familiarization trip adalah

Apa Yang Perlu Anda Ketahui Agar Familiarization Trip Berjalan Lancar?

by adminidpr | Jun 4, 2020 | Article | 0 comments

Beberapa dari Anda mungkin pernah mendengar istilah Familiarization Trip ( FAM Trip). FAM Trip adalah perjalanan familiarisasi yang digunakan Public Relations profesional atau agen perjalanan untuk memperkenalkan kepada penulis, bloggers , influencers dan media dengan suatu merek, destinasi, dan layanan. Ini bisa berupa perjalanan kelompok atau perjalanan individu tergantung pada ketersediaan profesional penulis, bloggers , influencers dan media maupun kebutuhan merek atau perusahaan.

Agen perjalanan menggunakan FAM Trip untuk membantu mereka mempelajari lebih lanjut tentang suatu destinasi sehingga mereka dapat “menjual” lebih baik kepada klien, sementara dalam Public Relations , FAM Trip merupakan cara penting untuk membantu destinasi atau merek menceritakan kisah mereka dengan memberikan pengalaman yang menarik kepada jurnalis dan pada akhirnya menghasilkan cerita tentang destinasi yang mereka kunjungi atau pun suatu merek dan layanan.

Selama menjadi pratiksi PR, menurut saya meskipun kegiatan FAM Trip ini membutuhkan banyak biaya dan waktu untuk merencanakannya, namun kegiatan ini memberi manfaat bagi merek atau perusahaan, terutama ketika merek atau perusahaan tersebut menyediakan produk atau layanan pengalaman yang menyenangkan. Manfaat yang didapat yaitu jurnalis yang mengikuti FAM Trip ini cenderung menulis cerita yang lebih panjang dengan detail karya yang lebih baik, dan menghasilkan jumlah cerita dengan konten yang lebih bervariasi.

Tentunya melakukan kegiatan FAM Trip bisa sangat menantang. Apalagi ketika kita harus meng handle beberapa orang dengan karakter dan kebutuhan yang berbeda-beda. Hal-hal yang tidak diinginkan terkadang kemungkinan terjadi seperti, tertinggal pesawat, peserta yang ikut terlambat datang ke acara, jurnalis tidak dapat mewawancarai narasumber dan masih banyak lagi kemungkinan yang tidak diinginkan dapat terjadi selama kegiatan berlangsung.

Oleh karena itu, untuk membuatnya sukses dan berjalan lancar, perlu diingat beberapa hal ini agar FAM Trip berjalan dengan sukses dan lancar, seperti:

• Memiliki Rencana

Rencana terperinci untuk seluruh perjalanan penting bagi semua yang terlibat. Semua jurnalis yang hadir harus memiliki salinan rencana perjalanan atau itinerary yang dirancang khusus untuk mereka. Selain itu, semua mitra yang terlibat harus diberikan salinan dari semua rencana perjalanan. Memiliki rencana memastikan bahwa setiap orang menyadari di mana mereka seharusnya berada dan kapan sehingga membuat perjalanan sehalus mungkin. Rencana terperinci ini harus mencakup waktu, lokasi, kontak, dan arahan.

• Berikan Informasi Secara Tertulis dan Menyediakan USB

Selain media kit saat ini, berikan lembar fakta statistik dan fakta menyenangkan, ditambah beberapa gambar dengan keterangan dan kredit yang dapat digunakan media dan berikan informasi soft copy pada USB. Serta jangan lupa untuk memberi semua orang daftar kontak tamu-tamu lain di kegiatan ini agar mereka dapat tetap berhubungan. Membangun dan memelihara hubungan dengan media bisa sangat bermanfaat bagi bisnis selama Anda tetap profesional dan produktif untuk semua orang yang terlibat.

• Tetap Fleksibel

Rencana sangat penting untuk kegiatan ini, bahkan lebih penting untuk mengharapkan hal-hal tidak berjalan sesuai rencana. Tetapi jika rencana perjalanan tidak berjalan seperti yang diharapkan, penting untuk berkomunikasi dengan semua orang yang akan terpengaruh dalam kegiatan ini. Tetap fleksibel memungkinkan pengalaman bebas stres bagi para jurnalis, sehingga menghasilkan pengalaman yang lebih baik untuk mereka dan cakupan yang  positif.

