Group Travel Drives Revenue
Group Travel Drives Revenue for Chambers of Commerce
How one chamber leader uses travel to engage chamber members, build relationships and increase non-dues revenue
Tiffany Menke, President of the Urbandale (Iowa) Chamber of Commerce, is a firm believer in the positive influence a local chamber of commerce can have as it brings the community together through support of local businesses. Menke has been active on multiple boards including the Iowa Association of Chambers of Commerce (IACC), Central Iowa Tourism Region (CITR), and the Iowa Mortgage Association (IMA). She has received numerous recognitions including Woman of Influence through the Des Moines Business Record, 40 Under 40, the Ovation Award from Iowa Women’s Foundation, and she was honored as one of Des Moines’ Most Likeable People.
During her 20 years as Urbandale Chamber’s leader, Menke has built a successful travel program that has become a significant revenue generator for her chamber. However, for Menke, the advantage of group travel goes beyond its ability to generate revenue. A successful travel program also builds loyalty, fosters connections, and reinforces the chamber’s role as a trusted resource that goes beyond business to enrich the lives of community members. Below, she shares the strategies, challenges and actions that have led to her program’s success.
Chamber Q&A
Background
Q: What inspired you to develop revenue-generating travel programs for the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce?
A: In the beginning, I was intrigued by the possibility of generating revenue for the Urbandale Chamber. Once I got into the program, I realized this is so much more than a revenue generator. It exposes our community members to different cultures and builds friendships, all while generating important non-dues revenue for our chamber of commerce.
Partnerships
Q: How did you select your travel partners and vendors? What were you looking for?
A: For me personally, it’s important to know that both our chamber and our travelers are well taken care of from start to finish. When we first began offering travel experiences, we didn’t know what we didn’t know—and unfortunately, our initial travel partner didn’t have our best interests in mind. Since then, we’ve worked with three different travel providers and have learned a great deal along the way. Today, we primarily partner with Adelman Discoveries because they truly understand our needs and are committed to making every trip a seamless and memorable experience for our travelers.
Strategy
Q: How do you balance the educational and networking value with the leisure travel experience?
A: Each of our trips includes a guided tour experience, providing travelers with rich information they might not receive if visiting the destination on their own. This goes beyond touring specific attractions—our guides and drivers share interesting insights along the road between destinations, pointing out unique sights and local stories.
The leisure travel experience is further enhanced by the friendships that naturally form when traveling with a group. Strangers quickly become friends—and often, future travel companions!
Q: What’s your approach to pricing these trips to ensure both value and profitability?
A: We work with our travel company, Adelman Discoveries, to balance the price offered to the public and the non-dues revenue received. The flexibility we have when working with Adelman has been terrific because their sales manager works with us to tweak the opportunity so that it has the balance between price and revenue generated for the chamber. For example, we may adjust the price by modifying the number of inclusions or add more value by including one of the optional trips we feel is a must-attend attraction. Adelman takes the time to listen to what we want and finds ways to reach the benchmark.
Member Engagement
Q: How do you ensure these trips strengthen member relationships and chamber engagement?
A: Our trips are offered outside of our membership, so we have both members and non-members traveling with us. At the end of the day, regardless of someone’s membership status, these trips naturally form long-lasting bonds and friendships between everyone traveling.
Marketing & Sales
Q: What marketing strategies have been most effective in promoting these trips to members?
A: We’ve worked hard to develop a strong base of travelers who look to us for their travel experiences. After each trip we add our travelers’ information to our database so we can notify them first of upcoming trips. To attract new travelers, we use our newsletter, social media and referrals from our previous travelers.
Challenges & Solutions
Q: What obstacles did you face early on, and how did you overcome them?
A: Early on, we had no guidance on how to launch a travel program or what options were available. We initially selected our first travel partner from a tradeshow with the offer of an inexpensive familiarization trip. We learned a lot from that experience, and we continue to learn.
For example, with our very first partner, we had to create the flyers, collect the passport information, collect visa information and we were much more hands-on. Today, we know that there are travel partners that will do all of that for us. A strong partner steps in to support the chamber because at the end of the day we are chambers of commerce, not travel agencies, and we should not need to be one to have a successful travel program.
Results & Impact
Q: Can you share any metrics on participation rates or revenue growth?
A: This year, we anticipate generating approximately $30,000 from our travel program. A significant portion of that came from a custom trip Adelman developed at our request, centered around the Iowa State Cyclones vs. Kansas State Wildcats game in Ireland. Members approached us about organizing the trip since we’ve led three successful Ireland excursions in the past. By partnering closely with Adelman, we were able to create an enhanced experience for our members and the broader community at a significantly reduced cost. It was truly a win-win for everyone involved.
Future Vision
Q: Where do you see your travel program going in the next few years?
A: We’ve continued to grow our travel program to offer three trips per year. We have our popular destinations we cycle through every few years and we like to add new destinations into the mix each year.
Q: What advice would you give other chamber leaders looking to start similar programs?
A: I love helping other chambers launch their own travel programs. Frequently, I partner with chambers across Iowa on their first trip. This approach allows each chamber to market the experience directly to their own community while having the reassurance of working alongside a chamber with an established, successful travel program.
I’m a strong advocate for having a chamber staff member physically accompany every trip. Doing so helps build stronger relationships with travelers and ensures everyone has exceptional experiences in coordination with the on-site tour manager.
Partnering with another chamber also increases the likelihood that at least one staff member will be able to travel, which provides valuable support and oversight. My advice to any chamber considering a travel program is simple: reach out to your neighboring chambers and partner on your first trip. You’ll learn a great deal from the experience—and it’s a wonderful way to ease any nerves about getting started.
The "Secret Sauce"
Q: If you had to identify the one factor that has been most critical to your success, what would it be?
A: Love on your travelers! Many of our guests travel with us because they are nervous about experiencing these destinations on their own. Lean into this! International travel can give people anxiety, especially if this is their first time across the pond. Identify who may be nervous and be sure to stick near them to answer questions they may have and reassure them that no question is silly.
To learn how you can generate additional revenue for your chamber, please contact:
Angela Abbate
Vice President, Adelman Vacation Brands
Chris Brough
Regional Sales Manager
