Travel Niches: Radio Station Trips
by John Hawks

More than 3,000 passengers booked space aboard Royal Caribbean's "Adventure of the Seas" last May -- "partying with a purpose" to raise money for historically black colleges and universities. Led by nationally syndicated radio host Tom Joyner, this cruise raised more than $1 million last year for a good cause.

Meanwhile, a travel agency in northern California sells only 12 group cruise blocks a year -- taking no other individual bookings -- hosted by 12 different "disk jockeys" at radio stations throughout the area. The DJs get free cruises, the radio stations get free promotional help (and a few cruise line ads and cruise commissions), and the travel agency makes an excellent living!

Booking group cruises with local radio stations is the perfect example of lucrative travel selling that's tough to crack. Literally, you may spend several months or even years getting your foot in the door of local stations -- but, depending on the stations' promotional support and the DJs' followings, you can make plenty of money on a handful of cruises.

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