Themed festivals at theme parks have become a popular trend in the travel industry. These festivals offer unique experiences for guests, from special food and drinks to exclusive merchandise and limited-run entertainment. The appeal lies in the fact that these experiences are often included in the park admission cost, making them accessible to a wide range of travelers. For travel advisors, limited-run festivals and events present a valuable opportunity to engage with clients and close sales by offering something different and exciting.
Building Marketing Content
One major benefit for travel advisors is the ability to collect and share fresh marketing content from these themed festivals. Events like the Epcot International Food and Wine Festival at Walt Disney World Resort or the recently debuted Pixar Fest at Disneyland Resort provide advisors with a wealth of material to showcase to clients. This content can be used on social media, websites, and other marketing channels to attract travelers who are interested in these unique experiences.
Disneyland Resort’s vice president of sales and services, Lynn Clark, emphasized the importance of providing trade partners with early access to festival information. By sharing the calendar of events at the beginning of the year, agencies can better plan their marketing initiatives and attract more clients. Additionally, offering travel advisors exclusive content and hosting social media fam trips helps build relationships and strengthen partnerships within the industry.
Themed festivals like Pixar Fest offer a compelling selling point for travel advisors. By providing a unique experience centered around popular films and characters, advisors can attract clients who may not have considered visiting a particular park. For example, clients on the East Coast who typically vacation at Walt Disney World in Orlando might be drawn to the West Coast for events like Pixar Fest. This diversity in offerings allows travel advisors to cater to a wider range of clients and enhance their overall experience.
Sharing trip reports and festival-specific content among advisors can lead to increased visibility and engagement. At agencies like Small World Vacations, president Sue Pisaturo encourages advisors to share their experiences from events like Pixar Fest. This content, often customized with agency branding, can attract potential clients and generate interest in the unique offerings available at theme parks. The viral success of videos and posts from these festivals demonstrates the power of leveraging themed events for marketing purposes.
Appealing to Niche Audiences
Themed festivals can also attract niche groups to parks, providing travel advisors with additional marketing resources to target specific audiences. Fans of Marvel, Pixar, or Star Wars, for example, might be drawn to themed cruises offered by Disney Cruise Line. By positioning these festivals as unique selling points, advisors can effectively engage with clients who have a strong affinity for particular themes or intellectual properties. This targeted approach can help advisors close sales and build long-term relationships with clients.
Themed festivals at theme parks offer travel advisors a valuable opportunity to engage with clients, build marketing content, and enhance overall client experiences. By collaborating with trade partners, sharing festival-specific content, and appealing to niche audiences, advisors can leverage these events to attract new clients and close sales. The power of themed festivals lies in their ability to create memorable and unique experiences that resonate with travelers of all ages.