• Jadilah ‘ Human Clock’

Peserta dalam kegiatan ini jarang mencatat waktu dan rencana perjalanan, hal ini sangatlah wajar karena para peserta kegiatan biasanya ingin menikmati serangkaian acara dengan santai. Namun sebagai Public Relations profesional, selama kegiatan harus mengawasi waktu dan berikan pengingat karena bagaimanapun kegiatan harus sesuai jadwal setiap saat. Tak ada salahnya mengingatkan orang-orang tentang waktu dan lokasi perhentian terjadwal berikutnya.

• Terima Kesalahan Anda

Ada saat-saat ketika ada yang berjalan sesuai rencana. Mungkin Anda tidak menyediakan makanan yang sesuai selera mereka atau waktu check-out hotel tidak sesuai dengan waktu penerbangan yang menyebabkan pemborosan waktu dan ketidak-nyamanan kepada seseorang. Pada saat-saat seperti ini, hindari saling menyalahkan dan mengakui kesalahan yang menyebabkan ketidak-nyamanan. Seperti yang dikatakan, seseorang harus belajar dari kesalahannya.

• Terakhir namun tidak kalah pentingnya, sebagai seorang profesional PR, Anda melakukan FAM Trip ini untuk mewakili klien dan mitra klien Anda, memandu perjalanan dan bertindak sebagai sumber informasi, tetapi pada kenyataannya, Anda juga harus memberikan kenyamanan dan memberikan pengalaman yang berkesan. Anda akan menjadi orang yang paling banyak dilihat para peserta trip ini dalam beberapa hari, dan itu adalah tugas Anda untuk memastikan mereka semua merasa diterima dan bisa bersenang-senang.

(oleh Irianty Nur Afiah, praktisi Public Relations – IndoneisaPR.id; referensi dari berbagai sumber)

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31.May.2023

Kenalan sama fam trip, yuk.

FAM Trip di Indonesia - Hai Aladiners! Udah pernah denger istilah FAM Trip  belum? Kalau belum, sini Mister jelasin. Lumayan kan buat nambah pengetahuan kamu soal dunia pariwisata. FAM Trip atau Familiarization Trip  adalah perjalanan wisata yang ditujukan untuk mengenalkan potensi wisata di Indonesia. FAM Trip ini dilakukan untuk menarik minat wisatawan mancanegara (dan domestik) untuk berkunjung atau berlibur ke/di Indonesia. Apalagi sekarang Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (Kemenparekraf) sedang gencar-gencarnya mengenalkan Desa Wisata. Promosi mengenai Desa Wisata - Desa Wisata ini diharapkan dapat memajukan ekonomi desa-desa tradisional Indonesia. Namun ada beberapa hal yang perlu diketahui agar pelaksanaan FAM Trip  berjalan lancar. 

Memiliki itinerary yang jelas

Saat pelaksanaan FAM Trip , biasanya terdapat jurnalis atau influencer  yang ikut serta. Nah, mereka ini harus memiliki  itinerary atau rencana perjalanan terperinci yang dibuat khusus untuk mereka. Dengan memiliki itinerary , akan membuat setiap orang menyadari di mana posisi mereka, sehingga membuat kegiatan berjalan lancar. 

Sediakan informasi tertulis dan soft file

Selain media kit , data-data tertulis dengan gambar dan keterangan mengenai destinasi wisata yang dituju, harus diberikan kepada jurnalis atau influencer baik dalam bentuk cetak atau soft file.

Baca juga :  7 Desa Wisata di Bali yang Jadi Incaran Wisatawan

Selalu fleksibel

Saat FAM Trip, mengikuti itinerary yang sudah dibuat sangat penting agar acara tidak melenceng ke mana-mana. Tapi harus selalu siap jika memang ada kendala yang menyebabkan pelaksanaan FAM Trip menjadi keluar dari itinerary. Dengan selalu fleksibel, maka para peserta FAM Trip t idak akan mengalami stres karena tetap ada improvisasi arahan dari panitia. 

