Move ahead of the pack

Getting on a fam trip though, is only half of the equation - keeping up-to-date with what fams are available and when can prove a job in itself.

Evans suggests being a bookworm. That includes reading trade media publications and following relevant companies on social media. “Like and follow everything travel trade related and get tweeting too!” she adds.

Like Evans, Gordon McCreadie, Travel 2 director of sales and marketing, advises agents to like the company’s Facebook group, although Travel 2’s Fam School, a dedicated page on its website, brings together information on any fam trip opportunities available and how to secure a place.

McCreadie also notes that completing online training can be a powerful tool in the fight for winning a fam trip place. “One of the most successful routes to join a fam with us is to complete one of the T2 Academy training modules,” he says. Additionally, agents who attend the trade-only operator’s events across the UK are also in with a chance of scoring a fam trip place.

Making yourself familiar to the operator or tourism board’s team can only aid your cause, says Evans. “Get to know your local sales representatives and be sure to get noticed when they do their sales calls; don’t be shy about talking to them about having a fam to gain first-hand knowledge of products your clients are buying and remember if you don’t ask, you don’t get!” she says.

Flambert even suggests dropping in to say hello to the tourist board where viable; aside from picking up information and registering on their database you can also meet the key people, he explains.

If distances don’t allow you to stop at a tourism board’s office then there are always consumer and trade fairs, he adds.

Could you be blacklisted?

Even if you’re new to the industry, that shouldn’t prove a hindrance, says Evans, who explains that being a fam virgin can actually work in your favour: “Travel companies love to invite agents on fams, especially if they have never visited the destination.”

But for industry veterans who have ventured abroad on numerous fams, a word of warning from Flambert: be careful not to get complacent about the benefits of the trips, as it could impact the likelihood of getting on another.

“We talk among [ourselves at] tourist boards and recommend agents to other tourist boards,” he explains. “We also give feedback to each other about troublemakers or people who came on a fam trip and got up late in the morning and drank too much in the night, or who wanted to relax by the pool or sea rather than come on excursions.”

Tips from a pro

1. Switch-sell

“The number one thing is selling the destination,” says Corrine Smith, homeworker at Thomas Cook Signature (right). And that may mean tempting customers to opt for a different style of tour or carrier.

2. Be passionate and dedicated

“You need to want to get it,” says Corrine. “My favourite ones are the Brand USA MegaFams, but they’re also the hardest ones to get on to. In the first year it wasn’t as well- known, but by the second year I had to double my sales to get on. Now I’ll probably have to triple them; I’ve won a place for the past two years and will work my hardest to get on it again next year.”

3. Read up

“TTG always gives me the incentives and makes me aware of what I need to sell,” she says.

4. Get as much product knowledge as possible

Corrine says: “You need to complete a lot of online training. When you complete these you’re on their email database.”

5. Find a niche

“I specialise in the US and Caribbean,” she says, “so I’ve probably got an edge there.”