One element that is the same throughout the travel industry is the opportunity for educationals! Read below to find out more.
One element that is the same throughout the travel industry is the opportunity for educationals! Although travel seminars are an excellent tool for learning about a destination, travel agents/wholesale consultants/airline staff/sales executives and sometimes even hotel staff get to learn about different destinations and travel products by actually experiencing it for themselves.
Educationals are organised mainly by the wholesalers and airlines. They are offered either free of charge or for a small cost to travel agencies for someone to go on. The educational will have anything from 12 – 40 travel agents on it and will be for 2 – 14 days in duration. Those on the educational are expected to treat the time away as training and to take notes throughout and write a report when they return.
An educational may be in New Zealand e.g. three day educational to Queenstown, or overseas e.g. Contiki tour of Europe for 12 days. Bear in mind participants are not on holiday and the itinerary reflects that. Rather than staying in every hotel, enjoying full length tours and attractions, participants inspect many throughout each day to get a taste of what is on offer for their clients.
They are normally exhausting as you are trying to fit lots in. You are up early and to bed late. Most educationals involve several hotel inspections so you can view the facilities and be able to sell it on your return. Educationals are hard work but are also great fun and take you to places you might otherwise never see, e.g. The Great Wall of China.
Working in the travel and tourism industry, you must be able to sell and promote any destination, however this is often made easier if you have first-hand experience of the destination. Educationals offer consultants the opportunity to get an insight into the local regions and be then able to offer specific advice such as the walking distance from hotel to shopping district, the best restaurant or the fact that the bus only runs Sundays and accepts exact change only.
Just like travel agents, travel and tourism students of New Zealand School of Tourism also get to go on educationals! When on these trips, the students are treated just as a travel agent would be treated and do the same activities as a travel agent would do. This gives them the opportunity to see first-hand what this fun part of the job is like and at the same time – learn a lot about the area they visit.
Here are examples of some fantastic experiences the students have had!
A group of students and their tutor had an Educational in Fiji
Relaxing in a room with a view. What more could you want?!
Some students had a 7 day cruise
Exploring the exotic shores of the South Pacific. What an adventure!
A three-day Taupo/Rotorua Trip
Experiencing the Huka Jet in order to communicate to the clients how exciting it is!
At the top of the Luge in Rotorua!
The students get to ride the luge so they can tell their clients about the experience! How awesome is that?
