Pure Magic Vacations will soon be going on a travel agent FAM trip to Universal Orlando Resort, and we’re all pretty excited about it. In addition to helping our clients have wonderfully magical vacations, those of us who work at Pure Magic Vacations also love to have fun on theme park vacations, so this blend of work and play is very highly anticipated!

You might be wondering what exactly is a travel agent FAM trip, and why do travel agents go on them? Allow me to explain.

A “FAM Trip” is short for “familiarization trip”, and they’re pretty common in the travel industry. These trips are opportunities for travel advisors or other travel industry professionals to immerse themselves in a destination, hotel, cruise ship or other travel-related experience. Here’s what typically happens when we go on a travel agent FAM trip.

Destination or Product Familiarization

The main purpose of a FAM trip is so that travel advisors can become familiar with a specific destination or product. (It might seem strange to refer to a theme park as a “product,” but in the travel industry, a travel destination is often referred to as a product.) FAM trip itineraries can include visiting tourist attractions, landmarks or points of interest in any destination, allowing us to experience a product or service first-hand.

Examples include staying at a hotel or cruising on a ship. For example, on this upcoming trip, we’ll be staying at Universal’s Cabana Bay Beach Resort. This allows us to gain firsthand knowledge and experience of the destination, which we can then use to better advise our clients.

Education and Training

FAM trips often include educational and training sessions conducted by representatives of the destination. These sessions might include topics such as the features and amenities of the hotel or cruise ship, or the selling points of the destination. These sessions aim to provide us travel advisors with additional knowledge and insight that we can use to customize your vacation package when you book with us.

Networking and Building Relationships

FAM trips provide travel advisors with the chance to get together and build relationships with our preferred suppliers. This means that sometimes FAM trips include networking events and social gatherings. Not only is it important for us to have a good relationship with our suppliers, but it’s also important for us to have solid relationships with one another, and a FAM trip is just another opportunity for us to spend time together in real life! Oddly enough, I see more of my colleagues in destination than I do locally here in Canada.

Travel Agent FAM Trip Site Inspections

FAM trip susually include site inspections of hotels, resorts, cruise ships or theme parks. One of my favourite components of any well planned FAM trip are the hotel room tours. I love having the opportunity to check out the amenities, level of service and see for myself any updates or refurbishments that have taken place since my last visit.

Experiencing the Destination

At Pure Magic Vacations, we specialize in selling the Disney Destinations, Universal Orlando Resort and the Central Florida Area. This means that for us, FAM trips typically include time to immerse ourselves in the fun and excitement of the theme parks. We ride the rides, taste the food and drinks, and enjoy the entertainment that is offered. Believe it or not, although it’s a lot of fun, this is also research.

The next time you see your travel advisor post photos from a favourite travel destination, they just might be on a travel agent FAM trip, working (and playing) hard to help your next vacation be more magical than ever!