Peru SME Training & Capacity Building
Assigment:
Building Capacity for Small Tourism Operators in Peru to Attract German Travellers
Germany is perhaps one of the most sophisticated and experienced travel markets in the world. The sheer size of the German travelling population married with the socio-cultural necessity of holiday-taking among Germans, make Germany a very lucrative source market for many overseas destinations.
However, access this mature market is not easy, especially for small and upcoming tourism operators. As such, Leve Global was commissioned by the Swiss Import Promotion Programme (SIPPO) to support small tourism providers (hotels, tour guides) in Peru to access the lucrative German travel market.
Solution:
Through primary and secondary research & analysis, we were able to identify key characteristics and travel trends of the German travel market. Based on the needs of the small tourism suppliers and the trends in the German market we developed a training guides and specific Market Fact Sheets for the properties to use in concrete and practical ways.
Results:
Tour Operator Surveys
We carried out surveys among top German Tour operators such as TUI, to determine the key travel trends and characteristics of German travelers – what were their travel habits, what do they do on holiday, how do they search and book their holidays, what do they look for when choosing accommodation, what were some of the key trends to be aware of and how they think, feel and behave.
Training Workshop in Berlin for 15 firms
During the ITB Travel Trade Show that takes place in Berlin each year, we organized a training seminar for 15 Peruvian tourism operators (12 hotels and 2 tour providers). The training was intended to give the firms a sound understanding of the German market and what they needed to do to attract the German travelers.
One-on-One Coaching for 7 Firms
In addition to the general training, we also provided one-on-one coaching to seven of the participants including Peruvian Soul, Hatuchay, Inkaterra, Killawasi, La Posada de Tumpis, Majoro, and Tucano. We provided practical advice and concrete and implementable recommendations to attract German travellers. Take Peruvian Soul for example. They were a tour guide provider. Their marketing typically focused on the places of Peru. But what made them unique and special were the two founders. People who took their tours typically fell in love with the owners and not just with Peru the place. We recommended that they share their exceptional stories and promote themselves as part of the experience.
Identification of German 10 Top Tour Operators
Developed a list of 10 German tour operators inclusive of personnel information and contact details so that the Peruvian firms could cement partnerships to grow their business in Germany. The list included these tour operators:
- TUI Deutscheland
- Thomas Cook
- Rewe Touristik
- Altours
- FTI
- Öger Gruppe
- Aida Cruises
- L’Tur
- Phoenix
- Schauinsland