developing your Fam trip, ask yourself the following questions:

• What do we have in our destination that can spark curiosity?
• What can I teach my Fam-guests about our destination and tourism products?

Personal experience

Personally, I have travelled to many destinations. Many places stand out, but some places piqued my curiosity! When I was in Guatemala visiting a Mayan site, I looked down to the ground and saw an object wondering what it was. I thought: What’s that? What’s inside?

The guide quickly noticed my curiosity and picked up the nut, and asked: “Claudine, do you know what’s inside?” I replied, “some sort of nut?” He then shared that it was an almond. “Let’s see what’s inside.”, he said. He took a rock and hit the nut 3 times. He then said: “take a look”. He gave me the nut and asked me to open it up carefully. And there it was, an almond. My almond which I got to see, touch, smell, and taste. It was a full moment of discovery, and this story stays with me!

My curiosity was sparked, and I learned something new and delicious. What’s an everyday moment for you is a unique experience for a visitor. Always stay connected, looking for any opportunity to add value. Invoking moments of curiosity and surprise. You want your Fam-guests to be excited and share their experience passionately with their clients, your potential customers!

3. Stand out

What will you do differently to stand out and be remembered? My best example of a destination standing out is Grenada, an island in the Caribbean Sea. Having travelled extensively, I will never forget the way Grenadian culture and people stood out. I was invited to a local home to join in a traditional local meal called an “oil down”. A meal prepared with care with ingredients from their own garden. It was hands down the most epic dish around.

The experience was not just going to a home and eating a traditional meal. It was a discovery. An insight to their family, culture and lifestyle. For that time, I became part of the family and the island. Every single part of this experience drew me closer to the local culture. Creating a strong bond not only to the family and the experience, but to the destination. Grenada stood out!

In times of Covid-19 , physical Fam trips have been cancelled until further notice. As alternative, the Virtual Fam trip gained more interest. Virtual Fam trips allow invitees to learn more about the destination from their own homes via video. It’s a great temporary alternative for an actual Fam trip. It allows tour operators and destinations to stay in touch with their re-sellers while receiving feedback on their tourism products.

Top 3 tips for Virtual Fam trips

1. Bring the experience alive. You are behind a screen so the body language, the smile and the experience needs to be a bit more animated!

2. Communicate in an inclusive manner. Say things like “We are going to the museum” instead of ‘I will show you the museum”. Key words can make someone feel part of the journey, as if they are there with you!

3. Study your audience. Know what they like, dislike and what their interests are. Doing your homework will help you connect better!

Remember the top three game changers

Decide what kind of Fam trip you want to host and don’t forget the three game changers. Keep looking for opportunities to put your destination on the map and get ready. Before your next Fam trip, remember to focus on personal connections, creating curiosity and to stand out!

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Wow, these are great ideas! This could really ensure an amazing travel experience. How do I get connected with these types of providers?

Wow! Thanks for the message! Where are you located Amy? Reach out, I’m on LinkedIn: Claudine Pohl

Keep Shining, Claudine

Claudine Pohl

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Understanding Familiarization Trips: An In-Depth Guide

Familiarization trips, or FAM trips, are a widely used strategy within the tourism and hospitality industry. They are designed to showcase destinations, products, and services to those who play a crucial role in promoting them. Yet, the precise nature, benefits, and planning strategies of FAM trips remain a mystery to many. This article aims to demystify the concept of FAM trips, offering a detailed exploration of their purpose, participants, costs, benefits, and planning considerations.

Part 1: Familiarization Trip – A Definition

Familiarization trips, referred to as FAM trips, are specialized excursions organized by travel providers, destinations, or other entities within the travel industry. The primary objective of these trips is to familiarize individuals who sell or promote the trip’s focal point with the product, service, or destination. It could be a tour operator, an airline, a hotel chain, a tourism board, or other destination management organizations (DMOs) showcasing their offerings.

By offering first-hand experiences, FAM trips enable travel advisors, agents, media personnel, and influencers to gain a deep understanding of what they are selling or promoting. This experiential knowledge, in turn, allows them to provide their clients or audience with authentic, detailed, and enthusiastic recommendations.

Part 2: Who Participates in a Familiarization Trip?

