NTA's Ask the Tour Operator: With the trend toward smaller groups, what can suppliers do to help?

During NTA's first Virtual Conversation with the Chairman conference call in March, one of the hot topics was dealing with diminishing group size. And that's the question for today's operator: Sue Arko of Free Spirit Vacations and Events.

Q. With the trend toward smaller groups, what can suppliers do to help?"I hate to cancel any tour, so I often run with short numbers, or I combine several different tours on the same coaches-sometimes even with multiple companies. I can get very creative! So if supplier partners can be flexible-hold luggage for the small group, provide shuttle service within a small local radius, be flexible on the number of rooms needed to constitute a group booking-it really helps.

"We have become almost a ‘boutique' tour operator; our motto is ‘Big is so last century.' I believe the future is bright, but the future is different. It's all about relationships and word-of-mouth referrals, and we need to work smarter, stay connected and market using many different channels."