The publish How fam journeys assist journey brokers and media promote cultural tourism globally appeared first on TD (Journey Each day Media) Journey Each day Media.
Jonker Avenue in Melaka, Malaysia is a visible extravagaza that additionally doubles as a vacation spot for avid consumers and meals lovers
Each time the phrases familiarisation journeys (colloquially shortened to “fam journeys”) are talked about, ideas mechanically appear to go to tour operators or journey brokers who wish to know sufficient a few location with a purpose to pitch it to potential clients.
Nevertheless, within the context of the rising international penchant for cultural and even pop-cultural tourism, familiarisation excursions aren’t only for brokers, however in addition they assist contributors achieve a greater understanding of the situation via its historical past, traditions, tradition, and delicacies.
On this characteristic, we level out a number of the reason why fam journeys will be an integral a part of tourism promotion, notably within the context of cultural and heritage tourism.
It’s our hope that this text serves to information the considering of tourism boards and different organisations searching for to advertise their house international locations or particular places to the world at giant.
The dwell Tangkuban Perahu crater in Bandung, Indonesia serves as a dwelling ecology lesson that fascinates each native and overseas travellers
First up, what precisely are familiarisation journeys?
Within the strategy of doing the analysis for this characteristic, I’ve seen that many specialists skip defining the time period, and I discover this annoying as a result of not everyone seems to be clued in on what it means.
So let me put it merely right here: a familiarisation journey / fam journey is outlined as a promotional exercise on the a part of a tourism board, airline, hospitality supplier, or cruise agency whereby journey and tourism professionals are invited to tour a selected vacation spot with a purpose to enhance the situation’s picture, expose it to a wider or extra various market, and enhance visitors into the realm.
Fam journeys are, certainly, an effective way to offer contributors first-hand expertise of what a location has to supply, basically immersing them instantly into its tradition, traditions, and points of interest.
No matter whether or not contributors are journey brokers and tour operators, journey media and influencers, and even tourism officers and diplomats, fam journeys ought to be handled as a beneficial platform for studying past mere familiarisation.
Attendees at ITE HCMC 2025 have been inspired to attempt their hand on the age-old craft of silk portray in Ho Chih Minh Metropolis
Broadening horizons via hands-on expertise
One of many extra memorable points of interest supplied to media and influencers overlaying ITE HCMC 2025 was a sequence of on-site workshops instructing quite a lot of conventional crafts from silk portray to baking banh mi from scratch.
Certainly, whereas fam journeys function an expression of nationwide delight for organisers, they’ll function a manner of broadening private horizons for contributors.
As a report from The Vacationer House places it: “Those that are visiting can see the inspirational influence [such experiences] have, the joy of returning house to share the information of what they’ve realized and the way they visualise methods by which they might implement comparable practices inside their very own locations.”
That mentioned, fam journeys provide an perception right into a location’s historical past, intrinsic practices and traditions, and the trajectory of its socio-cultural in addition to financial improvement.
By doing so, contributors get first-hand info on what methods helped draw travellers into the realm, what prompts them to remain and/or return, and the way the group has benefitted from tourism over time.
The tunnels and outdated camps in Cu Chi, a group to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, inform travellers the grim story of how the folks survived all through the struggle years
Past the fantastic thing about places
On the identical time, fam journeys aren’t only a manner for international locations to indicate off magnificence spots, however in addition they function dwelling lectures on their historical past, together with the darker aspect of it.
Living proof: Vietnam has by no means shied away from bringing fam tour teams into areas just like the Cu Chi Tunnels on the northwestern outskirts of Ho Chi Minh Metropolis with a purpose to find out how unusual folks fared all through the Vietnam Conflict.
At Cu Chi, tour contributors are led via jungle paths to the precise tunnels used all through the struggle, those that led to bunkers that served as strongholds and protected homes for the locals, in addition to those who have been laid as traps in opposition to the enemy.
Such excursions are additionally supplied exterior of Asia, with guests making their strategy to Alcatraz Jail in San Francisco and the Holocaust Memorials in Europe.
These function a bodily reminder of the savage influence that legal exercise and struggle have on nations, and function visible and psychological warnings to these within the current day of the results that these may have on society in the event that they occur once more.
For diplomats taken on a fam tour to those places, they function meals for thought to assist steer their considering in direction of extra peaceful relations with their international neighbours.
For the media, however, it helps to create a extra holistic view of a vacation spot, permitting for a extra goal tone when presenting it to the general public.
The Pier-2 Arts Centre in Kaohsiung’s Asia New Bay Space is an industrial space that’s now a hub for town’s creatives
Earlier than you go…
Previous to collaborating in a familiarisation journey, I discover that it pays to be ready for it properly beforehand.
Wherein case, listed here are a number of ideas that might show you how to alongside:
- Do your analysis By this, I would love you to take a actually good have a look at your vacation spot: know its historical past and geography, get to know key points of interest and the way these have appealed to each native and overseas travellers; even go so far as what specialities are intrinsic to the realm;
- Know the folks Ensure who your level particular person for the fam journey, together with any related contacts you may get in contact with for important info, interviews, and even emergencies;
- Know what to ask That is particularly relevant to members of the media and influencers on such journeys and is said to the primary two factors. Realizing the realm and the important thing folks concerned will show you how to ask the best questions. That is notably useful if the fam journey is held together with or instantly after a key occasion comparable to a journey commerce conference or a serious exposition;
- Put together your self As in all circumstances, make sure you gown appropriately for the local weather and tradition of the realm you’re visiting. Make sure you behave in a circumspect method and be conscious of your environment. Likewise, be proactive and advise your host organisations of any bodily situations you will have which might influence the journey each for your self and everybody else.
Whereas fam journeys are work journeys in a really technical sense, understanding the terrain so to talk will allow you to benefit from the expertise and are available away with a greater understanding of the world round you.
The publish How fam journeys assist journey brokers and media promote cultural tourism globally appeared first on Journey Each day Media.
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