Crash Courses

In these 90-minute workshops, experts will deliver quick-study programs with take-to-the-office-tomorrow tactics and tools for immediate application.

Accessing Creativity to Deliver Profound Results

Tied directly to the lessons shared in the Summit opening program, “Accessing Creativity”, this workshop will help you access and convert your new-found creativity into very practical terms. Through hands-on exercises, you’ll immediately learn how you and your organization can strip away convention and discover new paths to better deliver your organization’s stories, its key messaging and its unique selling proposition.

Whether you represent a tour operator, DMO, agency, accommodation or consulting firm, the learnings from this Crash Course will leave a lasting impression and lead to personal and professional gains for years.

~ Judith Fein – Journalist & Author

Creating Demand for Sustainable Tourism

An important component in creating a fully ‘green’ supply chain is of course creating viable demand. On a B2B level, tour operators and agencies play a major role in influencing industry standards through the travel packages they design and offer to their clients, so working together building alliances within the supply chain to support sustainability is an important step for the Rainforest Alliance. This methodology allows us to help green supply chains and gives tour operators the confidence of knowing that the businesses in their ‘green’ portfolio are truly sustainable.

It is also an exciting way for operators to differentiate their product in the challenging economic times we are currently facing. No doubt the same people interested in ornithological getaways or cultural adventures would greatly value knowing their vacation had positive impacts on the fauna of the area as well as the local communities. This session will cover not only creating demand for sustainable tourism from within the supply chain but also how working together with one’s suppliers and buyers will benefit all down the road.

~ Federico Solano – Marketing Manager Europe, Sustainable Tourism, Rainforest Alliance
~ Thomas Enderlin – Marketing Coordinator, Sustainable Tourism, Rainforest Alliance

Social Media – Digging Deeper…Beyond Awareness Building

This Crash Course will give you the chance to dig deeper into the social media world and help you access tools you’ll need to get better results, beyond simply creating new-found awareness for your organization.

You’ll learn why Twitter and Facebook Fan Pages (among others) can be such important business tools – and, highlighted are companies in the adventure travel space that are using both tools well. Learn how to listen to the conversation around your brand. Too busy to Tweet?

Get recommendations on tools to schedule posts, allow multiple editors to Tweet, and learn how to develop your fan base with the help of your network of friends, past clients and sites to share your brand story and make connections in the physical world.

~ Chris Noble – General Manager, WorldNomads.com
~ Scott Adams – President, Birchbark Media
~ Kathy Dragon – Founder/CEO, TravelDragon

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – Re-tooling for Increased Profitability

Time to update the company’s CRM software? Processes? Productively managing and nurturing a company’s interactions with clients and sales prospects is heavily dependent on organizing, automating, and synchronizing business processes.

This Crash Course will aid your organization in preparing to find, attract, and win new clients – and nurture and retain those you already have. You’ll gain strategies to ensure that your company-wide CRM strategy embraces all client-facing departments, plus, it’ll help you in assembling the right people, processes, and technologies to help you increase profitability and productivity, reduce operational costs and increase client loyalty.

~ Al Merschen – Managing Partner, Myriad Marketing