Transcript 13+ecuador-chapter+one

WELCOME AGENT LEARNERS
How would you like to confidently speak with clients about a
single country of iconic South American cultures, landscapes,
historic sites, markets and flavors?
Or a place Lonely Planet has on its Top 10 ‘best places to visit’,
and ranks as ‘best overall for off-the-beaten-track experiences,
activities and food’. A nation on National Geographic’s “Top 20
Must-see Places” for 2013 and with two cities (Quito and
Cuenca) on Trip Advisor ‘Top 25 Best Destinations in South
America’?
This is Ecuador — a country where conscious,
sustainable tourism is married with incomparable
ecological and cultural diversity.
If you sell South America (or want to), Ecuador
needs to be a ‘top-of-mind’ part of your client
conversations.
COURSE BASICS
Let’s begin by understanding our lesson interface and
learner support features. You might want to write down
our support contact information. We want your
e-learning experience to be hassle-free and rewarding.
Course outline
Course Technical Support:
[email protected] or
1-877-727-0035 (M-F 9a -5p)
This program will rely on a number of on-demand
resources. Taken as a whole, these tools will get you
confidently talking with your clients about Ecuador
vacations. Let’s take a moment to get acquainted with
these items…
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Digital Library
Resources
COURSE GOALS
By completing this Ecuador Specialist course, you’ll be prepared to
confidently offer Ecuador to clients, while closing sales through an
assortment of reputable tour operators and suppliers.
The Basics: Understand Ecuador's key benefits for the North American
traveler; explain Ecuador’s geography, key regions, climate, and
historic milestones. Confidently address client questions and concerns
about topics ranging from entry requirements, to cuisine, safety,
domestic transportation, sports, shopping and cultural encounters.
How To Use/Share Resources: Gain access to maps, our vacation
planner, supplier resources, key Ecuador contacts, and sales boosting
strategies.
Client Scenarios: Gain confidence speaking with four ‘typical’ client
types, ideally suited to explore Ecuador's key niche specialty products.
Understand Ecuador’s most popular client itineraries (and
recommended days per region) and North American-based tour
operator sales opportunities.
LET’S REVIEW SOME BASICS
1.
Ecuador is located on the Equator in the northwest of
South America. It borders Colombia and Peru to the
north, Peru to the east and south, and the Pacific
Ocean to the west.
2.
With a surface area of 283,561 square km (about the
size of Wyoming), the geography of its four regions is
very diverse: Galapagos, Pacific Coast, Andes,
Amazon.
3. For a general grasp of some basic facts about
Ecuador, take a moment to again review your Desk
Reference. On page 10 we cover topics such as
climate, population, currency and safety. Mastering
these facts will make you more confident bringing
Ecuador into conversations with clients.
PACIFIC COAST
Plains, rolling hills and expanses of farm land, sand and
sea stretching from the Pacific Ocean to the foothills of
the Andes – these are the first impressions enticing
visitors to fall in love with the Ecuadorian coastal region.
Beaches, coves, cliffs, grasslands, historic towns and
industrial centers, among others, make up the Coastal
Region. Towards the east, this gentle land gradually
merges with an imposing natural wall, namely the Andes,
home to the people and customs of the Ecuadorian
highlands.
Don’t worry — in our
next Chapter, we’ll
discuss how these
regions of Ecuador
are distinct from
similar geographies in
other South American
countries.
This will help you
explain to clients how
Ecuador compares
and contrasts with its
neighbors.
AMAZON
Now we enter one of the most breathtaking biodiversity
reserves on the planet.
The Amazon Region’s tropical rain forest extends from the
foothills of the Andes Mountains with their steep ridges, where
streams and waterfalls wind their way down into the deep jungle,
the humid lowlands teeming with life.
The jungle covers most of this region, which is the largest and
least populated in the country. Wildlife includes tapirs,
anacondas, boa constrictors, turtles, lizards, monkeys and giant
rodents.
Dozens of bird species fill the skies and the trees, and
freshwater dolphins are another favorite animal to spot.