FAM trips typically involve individuals who can significantly influence the success of countless travel businesses. These include:

• Travel Agents: They are crucial as they directly refer clients to specific destinations, accommodations, or travel services.
• Suppliers: Suppliers of travel-related products and services, such as hotel chains, airlines, and tour operators, can also be part of FAM trips.
• Media Partners: Journalists, editors, travel bloggers, and influencers form an essential part of these trips. Their first-hand experiences can translate into engaging stories, reviews, and social media posts that can attract potential travelers.
• Tour Operators: They are often the ones who package and sell the travel experience, making their familiarization with the product or service vital.

By attending FAM trips, these participants can cultivate long-term relationships with travel providers, enhancing their ability to sell or promote the provider’s offerings effectively.

Part 3: The Financial Aspect of Familiarization Trips

FAM trips are typically sponsored by the businesses aiming to showcase their offerings. These could include tour operators, cruise lines, hotels, or tourism boards. Sponsorships are customary because the host provides the money or product in exchange for the participant’s visit and subsequent promotion of the destination or service.

However, it’s important to note that while many FAM trips are fully sponsored, some may require participants to cover a part of their expenses. This could include airfare, personal expenses, or tips. Also, in some cases, a partnership with a car rental company or airline could exist, providing additional benefits or discounts to FAM trip attendees.

Part 4: Benefits of Familiarization Trips for Travel Agents and Media Personnel

Attendees of FAM trips can reap several advantages . A FAM trip provides them with the opportunity to:

• Experience First-hand: By experiencing the destination, accommodation, or service personally, attendees can better understand their unique selling points and potential drawbacks. This enables them to provide their clients or audience with accurate information and personalized recommendations.
• Create Content: For media personnel and influencers, FAM trips offer a plethora of content creation opportunities. From detailed blog posts and reviews to social media posts and live updates, the content possibilities are endless.
• Build Connections: FAM trips often include networking events, allowing attendees to connect with other professionals in the industry. These connections can lead to future collaborations, partnerships, and learning opportunities.
• Enhance Professional Development: By engaging with industry experts, travel agents and media personnel can enhance their knowledge and skills, leading to professional growth.

Part 5: Advantages for the Hosts of Familiarization Trips

Organizing a FAM trip can be highly beneficial for hosts as well. Some of the potential advantages include:

• Lead Generation: By impressing FAM trip attendees with their offerings, hosts can generate new leads and potential business opportunities.
• Media Coverage: Hosting media personnel can lead to enhanced media coverage. Travel writers, photographers, and influencers can create engaging content about the host’s offerings, leading to increased visibility and interest.
• Brand Awareness: FAM trips can significantly enhance brand awareness. By allowing travel professionals to experience their offerings, hosts can ensure that their brand is accurately and enthusiastically represented to potential clients.
• Direct Feedback: FAM trips also offer hosts the opportunity to receive direct feedback about their offerings. This can provide valuable insights for improvement and innovation.

Part 6: Planning a Familiarization Trip – Key Considerations

Planning a successful FAM trip requires careful consideration and strategic planning. Here are some essential elements to keep in mind:

• Understand Your Audience: The planning process should begin with a thorough understanding of the attendees’ profiles. This includes their interests, preferences, and the type of clients or audience they cater to.
• Craft a Detailed Itinerary: A detailed itinerary should be provided to the attendees as early as possible. This allows them to raise any questions or concerns ahead of time and helps the host customize the experience to meet their needs.
• Balance Activities and Downtime: While it’s important to showcase as many offerings as possible, ensuring a balance between activities and downtime is crucial. Attendees should also have time to relax, process their experiences, and network with others.
• Prepare for Contingencies: Not everything will go according to plan. From last-minute cancellations to unexpected weather changes, it’s crucial to have a contingency plan in place.

Part 7: Familiarization Trips in the Middle East – A Case Study

To illustrate the potential of FAM trips, let’s consider the example of Gulf Reps , a leading travel and tourism representation company in the Middle East. With dedicated teams in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Egypt, and other GCC countries, Gulf Reps boasts over 60 years of regional and industry experience.

Their services range from destination marketing, hotel representation, airline representation, to resort marketing, and more. They have served clients on six continents, delivering transformative results to a range of clients, from hoteliers to tourism boards.