Baca juga :   Keunikan Desa Sade di Lombok Tengah

Human Clock

Para peserta FAM Trip harus dianggap jarang mencatat waktu dan rencana perjalanan. Hal ini sangat wajar karena para peserta ingin mengikuti kegiatan dengan santai. Tanggung jawab lebih ada pada panitia yang harus selalu menjadi pengingat ( human clock ) kepada para peserta, karena kegiatan harus sesuai jadwal setiap saat. 

Ada saat-saat ketika FAM Trip tidak berjalan sesuai rencana. Mungkin panitia tidak menyediakan makanan yang sesuai selera peserta atau waktu  check-out  hotel tidak sesuai dengan waktu penerbangan yang menyebabkan pemborosan waktu dan ketidak-nyamanan kepada seseorang. Pada saat-saat seperti ini, hindari saling menyalahkan dan mengakui kesalahan yang menyebabkan ketidak-nyamanan saat FAM Trip . 

Baca juga :  Wae Rebo, Desa Wisata dengan Sejuta Keajaiban di Indonesia

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Mengenal familiarization trip (fam trip): mengungkap keajaiban pariwisata indonesia.

• Meningkatkan Kesadaran Wisatawan: FAM Trip membantu para pemangku kepentingan memahami secara mendalam keindahan, budaya, dan tradisi Indonesia. Mereka dapat berbagi pengalaman ini dengan wisatawan potensial, meningkatkan kesadaran tentang apa yang bisa dinikmati di Indonesia.
• Mengoptimalkan Promosi: Melalui FAM Trip, para agen perjalanan dan wartawan dapat memperoleh informasi penting tentang destinasi, dan ini membantu mereka mengembangkan kampanye promosi yang lebih akurat dan menarik.
• Dukungan Ekonomi Desa: Dengan mempromosikan Desa Wisata, FAM Trip membantu meningkatkan pendapatan dan ekonomi desa-desa tradisional, memberikan insentif bagi masyarakat lokal untuk menjaga warisan budaya mereka.

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hajriah fajar

Fam trip: menyelami pesona wisata indonesia untuk menarik minat wisatawan mancanegara.

Indonesia, dengan kekayaan budaya dan alamnya yang luar biasa, telah lama menjadi destinasi impian para pelancong. Dari pulau-pulau eksotis hingga budaya yang kaya, Indonesia memiliki segalanya untuk menawarkan kepada wisatawan, baik yang berasal dari dalam negeri maupun mancanegara. Untuk memperkenalkan pesona wisata Indonesia, Familiarization Trip atau FAM Trip adalah sebuah konsep yang tak boleh dilewatkan.

Apa Itu FAM Trip?

FAM Trip adalah singkatan dari Familiarization Trip, yang secara harfiah berarti "perjalanan pemahaman." Konsep ini bertujuan untuk memperkenalkan potensi wisata Indonesia kepada sejumlah pihak yang sangat penting, yaitu wisatawan mancanegara dan domestik, agen perjalanan, jurnalis perjalanan, serta pihak-pihak terkait dalam industri pariwisata. Dengan FAM Trip, mereka memiliki kesempatan untuk merasakan langsung dan mendalami pesona yang ditawarkan oleh destinasi wisata di Indonesia.

Mengapa FAM Trip Penting?

FAM Trip adalah alat yang sangat efektif dalam mempromosikan destinasi wisata. Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (Kemenparekraf) Indonesia memahami sepenuhnya nilai dari FAM Trip ini, terutama dalam konteks memajukan Desa Wisata. Dengan FAM Trip, para peserta memiliki kesempatan untuk:

