In this edition of the Tourism Chat Show, host Michelle provides a thorough overview of how to work with trade in the tourism industry. She offers essential tips and information including refreshing market understanding, handling trade partnerships, and maintaining administrative capabilities. She talks about the importance of marketing collateral, setting and adjusting pricing, collaboration with other institutions, and maintaining efficient booking systems. Also, Michelle emphasizes the importance of Qualmark for tourism operators planning to work on the international platform. Finally, she shares some pointers on how to maximize impact during trade shows and the relevance of follow-ups.   00:05 Introduction and Overview   00:21 Understanding Trade Readiness   01:06 Why Work with Trade?   03:30 Challenges and Benefits of Working with International Travel Trade   09:53 Understanding the Travel Distribution System   12:02 Working with Inbound Tour Operators   20:58 Understanding Commission Levels in Trade   23:25 Tips for Working with Trade   24:21 Improving Your Booking System   25:13 Working with Tour Operators   26:16 Credit and Payment Policies   27:50 Understanding Your Rates and Contracts   29:18 Pricing Requirements and Strategies   34:42 Maximizing Your Impact   36:52 Admin and Resources Required   38:05 Marketing Collateral and Trade Shows   42:13 Final Thoughts and Tips     Are you Trade Ready? Checklist - Scroll to the bottom of the page and fill out the form for an immediate email response with the document https://www.destinatenz.com/representation      Blog Post - How to work with trade - https://www.destinatenz.com/post/ask-destinate-working-with-travel-trade    _________________________________Powered by https://www.destinatenz.com  If you, or someone you work with has a great tourism story to share, and would like to come onto the show, please get in touch! This is an independent podcast by tourism strategist Michelle Caldwell. We are absolutely dedicated to bringing you the best tourism business stories and sharing marketing tips and strategies to your ears each week! The best way you can support The Tourism Chat Show is by subscribing, leaving a (rave!) review, (five star!) rating and spreading the word on social media with your friends, family, and colleagues- we love you for that! 🥰 Resources and Links to connect with us: Love the show? You can support us by buying a coffee ☕️ here — https://www.buymeacoffee.com/DestinateNZ Say hi to us on social: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetourismchatshow Michelle Caldwell LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michellekcaldwell/ Website: www.destinatenz.com If you'd like to advertise or feature on the show, please check out our media kit - https://www.destinatenz.com/podcast