Selling Culinary Travel
by Michael Schrobat

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Q. Why did you decide to become a home-based travel agent?

A. My decision to become home-based was somewhat out of necessity. As all the experts will tell you, this business is not for everyone, and you will go hungry for a while until you discover why or what passion drives you. My passions built over time, through life's lessons. Failure was my stepping stone.

I drifted in and out of retail until 1997, when I started with a luxury tour company specializing in private travel, foods, wines, and unique experiences. This led to expanding into small-ship charters where food, chefs, onboard classes, and culture were the focus of the cruises. This was all wonderful until 9/11 ended the company. Then in my own wisdom, I bought a restaurant – and, for those of you reading this, you know the outcome!

This led me to wondering about dining out and touring, so I started a tour company based on regional culinary tours of the Pacific Northwest, paying other agents to book my hotels and extensions. Realizing my margins were low, and the agents were making more on commissions than my income while I was giving them all of the info for booking, I woke up, went online, found a host, became licensed in the states needed, and starting booking my own rooms, tours, and options.

Q. What's your primary niche or specialty -- and what benefits have you seen from your decision to focus on that?

Culinary tourism, including cultures, foods, wines, and urban touring. I sell cruises that specialize or offer culinary experiences, such as Holland America Line, which has been wonderful with groups and private use of the onboard facilities. There are many other tour and travel agents that are learning about culinary tours and culinary tourism; however, none have the vast regional knowledge we do of the Pacific Northwest. My decision to do this was tough; as others will tell you, limiting your audience is scary, restrictive, and slow to come around. Word of mouth and networking with organizations such as OSSN, the Travel Institute, and local convention bureaus are essential to survival. Of course, a group cruise once in a while gets you by. You will go hungry for a while, but if you love it, and if you have the passion and knowledge, the business will come. You have to stick with it, have a plan, and understand your business model and be able to explain it clearly, concisely, and professionally. It will come! I guarantee it.

I am getting some competition right now with a biggie – Gray Line Tours – but its culinary tour is simple and nothing like ours. But, if my clients want simple, I sell Gray Line to them; after all, it's commissionable. My tours are not for the light or cost-worried traveler, although; it costs on average $495 per day, per person, to be on tour with me. The experience is like none other – all inclusive, urban, and cultural, and you will experience some of Mother Nature's most amazing creations on our tours.

Q. What's been the biggest challenge for you as a home-based agent?

Believing in myself to break away from my host, sell my travel and tours, building my relationships with vendors, and most of all, joining my own consortium! Using my TRUE Number, building relationships, and networking with other OSSN members have made me check my fears and challenges and move forward.

Newbies should start with a host agency, get their feet wet, register their business, license and insure their business, and then market themselves to break away and earn their own income! It will come and it will work. Also, I’m grateful to Holland America for allowing me to book under my own ID before anyone else would give me the tools needed to ask the right questions to get the vendors to allow me to book. I am with VAX, CCRA, Hotel Pros, and on and on, all on my own – and all paying me, not someone else.

Q. Can you describe your business (e.g., do you operate solely from home, how many outside agents or inside employees work with you, etc.)?

I am a sole agent, but I use contract tour guides and partner businesses for Canada and I sub out most of my tours to others at favorable rates to me. My restaurant and chef affiliates are my own relationships and held closely. Now that I am a member of a consortium, I plan on recruiting other ICs who are interested in culinary travel. I pay other agents 10 percent commission to sell our tours, but I do all the booking for my own clients’ travel which is the bulk of my business at this time. I love selling travel, and I take a pass on regions or areas that I don't know enough about to sell comfortably. In my opinion, stick with what you know and focus. You can't be everything to everyone and make serious money. You can sell budget travel and air, but that isn't in my business plan.

Q. What pieces of advice would you offer others who are considering a career as a home-based travel agent?

Learn, go to trade shows, pick everyone's brains, and most of all "FIND A NICHE." Also, remember that we are travel advisers and a personal travel concierge to the public – we are no longer travel agents. The public can get all the free pricing they want online, then shop you and work you with no financial gain. Know your niche, have a passion for it, and go for it. There are not enough true professional travel advisers or counselors in the market. Use and refer clients to other agents in your network, and you will be rewarded – the client will find your integrity refreshing, your partners or affiliates you just referred this client too will trust you as a true affiliate, and they will reciprocate!

Check out Michael’s Web sites: www.cetctravel.com, www.nwculinarytours.com, and www.ibookseattle.com.

(Credits: Michael Schrobat)