• Mengenal Destinasi dengan Mendalam: Peserta FAM Trip tidak hanya melihat potensi wisata dari jauh, tetapi mereka dapat merasakannya secara langsung. Mereka dapat menjelajahi destinasi, berinteraksi dengan masyarakat setempat, dan merasakan budaya serta alam yang unik.
• Menghasilkan Materi Promosi Berkualitas: Para jurnalis perjalanan dan agen perjalanan yang mengikuti FAM Trip akan dapat mengumpulkan informasi dan materi berkualitas untuk promosi lebih lanjut. Ini termasuk foto, video, cerita perjalanan, dan ulasan yang akan membantu meningkatkan visibilitas destinasi tersebut.
• Menumbuhkan Minat Wisatawan: Melalui FAM Trip, para peserta memiliki kesempatan untuk membangun koneksi pribadi dengan destinasi tersebut. Pengalaman ini seringkali menciptakan ikatan yang kuat dan minat yang mendalam untuk mengunjungi kembali atau merekomendasikan destinasi tersebut kepada orang lain.
• Mendukung Ekonomi Lokal: Selain menarik minat wisatawan, FAM Trip juga mendukung ekonomi lokal. Ini terutama terjadi ketika destinasi yang dipromosikan adalah Desa Wisata. Dengan mengenalkan Desa Wisata kepada dunia, wisatawan membantu meningkatkan pendapatan dan kesejahteraan masyarakat setempat.

Fokus pada Desa Wisata

Dalam upaya memajukan Desa Wisata, Kemenparekraf Indonesia telah aktif memasukkan Desa Wisata ke dalam perjalanan FAM Trip. Desa Wisata adalah konsep yang menekankan pada pengembangan ekowisata dan pendekatan berkelanjutan untuk memajukan desa-desa tradisional Indonesia. Dalam Desa Wisata, para wisatawan dapat terlibat dalam aktivitas budaya dan alam yang autentik, berkontribusi langsung pada perekonomian lokal, dan secara keseluruhan memberikan pengalaman yang mendalam dan bermakna.

FAM Trip yang melibatkan Desa Wisata memainkan peran penting dalam membuka peluang ekonomi baru bagi masyarakat lokal, membantu menjaga budaya dan lingkungan, serta mempromosikan kekayaan Indonesia kepada dunia.

FAM Trip adalah alat penting dalam mempromosikan potensi wisata Indonesia kepada dunia. Ini memungkinkan para peserta, termasuk wisatawan mancanegara, agen perjalanan, dan jurnalis, untuk merasakan dan memahami destinasi secara mendalam. Lebih dari itu, FAM Trip yang mengutamakan Desa Wisata membantu memajukan ekonomi desa-desa tradisional Indonesia, menjaga kekayaan budaya, dan mempromosikan pariwisata berkelanjutan. Dengan demikian, FAM Trip adalah langkah penting 

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Pelatihan Penyelenggaraan Fam Trip (Familiarization Trip)

Untuk lebih meningkatkan kunjungan wisatawan ke suatu destinasi wisata dibutuhkan strategi yang  tepat. Mulai dari strategi perencanaan dan pengembangan produk, strategi pemasaran dan peningkatan SDM di bidang wisatanya. Salah satu bentuk wisata berdasar maksud dan tujuan adalah familiarization trip atau lebih dikenal dengan fam trip. Familiarization Trip (wisata pengenalan), merupakan suatu perjalanan anjangsana yang dimaksudkan guna mengenal lebih lanjut bidang atau daerah yang mempunyai kaitan dengan pekerjaannya. Biasanya wisata jenis ini diikuti oleh para jurnalis, hotel, dan travel agent. Fam trip dilakukan untuk mengenalkan daya tarik wisata ataupun produk wisata baru yang akan dan sedang dikembangkan sehingga mampu mendatangkan wisatawan. Untuk lebih menarik minat wisatawan maka fam trip dikemas sebaik mungkin. Penyelenggara akan menjamu dan melayani peserta fam trip sesuai dengan standar dalam memberikan pelayanan kepada wisatawan. Mengingat pentingnya kegiatan fam trip untuk meningkatkan kunjungan wisatawan ke suatu destinasi maka telah disusun pelatihan Penyelenggaraan Fam Trip selama dua hari dengan ruang lingkup materi meliputi: Kebijakan Pengembangan Pariwisata Terkini, Teknis Penyelenggaraan Fam Trip, Bekerjasama Dengan Rekan Kerja dan Wisatawan, Menyusun Tour Itinerary, dan Mengemas Produk Wisata.

