So it would be remiss for sales professionals not to be clued up on the best holiday options for so many potential customers. Everyone deserves their dream holiday and we have a duty of care to help our guests make optimum choices to suit the needs of their family.
The best holidays come without limitations and every effort should be made by holiday providers to offer accommodations to meet the needs of all guests.
However, travel agents should make it their business to find the right holiday for every potential customer. At supplier meetings, ask to be reminded what the brand offers guests with physical and cognitive disabilities, and how it caters for those who are neurodivergent.
Should a customer ask for your recommendation for family members with visual or hearing disabilities, do you have a shortlist of failsafe holiday options where you know every possible effort will be made to accommodate them? If the answer is no, dig deeper and make time to research these areas.
Get to know your customers, focusing on the person rather than the disability, and do not make assumptions. As with any customer, start by asking general questions regarding what they are looking for and check to see if any family members need additional support, remembering disabilities can be visible or hidden.
Having the right conversations from the outset can help narrow down holiday options, and if you aren’t familiar with what a brand offers guests with disabilities, ask their sales and support team.
’Become a champion’
My team is always listening to the feedback we receive from our travel partners. We recently updated our Club Royal travel agent training program with three new modules so agents can educate themselves on how our holidays accommodate families living with autism, Down Syndrome and other developmental disabilities.
They can also learn about how we are committed to providing the most accessible holiday experiences both on land and at sea. Our guru module also discusses what you can do as a travel agent to embark on these conversations with your customers and ensure they have the holiday of a lifetime.
Cruise holidays are an accessible way to see the world, but take time to consider the itineraries and ships to ensure your guests will be able to enjoy their time both at sea and when ashore. Does the company offer a range of accessible shore excursions? Are beach wheelchairs available at their private destinations, along with easy transport to and from the ship?
It’s also worth speaking to colleagues, industry experts and friends with family members with disabilities for word-of-mouth recommendations. Every family deserves an incredible holiday, so however you choose to educate yourself in this area, make it a priority and become a champion for your potential new customer base.
Since we launched our Autism Friendly programme ten years ago, we have doubled the number of autistic guests and their families sailing with us due to positive recommendations.
Pre-pandemic, in the US alone, travellers with disabilities spent $58.7 billion on travel, and this doesn’t include the spending power of friends, family members, colleagues and others.
Investing the time to deliver on their needs will result in them investing in you.
Aaron Langford is Royal Caribbean International’s senior sales director UK and Ireland.
