When it comes to the US of A, many travellers are happy to go it alone booking their holidays. travelBulletin spoke to Personal Travel Manager Amber Boseley who gave us her top tips how to give that added value for your clients.
Is there much interest from Australians for travel to USA?
Absolutely! It’s a great, safe destination for couples, families and single travellers and is such a diverse environment that it makes a perfect holiday destination for all Australians.
Which destinations are most popular?
They would be what I call ‘the big 5’ — Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, San Francisco and New York City.
What sort of experiences are travellers to the US looking for?
I work with a lot of families so Disneyland is the most popular, requested experience. Flights over the Grand Canyon are also, not surprisingly, very popular. Requests for tickets to TV Show tapings in both LA & NYC are always high on clients must do lists along with TV and movie sights tours.
Is there a particular time of year that is best for visiting the US?
My favourite recommendation is always September to October — generally, the weather is mild and depending where clients are visiting it can be quite similar to Australia’s weather at that time.
What should an agent consider when selling the US?
For those independent travellers who like to DIY sightsee, make sure you check out the public transport options for their locations. A lot of major cities don’t have the great options we’re used to — both Los Angeles and Orlando are notoriously difficult to navigate via public transport. When you point this out to clients, with a few examples, it makes a great upsell to tours, hop-on hop-off tourist bus passes or car hire.
Is touring or FIT more popular?
Definitely FIT — I find that Australians are very comfortable travelling to the USA as there are no language barriers. Most clients, while a little nervous with driving on the opposite side of the road, are comfortable driving a car and having that extra flexibility you don’t get with a tour.