Untuk informasi pelatihan dan pendaftaran Jadwal   Pelatihan Penyelenggaraan Fam Trip (Familiarization Trip)  serta informasi untuk  Pelatihan Penyelenggaraan Fam Trip (Familiarization Trip)    di lokasi tertentu dapat menghubungi  WA 082226191381,  0816592791, 081328867181

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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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Siaran Pers: Tingkatkan Kunjungan Wisman, Kemenparekraf Gelar Famtrip Bagi TA/TO dari 3 Negara ASEAN

SIARAN PERS 

KEMENTERIAN PARIWISATA DAN EKONOMI KREATIF/BADAN PARIWISATA DAN EKONOMI KREATIF 

Tingkatkan Kunjungan Wisman, Kemenparekraf Gelar Famtrip Bagi TA/TO dari 3 Negara ASEAN

Dalam upaya mendorong kebangkitan ekonomi dan terbukanya lapangan kerja

Jakarta, 18 Juli 2022 - Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif/Badan Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf) menggelar kegiatan Perjalanan Wisata Umum Pengenalan/Familiarization Trip dengan mengundang enam travel agent/tour operator (TA/TO) dari tiga negara ASEAN yang berlangsung di Bali pada 12 hingga 15 Juli 2022. 

Menteri Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif/Kepala Badan Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif (Menparekraf/Kabaparekraf) Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno dalam keterangannya, Senin (18/7/2022), mengatakan kegiatan ini merupakan bagian dari kampanye promosi #ItsTimeforBali.

"Selain itu kegiatan ini diharapkan juga menjadikan Indonesia sebagai top of mind bagi wisatawan dari ASEAN,” kata Menparekraf Sandiaga.

Enam peserta Perjalanan Wisata Umum Pengenalan/Familiarization Trip tersebut adalah para pelaku travel agent/travel operator dari Malaysia, Singapura, dan Thailand. 

Kegiatan ini merupakan upaya dari promosi kembali pariwisata Indonesia, khususnya Bali sehingga diharapkan dapat meningkatkan kunjungan wisatawan mancanegara (wisman) terutama dari negara-negara tersebut. 

Sekretaris Kementerian Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif/Sekretaris Utama Badan Pariwisata dan Ekonomi Kreatif sekaligus Plt. Deputi Bidang Pemasaran Kemenparekraf/Baparekraf, Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani, menjelaskan, Malaysia, Singapura dan Thailand adalah pasar yang sangat penting bagi pariwisata Indonesia. Terutama Malaysia dan Singapura yang selalu menjadi peringkat teratas penyumbang wisman ke Indonesia.

"Malaysia dan Singapura merupakan pasar potensial bagi Indonesia. Pada tahun 2019 wisatawan Malaysia yang datang ke Indonesia sebesar 2,9 juta dan Singapura sebesar 1,9 juta wisatawan. Di tahun yang sama, Malaysia menempati rangking pertama dan Singapura menempati rangking ketiga setelah Tiongkok," kata Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani.

Ia mengatakan, Kemenparekraf tahun ini akan memfokuskan upaya promosi dengan berkolaborasi bersama pelaku utama bisnis pariwisata dalam dan luar negeri meliputi tour agent/tour operator, hotel, juga maskapai dalam bentuk misi penjualan dan kerja sama terpadu. 

"Selain untuk mendorong jumlah kunjungan wisman ASEAN ke Indonesia, kami berharap upaya ini akan memberikan dampak langsung yang positif bagi masyarakat dan pelaku usaha pariwisata di Indonesia." kata Ni Wayan Giri Adnyani. 

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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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The idea is simple: In order for a travel agent to sell to a client, they need to know about the product. For example, hotels will put a travel agent up in a room, and then take them on a tour of the place. Hopefully, when the agent goes home, they will then be so satisfied with what they saw that they will recommend the hotel or airline or resort to their clients.

Not only will you experience a hotel or airline on a fam trip, but you may take cooking classes, enjoy a safari, go hiking or backpacking, swim with the dolphins, or stomp grapes. The opportunities are endless.