Gulf Reps organize FAM trips to introduce travel agents, media personnel, and other key players in the travel industry to their clients’ offerings. Their FAM trips incorporate various elements such as property tours, destination excursions, networking events, and more, providing attendees with a comprehensive understanding of what their clients have to offer.

Part 8: How to Find Familiarization Trips

There are several ways to find FAM trip opportunities. These include:

• Host Agencies and Consortia: If you’re affiliated with a host agency or consortium, they may organize or provide information about FAM trips.
• Travel Providers: Travel providers like tour operators, hotel chains, airlines, and DMCs often organize FAM trips for travel agents and media personnel.
• Industry Associations: Industry associations often have information about upcoming FAM trips.
• Subscription Websites: Websites like Famtrips.travel, FAMrates.com, and others offer listings of FAM trips for a subscription fee.

Remember, the best FAM trip opportunities are often invite-only or require an application, so cultivating relationships within the industry can significantly increase your chances of being invited.

Part 9: How to Make the Most of a Familiarization Trip

Once you’ve secured a spot on a FAM trip, here are some tips to make the most of the experience:

• Be Prepared: Research the destination, property, or service beforehand. Understand what your clients or audience might be interested in and focus on those aspects during the trip.
• Network: Take the opportunity to connect with other attendees and hosts. These connections can lead to future collaborations and learning opportunities.
• Document Your Experience: Take lots of photos, notes, and videos. These will be invaluable when sharing your experiences with clients or creating content about the trip.
• Share Your Experiences: Use social media to share your experiences in real-time. Not only does this provide marketing for the host, but it also engages your clients or audience and can lead to increased interest and bookings.

Part 10: The Future of Familiarization Trips

FAM trips are an integral part of the travel industry, and their importance is expected to grow in the post-pandemic world. As destinations reopen and travel restrictions ease, FAM trips will play a crucial role in rebuilding traveler confidence and reigniting the industry.

Moreover, as the travel industry becomes more competitive, the need for authentic, first-hand experiences and recommendations increases. Thus, FAM trips will continue to be a valuable tool for travel professionals to enhance their product knowledge, network with industry peers, and ultimately, provide better service to their clients.

In conclusion, familiarization trips are a win-win strategy for all involved. They offer travel professionals unique opportunities to enhance their product knowledge and networking, while hosts benefit from increased visibility, potential leads, and valuable feedback. As the travel industry continues to evolve, FAM trips will undoubtedly continue to play a crucial role in its growth and success.

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Define Familiarization Trip

familiarization trip. A low-cost trip or tour offered to travel agents by a supplier or group of suppliers to familiarize the agents with their destination and services. Example, a resort property or group of hotels and restaurants in Aruba might team up with an airline or tour operator to offer a discount fam trip to the resort or to Aruba. Generally referred to as a "fam trip."

The home study course for home-based travel agents reveals the fastest way to qualify for these ultra-low-cost fam trips.

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Why familiarization trips (FAMs)?

Why does Destination BC host familiarization trips (also known as FAMs) and what are the outcomes of trips like this? Destination BC and key partners often host journalists, editors, travel agents, product managers, marketing managers or reservations staff from tour operator partners.    The intent of these trips to provide attendees with a level of understanding about what BC has to offer as well as inspire them to sell or write about the destination more knowledgably (when they often sell or write about hundreds of destinations around the world). Learn more about FAMs in BC.

UK trade education

The Destination BC UK team held an educational quiz for Trailfinders, consistently one of the biggest tour operator partners and producers into British Columbia from the UK, which shared BC facts to attending staff in London.

German documentary filming

A German documentary team filmed in the Kootenay Rockies in rare boreal forest from 2016-2017, and the subsequent film “Black Forest” is being released.  The dark woods in British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies is a 55,000 hectare sized remote area that was owned for many years by the German Carl, Duke of Württemberg who managed it with sustainability in mind. He named it Darkwoods after his home mountain range Schwarzwald. Home to the very rare boreal woodland cariboo, wolves, and grizzlies, the area is owned by the Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC).

