Case Study: Splendour Tailored Tours - Export Ready Development

Business Profile

Splendour Tailored Tours is a private touring company based in Sydney, offering high-end tailored tours, unique experiences and personalised itineraries for the discerning traveller.

All tours are private and completely tailored for each guest. Splendour Tailored Tours prides itself on being the most unique, fabulous, fun and original experience company in NSW.

It uses its vast network of connections to create unrivalled experiences. Guests could be welcomed to country by an Aboriginal Elder, eat oysters with the farmer, or drink delicious wine with a local wine maker.

splendourtailoredtours.com.au

Quick Facts

Product Type: Tour

Focus: Luxury, Private Touring

Location: Sydney

How did the NSW First workshops help your business?

The NSW First workshops were incredibly valuable. I was completely unaware of the travel trade distribution system and how I was going to effectively reach my target market of high-end American visitors. The workshops allowed me to meet other small tourism businesses that were facing the same issues in a safe environment. I was guided through every part of working with the travel industry and educated on how to effectively reach my target market.

Which international markets do you target?

Our target market is 90% American. We are working on getting more European and Canadian clients.

How did you develop into an export-ready business?

I learnt quickly that in order to reach my core target market of affluent Americans, I would need to work closely with the travel trade. Now, effectively the trade is my target market. I worked in conjunction with Destination NSW to ensure my tour fact sheets and rate sheets including commissions were accurate and the language I was using in my presentations was just right. It was also important that I understood the trade channels and who was who in each. I identified the needs in each channel, so I was able to deliver a product that was suitable and something they actually needed.

Has your product changed to appeal to inbound visitors?

No, our products were always designed to appeal to inbound visitors. We have refined and evolved these over the last four years as we execute more experiences.

How did the Destination NSW New Product Workshop assist your business?

The New Product Workshop gave me knowledge and training that would have taken years for me to gain on my own. The experience at the event was great and I made connections that are still so valuable today to my business.

What types of trade partners are you working with?

We work mainly with inbound tour operators (ITOs) and overseas travel agents directly. Only 10% of our business comes from direct enquiries. We found that working with a select group of ITOs is best for us. We can concentrate on seven to 10 key relationships and this brings us most of the business we need.

Inbound tourism has given us a deeper connection to the international tourism market, along with a streamlined source of business and a larger target market to capture.

What is the secret to hosting a successful trade famil?

For us it’s ensuring we highlight as many of the best parts of our business as possible in a fashion that still flows. It’s also crucial that all suppliers we work with for the famil are fully briefed and on the same page as us, so the experience is as seamless as possible. We’ve also learned that it’s important to actually sell your product on the famil. In the past we have taken the travel trade on a famil and not actually done a presentation on who we are and what we do, beyond the tour they are experiencing that day. It’s important to take the opportunity to sell who you are!

What are your top tips for businesses looking to become export ready?

• Work closely with Destination NSW and share with them exactly what you’re doing and take their advice. Make sure your rate sheets are complete — go over them with the Trade and Industry Development team.
• Don’t connect with the travel trade until you are 100% ready. You don’t want to burn bridges!
• Know your competition. Most of the travel trade has very established relationships and if you are going to sell your service or product, it’s best to know exactly how you differ from the others they may be working with.

What are the benefits of working with inbound tour operators?

In most cases you will only need a handful of great contacts. Rather than marketing to everyone, it’s nice to align with the inbound tour operators you want to work with and tailor your product for them. They do most of the marketing work for you.

What has been the best thing about working in inbound tourism?

Inbound tourism has given us a deeper connection to the international tourism market, along with a streamlined source of business and a larger target market to capture.