LET’S PONDER THIS
• Do you have clients who’ve been to South America, but
never to Ecuador? If so, how is Ecuador different and/or
similar?
• Knowing what you’ve learned so far, write down the
names of five current customers that seem to be a
match for Ecuador’s attractions.
• Do you have a relationship with any tour operators that
sell Ecuador? Take a look at pages 22 and 23 of the Desk
Reference Guide for some ideas.
The current Ecuador
promotional slogan is
‘Love Life in Ecuador.
Click here to see how
this theme is reflected
at our website.
You can use this site
to share specific
regions with your
clients. There’s no
booking engine to
compete against!
LET’S REVIEW
Let’s take a break from this first chapter for a brief quiz.
This will ensure you’ve absorbed the key points,
allowing you to be comfortable talking with clients about
these features of Ecuador.
Click ‘continue’ arrow below to get started.
LET’S CONTINUE
Now that you’re familiar with Ecuador’s main regions and
Almanac of key features, it’s time to explain our most
important visitor experiences. In your Desk Reference
(page 9) you’ll find ‘Ten Things you didn’t Know About
Ecuador This list is a showcase for how your clients can
‘Love Life’ across the four regions of Ecuador. Let’s take
some time to review these iconic activities.
Here we’ll focus on FOUR of the Ten Things in order to
help you master important trip planning skills. In later
chapters in this course, we’ll connect you with sample
itineraries and Ecuador suppliers that make these
experiences a reality.
I DISCOVERED THE GREATEST
NATURAL DIVERSITY IN THE
WORLD IN ECUADOR
In fact, some 10 percent of the world’s plant species and 10.7
percent of all vertebrate animals are found in Ecuador. It’s a
natural wonderland that clients won’t find anywhere else. And, like
nowhere else, due to the short distances and good travel
connections between the top sites, your clients can spend more
time enjoying this biodiversity!
Key Take-away:
In your next
newsletter, let you
nature-loving clients
know how Ecuador is
a world-leader in biodiversity. Send them
the Desk Reference
Guide as an email
attachment.
Key Take-away:
Ecuador’s cultural
diversity will really
appeal to academic
groups, museum/
gallery aficionados,
certain African
American clients
interested in heritage
tours and many
others.
I DISCOVERED THE CULTURES OF
13 INDIGENOUS GROUPS IN
ECUADOR
The peoples of the Amazon region are world-famous for
their traditional medicines and respect for the rainforest that
they call home. On the Pacific Coast province of
Esmeraldas, visitors can learn about the Afro-Ecuadorian
people whose history dates to the 16th century. Dance and
music — as well as unique instruments they use, including
the marimba, bombo and guasa — provide still more insight
into the divergent cultures that come together in Ecuador.
LET’S RECAP
Let’s recap some of the ‘Ecuador Love Life’ basic facts:
Ecuador (think ‘equator’) straddles the middle of the planet, facing the Pacific
and is neighbors with Colombia and Peru;
• The weather is ‘spring-like’ year round and varies mostly by elevation;
• You’ll be offering your clients activities in FOUR regions: Galapagos Islands,
the Pacific Coast, Andes, and Amazon;
• Since Ecuador is only the size of Wyoming State, distances between
attractions are short;
• The currency is the U.S. dollar, Wi-Fi is commonly found, there’s no visa
requirement for Americans and Canadians, and English is widely spoken;
• Ecuador fully embraces ‘Conscious Tourism’ and the idea that travel
generates personal growth and makes us all better citizens.
GEO REVIEW
Let’s look again at the
map of Ecuador and
spend a moment
locating:
• Our four regions
• Main cities
(Guayaquil, Quito,
Cuenca)
GEO REVIEW
Now take a moment to identify the main geographic feature (volcanoes,
highlands, lagoons, rivers, bays, islands) and appreciate how Ecuador’s
landscape is one of its main assets. (your Desk Reference has larger version of this map)
CHAPTER FINAL EXAM
Ready to test your knowledge? Click the ‘continue’
arrow below to get started.
Have any technical questions or concerns?
We are here to help at 1-877-727-0035 or
[email protected]