Australia Winter FAMs

November and December 2018 saw many FAM trips from Australia, sharing the idea of experiencing Winter in BC/pre-Christmas and non-ski activities. The team hosted: 10 retail travel agents from Flight Centre stores in New South Wales, who visited Whistler and Vancouver on their FAM; 10 retail travel agents who were part of the Canada Specialist Program from across Australia, visiting Victoria, Vancouver and the Kootenay Rockies; and 8 top travel trade clients in Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, and Field at Emerald Lake Lodge.    Feedback from the trips included the following: “If you’ve been to Canada in summer you’ll know the scenery is spectacular, but to visit in winter is truly magical” .

Photo: Product Managers snow shoeing Grouse Mountain.

Recent travel media coverage

Here are just a few of the media outlets Destination BC recently assisted or hosted:

Outside Online, National Geographic Traveler, Orbitz, Robb Report, LA Travel Magazine, BC Living, Globe and Mail, Ski Canada Magazine, Matador Network, Today (Australia)

Examples of recent coverage:

USA Today https://www.10best.com/interests/explore/why-you-should-visit-canadas-thompson-okanagan/?geo=eu

Iconic Life https://iconiclife.com/experiential-gift-ideas/

Outside https://www.outsideonline.com/2375486/5-road-trips-you-need-take-winter

OpenTable https://blog.opentable.com/page/3/

OpenTable https://blog.opentable.com/2018/neighborhood-gems-restaurants-for-a-hip-casual-new-years-eve-celebration-with-friends/

SkiCanada.org https://www.skicanada.org/christmas-carving-part-2/

Sharp Magazine https://sharpmagazine.com/2018/10/12/why-vancouver-is-the-best-place-in-the-world-for-upscale-chinese-food/

Divergent Travelers https://www.divergenttravelers.com/things-to-do-in-squamish-bc/

justBobbi https://www.justbobbi.com/diary/9-wellness-resorts-to-help-you-reset-and-recharge

The Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/article-the-best-new-things-to-see-and-do-in-canada-in-2019/

Ski Magazine https://www.skimag.com/adventure/bc-ale-trail-tour-de-suds

Ski Magazine https://www.skimag.com/adventure/coming-of-age-in-the-valkyr-range

Scout Magazine https://scoutmagazine.ca/2018/12/07/exploring-the-pacific-marine-circle-route/ ​

Road Stories https://roadstories.ca/okanagan-valley-vineyard-eats-and-bicycle-seats/

Miss 604 https://miss604.com/2018/12/places-to-storm-watch-in-ucluelet-and-tofino.html

Lonely Planet https://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/british-columbia/travel-tips-and-articles/connect-to-culture-experience-first-nations-traditions-in-british-columbia/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2757815

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4 Tips To Help You Score FAM Trip Invitations

Posted February 12th, 2021 by Theresa St. John & filed under Travel Writing .

Definition: A FAM trip is a familiarisation trip offered by tourism destinations or resorts to travel writers, bloggers, influencers and media professionals for a personal experience. The intention is to generate PR and media mentions to educate potential visitors and entice more visitors.

Going on a FAM trip is like grabbing the “brass ring” of travel writing.

It’s when someone selects YOU to go on a free trip, with activities, transportation, luxury hotel stays, and the best meals… all on the house.

FAM trips are designed by PR people or tourism bureaus, with the idea of offering a rich and varied experience to travel writers and other media folks, in hopes of promoting a destination or attraction.  

I’ll never forget my first FAM trip, on St. Simons Island, Georgia. I had only a few articles under my belt at the time but decided to take a chance. I applied and landed that golden ticket, traveling with 11 other journalists to The King and Prince Resort, just steps away from the Atlantic Ocean.

When I returned home, I wrote several articles about the experience and worked on getting them published. I made sure to send the links/magazines to every property and attraction I’d been able to visit. Pretty soon, I was being invited on FAM and media trips… without even having to apply.

Once you have a few by-lines under your belt and can prove you’re dependable by delivering articles that highlight your trip, I’m confident the same thing will happen for you.

To speed things along, consider becoming a member of places like ITWPA, Media Kitty, and TravMedia. All three are organizations intent on helping travel writers learn of opportunities in upcoming FAM trips. You’ll have to put your best foot forward when you apply for a spot, as the competition can be fierce.

Here are a few other things you can do to score FAM trip invitations…

Do what you say you are going to do .

