Jeff Gayduk, the publisher of Premier Travel Media, calls to the attention of Leisure Group Travel readers the company’s most recently released niche market guides.
You know us as Leisure Group Travel magazine which arrives in your mailbox six times per year, along with our weekly InSite e-newsletter and website. But did you know that we also publish a series of niche travel guides?
These niche markets have been a boon to our business, and probably should be to yours as well. We’ve been talking about diversification in the group travel market for over a decade and these markets all provide opportunities for entrepreneurs willing to serve them. In the last three months we’ve released three new niche market guides.
Religious Resources
Readers received a copy of Religious Travel Planning Guide along with their February edition. This “bonus guide” included articles about planning retreats, spiritual journeys to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Germany, top youth destinations and profiles of faith-based tour operators. The information and advice in this guide can help build your confidence in working with church groups and provide motivation to develop this segment of your business.
The religious market opportunity is enormous with some 40,000 churches having some type of organized travel program as part of their mission. For example, senior adult ministries take traditional group trips that incorporate a visit to a religious shrine, cathedral, spiritual performance or play. Youth ministries love theme parks, theme restaurants and nature-based activities. Women’s ministries like retreat trips including pre-arranged transportation, a resort stay, memorable dining experience and maybe a sightseeing cruise.
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Men’s ministry is apt to participate in a fellowship weekend that might also include a round of golf. And large congregations are candidates for fundraising cruises.
Planning Family Affairs
Our guide for family travel, Reunions Workbook, is a step-by-step publication that helps groups organize their best reunion ever. While family reunions are normally planned by a committee, celebration vacations require coordination and negotiation beyond what novices are typically capable of or interested in handling. From dude ranches to cruises to once-in-a-lifetime European vacations, family patriarchs are quasi group leaders you can hang your hat on. In this edition, our family travel expert Nancy Schretter talks about how families are making the world their classroom.
Winter Sports Vacations
It’s not fun to ski by yourself. Small groups – think 10-20 people – is all you need to organize a group ski/snowboard vacation. They need someone to scout destinations, book hotels & resorts, flights and group transportation for them. You’ll find them at park & rec departments, school clubs, community groups, adult social and activity clubs, ski shops and church youth groups.
All of these guides, plus whitepapers, special reports and more, are available online at GroupUniversity.com, free of charge to our community. Or if you’d like to learn more, visit LeisureGroupTravel.com and click on the Niche Market Guides tab.
If you are eager to grow your group business, look to one of these sectors. Pick the right one, or mix and match two of your personal preferences and you’ll likely have a new base of business in short order.
