Sell Tahiti and win with Anderson
Photos courtesy/TAHITI TOURISM
TED DAVIS
The scenery in Tahiti is so mesmerizing – and the resorts so inviting – that visitors might miss the unique cultural offerings in this South Pacific island nation. Tahitian culture is a key aspect of the islands that Darcie Guardaras of Anderson Vacations is illuminating for travel agents to consider when meeting their clients.
Travel agents who decide to book Anderson programs for their customers are giving themselves the chance to experience Tahiti first-hand through a contest by Anderson.
A Tahiti fam trip by Anderson will be awarded to the agent who sells the most Tahiti packages through to Oct. 31, 2019. The contest was launched on Aug. 1.
“The Tahiti campaign is focused on supporting Anderson Vacation’s top-producing travel agent who sells the most Tahiti product,” said Darcie Guarderas, director of business development for Anderson Vacations. The winner will attend the Tahiti fam trip from Dec. 1 to 8, 2019. (https://andersonvacations.ca)
Cultural Connection
Anderson’s Tahiti clients may be motivated by the inclusion of exotic, lesser-known South Pacific islands in some itineraries, including Raiatea and Taha’a. These are in addition to the better known islands of French Polynesia, including the capital island of Tahiti, the island of Moorea, and the iconic Bora Bora.
Most people will spend a couple of days in Papeete, the small capital city on the island of Tahiti, then head to Moorea for a few days, and then proceed to the crowning jewel of Bora Bora, she said. “Every package we offer is customized, so the options are limitless.”
Culture can get lost in the natural beauty of the Tahitian islands, defined as French Polynesia on the world map. Anderson raises the profile of Tahiti’s culture with tour opportunities like guided 4×4 excursions on the mountainous trails of Moorea and Bora Bora, authentic Moana lagoon tours, snorkelling adventures on the reefs, and more.
Tour programs like this have helped Anderson build on its status as a niche tour operator. “We don’t operate in the mass market, we want to be known as a specialist tour operator,” said Guarderos.
“We offer access to less expensive pensions (guest houses), as well as some other off-the-beaten-path attractions that other tour operators may not offer,” she says. For example, Anderson offers a day tour that includes a visit to a local artist’s home to hear the stories of her life.
This ATV tour on Bora Bora is operated by a young man who brings participants to his grandmother’s home. “She is an incredible artist and invites you into her house to see her artwork and to tell you her family’s stories,” says Guarderos.
Anderson also offers a tour on Ra’iatea that takes in a pearl cultivating farm, where guests are guided through the process of creating perfect pearls and different classes of pearls by the owner. The tour also stops at a vanilla farm, which is family-owned and operated.
Training for Tahiti
These are all parts of a Tahiti vacation that can be recognized and ultimately sold by travel agents who are Tahiti specialists – or aspiring to be one. To achieve this, agents should complete the Tahiti Tiare program by Tahiti Tourisme.
It not only greatly increases the destination knowledge of the islands for agents, but also confers other benefits that will help agents sell Tahiti programs and confirms their status as a Tahiti specialist.
The benefits on completing the Tahiti Tiare program include sales and marketing tools for agents to use, allowing the creation of personalized agency flyers from Tahiti Tourisme templates; access to consumer brochures, diving/wedding guides, vacation planners, postcards, posters and a photo library; and a certified Tahiti Specialist logo for use in the agency’s advertising and collateral materials.
Completion of the program also gives agents a complimentary listing on the Tahiti Tourisme consumer website (www.tahititourisme.com), where consumers have the ability to search out travel retailers based on their location. Agents also receive a Tahiti Specialist certificate indicating that Tahiti Tourisme endorses them and identifies them as a Tahiti resource for potential clients. Successful agents can also look forward to exclusive opportunities, like access to fam trips, seminars/events and special rates/offers by Tahiti Tourisme.
To ensure entry to the Anderson Vacations contest, all tracking of package sales is automati-cally done by Anderson, so the agents do not need to track anything – but they do need to have completed the Tahiti Tiare Program. This will be verified by Anderson Vacations at the end of the contest. And then the agent with the highest sales will be awarded a spot on the Tahiti fam trip.
The winner will be selected right after the Oct. 31 booking deadline. The fam includes airfares from Los Angeles to Tahiti, as well as accommodations, activities and most meals in the destination.
(https://andersonvacations.ca)
Photo courtesy/Tahiti Nui Helicopters