If you apply for and land a coveted spot by promising you can get three articles published, you better be ready to go home and make it happen. PR representatives talk to everyone .

If you are the “real deal,” they will sing your praises. Other invitations will arrive in your mail box. On the other hand, if you promise something and produce nothing, it’s a big no-no. It won’t be long before the invites dry up. 

Try and line up publications ready to take your stories before you go.  Review what’s in The Ultimate Travel Writer’s Program, The Travel Writer’s Café, or the stuff you get with ITWPA membership on how to do this. 

You’re on the job.

By all means, enjoy every second of the exotic location, the warm weather, the magnificent vistas, and ridiculous food… but remember to take good notes and tons of pictures, too. You’re going to be writing stories when you return home, so your facts need to be accurate. Be professional. Be that person the tourism bureaus want to work with again.

Don’t be that aggravating, irritating travel writer.

FAM trips are set on a tight schedule. There is nothing worse than showing up late, when everyone else is on the bus, ready to go. Be on time, be respectful, and you’ll be a favorite.

Even if you have no personal interest in where the group’s headed, don’t be a complainer. Find something to enjoy. Look for the story within the story. After all, you may find some little-known thing that makes you excited to write about it later.

Travel writers eat strange things. They go to strange places. They meet strange and interesting people. A sense of adventure will take you far!

You can under-promise, but you better over-deliver.

You were invited on this trip because you promised them a story. Make sure it rocks! Knock their socks off with great coverage and stellar images. You’re a travel writer and tourism representatives are counting on you to help promote their area to others.

I’ve been able to work with numerous tourism bureaus, both overseas and in the states. One recently told me they’re using my “true professionalism” as an example in their training seminars. It’s such an honor to be named in what all tourism bureaus should expect from a travel writer, after the FAM trip is over.

Today, I have nearly 150 articles published. I’m blessed but I’ve also worked hard.  The free trips are icing on the cake.

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• 1.1 Alternative forms
• 1.2 Etymology

English [ edit ]

Alternative forms [ edit ].

• educational ( noun )
• jolly ( noun )
• perk ( noun )

Etymology [ edit ]

From fam ( “ familiarisation ” ) +‎ trip .

Noun [ edit ]

fam trip ( plural fam trips )

• ( UK , aviation , travel ) A free (or low cost) trip for travel agents or consultants , provided by a travel operator or airline as a means of promoting their service.

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Hosting the Perfect Familiarization Trip

• May 16, 2019
• Sales and Service

(this post was originally posted February 2018; this is the revised post here)

Some of your meeting planner prospects may be quite savvy on the FAM circuit, or this may be their first opportunity to be hosted.  Regardless of where your client is in their career and journey, there are some things you can keep in mind as host when planning a FAM trip.

Why are FAMs important?

For meeting planners, familiarization trips work because they provide a holistic view of what their program would look like in a destination – from ease of access, hotels and offsites, local beauty and amenities, and ease of doing business.  All factors contribute to a meeting planner’s decision to use a destination.  For site selection professionals, many of their clients lean on these industry experts to advise them on destination that make sense for their program’s goals. FAMs are education-based opportunities , not vacations.

As a host destination and/or event host, here are some things to keep in mind when you host your next FAM:

