Building itineraries, packages training set

BETHEL — The Western Maine Economic Development Council, River Valley Chamber of Commerce, Fryeburg Business Association, Bethel Area Chamber of Commerce, Oxford Hills Chamber of Commerce, Greater Bridgton-Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce, Maine Woods Consortium and Maine Office of Tourism are offering a free workshop on creating itineraries and packages for visitors to Oxford County on Tuesday, October 30, from 9 to 11:30 a.m. at the Bethel Inn.

Today’s travelers expect more from their experience than just a place to sleep or a meal to satisfy their hunger. To provide superior customer service, tourism businesses of all types need to be able to help travelers discover Maine in new and meaningful ways suited just for them.

In this workshop attendees will learn how to create and suggest itineraries for different types of customers either in advance to use in marketing or on the spot for great service. Attendees will also learn how to build innovative packages and specials that draw new customers and keep the existing ones coming back.

The workshop will also teach attendees how to increase their revenue and profits by developing a menu of experiences that will differentiate their businesses. Through hands-on activities attendees will identify potential partners and walk away with specials and packages ready to sell.

By the end of the session each attendee will worry less about getting his or her piece of the pie and be focused on making the pie bigger by working collaboratively with other businesses in new and innovative ways. The session will also include a personalized demonstration of how to use VisitMaine.com to market businesses for free.

The workshop presenter is Margaret Hoffman, Development Project Officer for the Maine Office of Tourism. Margaret has a wealth of experience in program and event planning, marketing and retail operations. Margaret is the 2010 recipient of the Governor’s Tourism Award for Commitment to Innovation and Creativity.

Pre-registration for this workshop is required. If you are interested in attending, please contact Mia Purcell at mpurcell@community-concepts.org or 739-6543. For more information visit events at www.wmedc.org.