Agents discover a new STAR with Visit California

Visit California unveiled a new online training program, California STAR, to its top travel agent partners yesterday as part of a sales mission spanning Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

The comprehensive new digital platform is many things: a training tool; a sales companion; an online community and a free app available for both iOS and Android users. It’s also, according to Jennifer Montero, director of marketing - the Americas for Visit California, all about teaching agents something they may not know.

“We really want agents to become familiar with insider tips when it comes to California,” she told PAX, as approximately 75 Toronto-based travel advisors who sell and carry California product mingled nearby. “And we want them to be able share that knowledge with their clients.”

Designed for travel advisors as a way to simplify the selling experience and connect their clients to their ideal vacation, STAR’s mobile software includes easy-to-access destination modules curated by California tourism specialists and allows agents to share brochures, maps and itineraries - among other things - with their clients.

The new tool follows Visit California’s former online training program, California Expert, which, for all its bells and whistles, didn’t include what Montero said is the platform’s most important element: a video component.

“The video feature, coming to life through STAR, is something we haven’t done with other training platforms,” she said of the content, dubbed the “California Dreamer Series.”

“They’re short, they’re high-end and well produced, and they’re very engaging, making you feel like you’re actually in California, which [when it comes to selling to a client,] is a huge asset.”

Other program highlights include a mobile mapping tool, which suggests tips for special stops along a traveller’s planned route, and marketing support for agents looking to streamline their selling process.

STAR is also sensitive to the jet-setting lifestyle of today’s travel consultants, allowing them to complete training modules in as little as 20-minute increments and then return to the rest later, meaning specialization won’t require a full-day commitment.

Jason Swaye, an independent travel advisor and specialist in luxury travel with Vision Travel Solutions, has been selling California frequently for more than a decade, and told PAX that while he’ll wait to try the program before passing judgement, he still considers personal connections in the industry to be his best resource.

“This business is all about relationships,” he said. “The fact that I know Mark from San Diego, or Jamie from West Hollywood - if I really want to know something for a client, all I have to do is call or email them and get the information I need right away.”

Swaye shared that his clients typically travel between Napa and San Diego, and that he adds value to his sales by suggesting lesser-known stops - such as the Madonna Hinn - as additions to their itineraries. He also said that where he’s concerned, training courses like STAR are made for agents who don’t yet have contacts established in the various tourism boards, prefer not to inquire over the phone, or just want to gain a better understanding of the destination.

“If you don’t have the information you need,” he continued, “and you don’t have the relationships yet to get the information, then it’s the perfect product.”

The program will become available on Nov. 1, and will offer a number of to-be-announced incentives encouraging advisors to become certified STAR agents. Those who access the platform will be able to use it themselves when it comes to product and destination training, and also utilize many of its features as a familiarity tool to clients during their trip planning.