• One point of contact- while your FAM trip requires lots of partners in order to make it a success, designate one point of contact for both suppliers and the attendees. This will save on confusion during execution.
• Timing – it works best if you can offer FAMS at varying times of the year, so planners can somewhat “pick and choose” when they can come. If you can only host one FAM a year, you may benefit from moving the FAM around to different weeks or seasons to accommodate planner’s schedules.  There is one destination that I’m dying to go see on behalf of my clients, but they hold their FAM during the same week, every year, during my busiest month of the year.  For 10 years now, I’ve had to decline the opportunity to go see the destination.  Ironically, I haven’t booked a lot of business in this destination either.
• Vetting process – FAMs can be seen as “free vacays” by some inexperienced planners. By vetting the potential delegate, you may be able to qualify your delegates and ensure your fam is full of planners who truly have business aspirations for your destination.
• Pre-fam survey – conduct and execute a pre-fam survey with your delegates. Ask them key questions about their program(s), including size and demographics of delegates.  This will help your suppliers customize their talking points specifically for certain individuals.
• Work collaboratively – regardless of how you feel your particular service is the “best game in town”, ensure you work in tandem with the other hotels and offsite venues in your destination.  The first and foremost goal should be to get the planner to buy into the destination, not your particular service.
• Showcase unique local qualities – showing what’s unique to your destination may seem like a no-brainer, but ensure your offerings truly stand out as original. Are you a museum town?  How are you different from the other museum towns in the country?  Do you have a thriving wine region?  How do you set yourself apart from other wine regions?
• Agenda and timing
• Contact information for each facility, and for the hosts
• Social media handles for each facility
• Dress code for each day of the trip
• Average weather for the season
• Communication between partners – every stop on the tour wants to showcase their best, and they should be encouraged to do so. Have the partners communicate with one another (or use your “one point of contact”) about the plan for the day, especially menus.  While its great that all your partners are known for their fried chicken, the delegates likely do not want to eat fried chicken at three different places in one day.
• Downtime – many of your attendees are busy meeting planning professionals. Their life at the office doesn’t stop just because they took 3 days out of their schedule to see your destination.  Ensure you build in a few hours each day for delegates to catch up on email (or jet lag).
• Post-fam debrief – Conclude the familiarization trip experience by sending both a post-fam survey to your delegates, as well as your suppliers, to see what was impactful about the FAM, and what leaves room for improvement for the next one

Leanne’s Note – I recently attended a FAM during the destination’s most popular festiva l – it was an incredible experience and it really showcased the energy of the city.  Ensure your FAM participants understand the booking implications of booking their meetings around the festival time as opposed to other times of the year.

Some of the above tips may not work for your destination given the logistics, but many of these are achievable regardless of the duration of the familiarization trip or destination.  By employing many of these tips, you’ve set yourself up for a great return on your FAM investment.  Good luck with your FAMs this season!

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Crafting a Media Familiarization (FAM) Trip

Throughout the year, our team coordinates multiple media familiarization (FAM) trips for destination marketing clients. A FAM trip is designed to educate travel writers and influencers on a destination so they can properly promote it through their media channels. Here are a few critical steps we take in order to plan a seamless trip for writers and influencers that result in optimum coverage and additional content for our client.

1. Communicate with your partners. FAM trips take a village and absolutely depend on a strong relationship with destination hotels, attractions, restaurants and more. Strong partnerships are essential when planning trips because the host destination marketing organization (DMO) requires accommodations, meals and things to do for the visiting writers. If the destination partners are very aware of what they will be giving and receiving with the FAM trip, this will make the decision for them to participate a simple one. For example, if an accommodations partner donates a hotel room stay, in exchange, the writer will include detailed information about the accommodations in her/her blog posts and media profiles. Communicating early and often with partners is essential for creating mutually beneficial, trusting relationships. 

2. Have a plan. A detailed plan for the entire trip is important for all involved. All journalists in attendance should have a copy of their itinerary that is tailored to them specifically. In addition, all partners involved should be given a copy of the all of the travelers’ itineraries. Having a plan ensures that everyone is aware of where they should be and when, making the trip as smooth as possible. This detailed plan should include times, locations, contacts and directions (if the writers are using their own means of transportation) with appropriate time built it for breaks, commuting and unexpected occurrences.

3. Stay flexible. While a plan is crucial for a FAM trip, it is even more important to expect things to not go as planned. If and when the itinerary doesn’t go as expected, it is important to communicate with all who will be affected (travel writers, partners, etc.) Remaining flexible allows for a stress-free experience for the journalists, resulting in a better experience for them and positive coverage for the destination.

4. Stay true to your brand. A DMO’s goal should always be for the participants on the FAM trip to spread the brand’s message. In order to ensure this happens, the itinerary created for the travel writers has to reflect the brand. Highlight your unique points of difference and “stay in your lane”. It’s okay to not have something for everyone. Understand what your destination does well and build an itinerary around the highlights.

Pro tip: Recruit travel writers and influencers that are a good fit for your destination, hotel, restaurant, etc. If you are a yoga retreat, it may be best to steer clear from “adventure” writers or travel writing families.

What are your FAM trip tips? Let us know in the comments!

Photo: Double Duty Mommy on a FAM trip in Navarre Beach  

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