Many travel agents around North America have adopted romance travel as a specialty, but a growing number of agents want to drill down further into sub-specialties.
That’s why the Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA) has joined forces with AMResorts and Iberostar to offer three-night certification workshops this fall focused on two lucrative sub-niches: destination weddings for South Asian couples and romance travel of all types for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) clients.
“If agents want to build romance travel businesses in these sub-niches, they have to become true experts,” said Lisa Sheldon, DWHSA’s executive director. “These intensive workshops will turn agents into experts, and they’ll come home certified by the top authorities in these fields.”
AMResorts will host the South Asian workshop at Dreams Tulum on October 5-8. The certification trainer will be Brenda Fernandez, the founder of Dreams Wedding Mexico and Ferza Eventos. During the workshop, they will cover the key aspects of serving the needs of South Asian couples planning destination weddings – from important cultural facts and the different types of wedding ceremonies and rituals to the gastronomy, music, decor, and garments involved in these ceremonies. Agents will take part in activities such as wearing a saree and making a rangoli or garland. The $349 registration fee includes three nights all-inclusive lodging, the workshop training sessions and materials, and the certified South Asian destination wedding specialist designation issued by Fernandez.
“In the past year, AMResorts has seen a tremendous demand for South Asian weddings. This is not a coincidence, as the Indian wedding industry is growing at a rate of over 25 percent annually,” says Amanda Davis Pak, senior product marketing manager for AMResorts. “Our commitment to our travel partners and wedding couples is to provide wedding options that cater to all. Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa looks forward to hosting this exceptional training opportunity.”
Iberostar will host the LGBT workshop at the Iberostar Grand Hotel Paraiso on Sept. 8-10. The certification trainer will be Bernadette Smith, the founder and president of 14 Stories and the Gay Wedding Institute. She is the award-winning author of three books about same-sex weddings, including The Business of Gay Weddings: A Guide for Wedding Professionals. Smith and her team have produced hundreds of gay and lesbian weddings since 2004 with couples from most U.S. states and around the world.
During this workshop, Smith will discuss the LGBT wedding market, sharing best practices gathered from thousands of gay and lesbian weddings. The course will cover topics such as laws and policies affecting same-sex couples, LGBT wedding data, trends, traditions, and client expectations. The US$399 registration fee includes three nights all-inclusive lodging, the workshop training sessions and materials, and the “Gay Wedding Institute Certificate” issued by Smith.
DWHSA members, www.dwagents.com