Smooth Sailing: Making the Most of Destination Information and Port Talks

Harning the power of creating an extraordinary emotional connection with our guests and igniting their desire to participate in our excursion programs with our tips and strategies! 

We can turn our destination and port talk into engaging and stimulating contents for our audience.

 

One inspiring while challenging part of my job  in Guest Engagement and activities, is to deep connnect and interact with guests delivering also destination presentations This means going beyond listing facts and figures. It is crucial to create an emotional connection with our audience, sparking their desire to experience their destination firsthand.

 

Here's a breakdown of how each element can work together

 

𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠

𝐂𝐫𝐚𝐟𝐭 𝐚 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞:Facts are important, but stories resonate. Weave our information into a compelling story with a beginning, middle, and end. Highlight the destination's history, unique aspects, and local legends.

𝐔𝐬𝐞 𝐕𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Engage the audience's senses by painting a picture with words. Describe the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of the destination.

 

𝐀𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞'𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐬

𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰, 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥: Back up your descriptions with visuals. Use high-quality photos and videos that showcase the destination's beauty and atmosphere. Consider incorporating soundscapes or music specific to the location.

Interactive Elements: Think beyond a static presentation. Incorporate activities that engage the audience's senses. This could be a short food or beverage tasting with local flavors, showcasing traditional music or handicrafts.

 

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: People connect with stories on a deeper level when they feel a personal connection. Share your own experiences or stories from people who've visited the destination.

Highlight the Emotional Impact: Go beyond the practicalities. Talk about how the destination can make people feel - relaxed, adventurous, inspired, or connected to history.

 

𝐄𝐧𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

𝐀𝐬𝐤 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Spark conversation with the audience. Ask questions throughout your talk to gauge their interests and keep them engaged.

 

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: Encourage the audience to share their travel experiences or questions. This can create a more interactive and memorable experience.

 

By combining these elements, we are able to create a destination and port talk that goes beyond just listing facts and figures. We can transport our audience to the destination itself, sparking their emotions and inspiring them!