However, the most important part about a FAM trip isn’t to enjoy a free vacation (in many cases, the trip isn’t free, but it is seriously discounted and you can usually bring a companion or several at the same rate). A travel agent is there to learn when on these excursions. You should be making notes about what you are enjoying on the trip so you can share this information with your clients. Here are some other tips about FAM trips:

• Bring a camera. You can document your trip in photos and even share these photos on your blog or website.
• Be professional: remember that this isn’t your vacation. You’re working and you should make sure that you, and any party you bring, is on their best behavior.
• Don’t cancel. If you paid for a FAM trip and cancel, many operators and destinations can bill you for a higher rate.
• Jam-packed trip: For most of these trips, it’s busy, busy, busy. You are expected to see so much in such a small amount of time.
• Get an agenda: You should know what you will be expecting on the FAM trip before it begins. There’s typically a schedule of events, so if you do not get one, ask.
• Provide feedback: Let the FAM operator know if there were any problems on the trip. Sometimes they may not realize that a leader of the tour struggled explaining information to you or that other travel agents weren’t being professional.

Taking a fam trip is only one part of educating yourself as a travel agent. Reading travel publications and industry news and networking with other professionals in the field will ensure that you are a well-educated travel agent that your clients need.

TammyLevent

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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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Best practices for attending a hosted familiarization trip

• February 20, 2018
• Meetings and Business Events Industry

The best way for a meeting planner to determine if a destination is a good fit for their meetings and conferences is by attending a familiarization trip, or FAM, to the destination.

I recently wrote an article for destinations and hotels about FAM best practices and how to plan a perfect FAM. As the meeting planner attending the FAM, there are also things you can do to make the FAM a success for all parties.

Why are FAMs important? For meeting planners, FAMs 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. A lot has been said about the ethics of meeting planners who attend site visits. FAMs can be a lot of fun, and sometimes are viewed as a right of the meeting planner who need a break from their stressful schedules. If you follow this one key guideline as a FAM attendee, all your actions will set you up as a respected member of the meetings community:

FAM’s are a privilege, and an education-based opportunity for me to service my clients to the fullest of my abilities.

Whether you are a seasoned planner, or looking at your first FAM opportunity, keep the following tips in mind to ensure you get the most out of your time away from the office attending a familiarization trip.

• Be honest – the FAM destination and partners will ask about your business potential for the region. Please don’t mislead them, be honest about the opportunity. If you’ve never booked a destination before, be honest about that too!  You may have never booked it because you weren’t familiar with the region, which is the whole reason for the FAM!
• Have organizational support – some companies have guidelines around attending FAMs; please ensure you are following the guidelines, and have business potential for the region.
• Commit only if you can commit – I often see planners who cancel out of FAMs at the last minute, which leaves hosts in the lurch as they have planned on your attendance. Please commit only if you can commit, and prepare for those days away from home and the office.
• Attend all agenda functions – do not skip on functions to tend to emails or other business. Treat this as a mandatory part of your job; a “must do” meeting versus an optional appointment.  Prepare for your time away by communicating with colleagues and clients that you are attending a familiarization trip requires your full attention, and schedule your tasks accordingly
• Be on time – FAMs are work meetings, please respect the time of your work colleagues and be on time for all functions
• Take notes – whether you like to use a notebook, your phone/iPad, or document your notes using pictures and business cards, please take notes throughout the trip.  Use this site visit notes worksheet as a great note-taking tool.  This will be your best way of retaining the information for future use, and shows your hosts that you taking this learning opportunity seriously.
• Ask questions – this is your time to ensure all your unanswered questions about a destination or venue are asked – ASK AWAY – your hosts will appreciate the engagement and dialogue that all FAM members will benefit from
• Limit alcohol – take the lead of your host on drinking alcohol at an event. Its ok to indulge, but remember this is work function (think office Christmas party guidelines….)
• Send thank you’s – whether electronically or hand-written, send thank you’s to your event hosts. The number of participating venues, and their involvement may dictate who you send thank you’s to, but ensure your main hosts are acknowledged for their time, talent and money spent on your attendance.
• Share the knowledge – if you have other colleagues or client’s that would benefit from the information you learned about a region or venue, make a plan to share your notes and take-aways from the FAM.

While FAM’s can be a ton of fun, they are still also a ton of work and should be viewed as an educational program. If you attending familiarization trips are part of your role as a meeting planner, are there any tips you’d like to share with your #eventprofs peeps?

RELATED – Planning the Perfect FAM for your Meeting Planner Clients

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