The two fields don’t quite sound related: tourism and learning how to become a better negotiator. But actually, they have more intersection than you’d think!
First off, travel sites are coming up like weeds nowadays. There’s stalwarts in the industry but now you also got all these smaller nicheourism companies out there. How are you going to negotiate competitive deals and loyalty when most travelers can look up the cheapest hotel and flight prices with a few swipes? Pricing’s not the only factor, either. People approach tourism differently than before as the digital age has made the world more interconnected. Travel bloggers and “digital nomads” talk about their off-the-beaten path adventures while the mommy blogger demographic discusses the best places for a family vacation. Tourism’s about travel and getting people to come see your state, city, or major attraction: so it’s never predictable.
But you not only have to convince people to visit your destination: travel itself is so unpredictable. Industry trends, how and where people book trips, and even the trips themselves. You never know when that flight you showed up two hours early for suddenly gets canceled or you’re running to catch that plane before the doors shut just to sit on the tarmac for over an hour. Whereas something that is predictable is that being able to negotiate on the spot is an invaluable skill for the tourism industry (or any other industry for that matter.)
Good negotiation skills can be used in any way from getting the best block rates for hotels to getting that harried airline employee to upgrade your seat for that canceled flight.
An experienced tourism speaker can teach your team how to keep up with the constant changes in the industry and use them to their advantage when it comes to on-the-spot negotiations. Negotiations skills are especially important in environments subject to constant change and unpredictability like travel and tourism.
