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There are a few ways to meet a travel distribution partner and begin building and developing a working relationship together. Learn about how working with VisitScotland can help you to understand how travel distribution works and how to best approach your first meetings. Look at how to take a listing on VisitScotland’s Travel Trade website so that travel distribution partners know you are available for business. Find out how to sign up for a relevant trade event and engage in 1-to-1 meetings with potential partners.
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5 minute video
If you’ve set your prices and got a pitch ready, it’s time to find and connect with a travel distribution partner. Watch this video to learn how to get a listing on VisitScotland’s Travel Trade website so partners can find you, and learn about travel trade events and workshops where you can sit down face-to-face with a partner.
Watch the full travel distribution video series.
Travel trade event
There are three types of trade events:
These are business to business events where you can connect with partners in the travel industry.
Many of these events include a workshop-style format, where you meet 1-to-1 with 12-30 travel distribution partners per day. This format usually gives you a short slot to introduce your business, share your product or service, and describe how it could be a good fit for the partner.
The events may also include insights and trends talks, keynote speakers and industry celebrations.
Who will you meet at these events?
Other businesses will be attending, and there may be destination management organisations (DMOs) who are representing a destination – eg Visit Aberdeenshire or Glasgow Life. Check out our list of partner support opportunities for tips on how to work with your local or regional DMO.
VisitScotland Connect is Scotland’s flagship travel trade event which brings together Scottish businesses with domestic and international distribution partners in a workshop-style format.
Find out more about VisitScotland Connect.
A business development mission (BDM) is a small workshop bringing together selected tour operators and DMCs with new-to-the-market Scottish businesses focusing on 1-to-1 engagements.
The benefits of joining a BDM are:
Spaces for BDMs are very limited, and achieving a balance of regions and sectors is considered during business selection. Attendance is normally by invitation only.
These events happen in a particular market (eg Germany) and multiple destinations attend to showcase their products and services. A business such as yours would usually attend as part of a Scottish delegation.
These events are for experienced tourism businesses who have previously attended a workshop-style event of BDM. Examples include ITB and World Travel Market.
Look at our events calendar for trade events, exhibitions and business development missions and make sure you note your interest early if you are interested in attending.
You can register for a business listing on our travel trade website.
This is a key portal used and promoted by VisitScotland staff when talking to and working with travel distribution partners.
Your listing can then be shared in conversations at travel trade events and in VisitScotland’s email programme, a monthly global ezine to a travel database of tour operators, destination management companies (DMCs) and travel advisors.
If the trade event you are attending is workshop and appointment-based, make sure you only accept or request appointments with the right partners – research and check who everyone is before the event.
Have your elevator pitch ready. If you only get a short moment with someone at a drinks reception, networking dinner or scheduled appointment, can you describe what your product, service or business is, and what makes it unique?
It’s important to establish a rapport but you won’t have much time for small talk. Use a few minutes at the beginning for introductions and leave a few minutes at the end for next steps. Focus on your business pitch.
Be open to suggestions from the travel distribution partner that could help improve sales of existing products.
Go over the next steps at the end of the meeting and make sure to follow up promptly after the event.
This meeting is just the beginning of a partnership, and it’s important to take the time to match requirements carefully over follow-up discussions.
Want to contact a partner outside of an event? Here’s how to reach out to them directly.
Find a travel distribution partner you want to explore working with. You might have an idea of who this could be from previous events, networking with other businesses or speaking to other people in the industry.
Once you have identified some options, do some online research to explore which travel distribution partners would be most suitable for the customer you want to reach.
Try and find out who the best contact is – usually the contractor or product developer. Use LinkedIn or ask others who have worked with them before for an introduction.
Once you have their contact information, reach out to them with who you are, why you’re contacting them specifically, and share your one-page product factsheet. They usually like to meet face to face, so let them know you’d be happy to host them for a meeting.
Top tip: It might be useful to get together with a few other businesses – either contacts you have locally or try reaching out to your DMO. You could then set up a group day where a travel distribution partner can come and meet you all, giving them best value for their time.
Arrange a meeting – talking to a partner will give you learnings, hearing what questions they have and what else you might have included in your initial presentation conversation. Their feedback will also help you to improve and perfect your product for your target customers.
Remember: Distribution partners tend to be very busy, especially if they are looking after multiple destinations. It may take time to arrange a meeting, and only if they believe you are suitable for their customers and that this is the right time. They tend to be busiest between September and April when trade shows are held across the world, as they are often not just selling Scotland but also working in other countries, all with customers who plan and book holidays at different times of the year.
Whether your initial meeting was at your business or at a trade event, you’ll want to continue to develop the relationship. Keep your business at the front of the partner’s mind and make sure they remember what you offer.
Send your next follow-up email, letting them know you are just keeping in touch and still keen to do business. Ask them if they need any further information from you.
Send a short follow-up once a month but if you still don’t hear anything back, you can assume they have all the information from you they need and are still deciding whether to move forward with your product. They may also have been delayed working in other markets and aren’t focusing on Scotland yet.
Send them interesting and engaging emails with clear information.
For every email you send, consider if there are any relevant business updates you can share.
This might be:
Invite the distribution partner to your business to experience the product or service first-hand. This is the best way for them to understand what you offer and be able to help sell the experience to their customers.
This is also a good way to keep your business at the front of their mind as you continue the working relationship over a long period.
View our events calendar for trade events, exhibitions and business development missions and sign up early if you're interested in attending.
