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Roadshow – it sounds like tour buses, fun, a band on the road. And in tourism, it’s actually not that far off. A new city every day, a new event, new people hanging on your every word. Only, we’re not singing the latest rock hits, throwing plush toys into the crowd, or signing autographs.
So what do we actually do? And why?
A roadshow – or more formally, a B2B workshop – is a series of events that travels from city to city, sharing targeted information and updates on a specific topic. Products and services are presented, tested, and promoted along the way. In short: it’s a mobile presentation tour. That sounds a lot less like the rock-and-roll lifestyle and a lot more like carefully winning over customers or partners. Which is exactly what it is.
The main goal of a roadshow is to increase brand awareness through direct contact with as many participants as possible. The event should leave a positive impression – ideally, one that lasts – and provide relevant, memorable information that participants recall long after.
In tourism, roadshows are a popular marketing tool. In our industry, where emotions play such a big role, they are essential for building strong connections with partners. No matter how good your newsletter or how engaging your webinar, nothing can replace the personal connection that is at the heart of a roadshow. Just like a lead singer reaches out to fans so the “spark” catches on, we seek to spark interest in our product by connecting directly with participants.
So who’s the band, and who are the fans?
In tourism, there are essentially two types of roadshows: the tour operator roadshow and the destination roadshow. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.
In a tour operator roadshow, as the name suggests, a travel operator organizes the tour. These typically run regularly, usually twice a year, through large and medium-sized cities. They are timed to coincide with the release of travel catalogues – usually in early summer and autumn. The main objective for the tour operator is to communicate updates on catalogue contents.
Since these tours often cover 20 or more cities, they come with high costs. To offset expenses, tour operators invite tourism partners to participate for a fee. In return, these partners can present themselves to attendees – usually with a small exhibition stand or networking table to start conversations. Depending on the event format, partners may also have time for a short presentation. However, in this setup, the partners are not the main act. They’re more like the opening band – not there to warm up the crowd for the headline show, but to give fans an easier way to connect with the star.
The “fans” – the participants – are active travel agents from stationary or mobile travel agencies. They are the target audience for the whole tour. Just as a band is nothing without its fans, tour operators and tourism partners depend on travel agents to bring the product to customers.
If one of these “opening bands” decides to go on its own small club tour, it becomes the headline act itself. This is the destination roadshow. In this format, the destination takes center stage. The biggest advantage: undivided attention. While in a tour operator roadshow several tourism partners compete for attendees’ attention, a destination roadshow shines the spotlight on one single act. This allows the destination to showcase all its facets and present the product in depth. The learning effect for attendees is much higher than in the multi-partner format.
That said, one single presenter usually can’t (and shouldn’t) fill the entire evening alone. In practice, there are multiple presentations and speakers – for example, the destination’s tourism board, local hotels, excursion providers, or transport companies that bring visitors into or around the destination.
Which format is better?
There is no one-size-fits-all recommendation. Both formats have their place, and the right choice depends on the situation.
Joining a tour operator roadshow as a partner means significantly lower costs. You pay a manageable participation fee per event, which makes it a great option for smaller budgets. It also requires much less time and effort. The tour operator handles everything: location, catering, technical setup, communication, and invitations. As a partner, you just bring your product information and materials, set up your stand, and you’re ready to go.
Another advantage: tour operators have established reputations and wide-reaching networks within travel distribution. This allows them to draw a large audience to each event. Their brand name inspires trust and ensures a high-quality event.
The potential downside: high attendance doesn’t necessarily mean high-quality contacts for every partner. The audience that’s valuable to the tour operator may not fully align with your own target group. That’s why it’s critical to evaluate the host and their audience carefully to ensure it matches your goals.
If the answer is “no” – or you want more focus on your product – then running your own roadshow might be the solution. In this format, your product enjoys the spotlight without competition. The program and content can be fully customized to your needs, with room for creative ideas outside the usual framework.
However, be prepared for a much higher budget – easily up to 10 times more than joining a tour operator roadshow, depending on the scale. The organizational effort is also considerable and should start several weeks in advance. Another challenge: communication. Destinations often lack extensive contact databases to promote the event effectively and fill the room.
From the fans’ perspective
Roadshows are consistently popular with participants. They provide a chance to hear important news firsthand, ask individual questions, and network. Building personal contacts with tourism partners can be invaluable – for example, when dealing with a tricky booking or a unique customer request.
These events also offer a relaxed atmosphere to exchange ideas with colleagues over a good meal. And the evening usually ends on a high note with prize draws featuring great giveaways and vacation trips – sometimes giving participants the chance to experience a newly presented product firsthand.
During the COVID period, when many of these events couldn’t take place, the loss of this marketing format was deeply felt. Virtual events couldn’t replace the emotional connection. Since then, roadshows have made a strong comeback as an essential part of the professional calendar on both sides.
Roadshows at KLEBER GROUP
Roadshows are popular among our clients, too, and frequently requested. At KLEBER GROUP, we see it as a core part of our consulting expertise to recommend the ideal format for each client.
With our deep network across the German-speaking travel market, we keep track of all major tour operator roadshows as well as events by specialized roadshow organizers. Depending on the client’s target regions, objectives, and budget, we select the most suitable opportunities.
In some cases, we start by joining a tour operator roadshow as a partner and then later launch an independent roadshow for the same client. This was the case for our client La Palma, the Canary Island. Last autumn, we presented La Palma’s tourism product at selected events on the Schauinsland roadshow. As demand for the destination grew, we wanted to see: how would a dedicated tour resonate with the fans?
Together with the client, we developed a concept and organized everything as a full-service package – from A for advertising in trade media to Z for hotel room allocations. The result? The tour earlier this year was a success! The “band” rocked the stage, and the “fans” called it one of the best shows in a long time. The client was so thrilled that they’re already planning a repeat for next year.
For now, it’s summer, and everyone is enjoying their holidays. But autumn is coming – and with it, the next roadshow season. At KLEBER GROUP, that means we’re already busy planning for our clients to ensure successful performances. After all, our clients’ success is ultimately our success.
Sources:
1: https://www.messebau.de/ratgeber/roadshow-was-verbirgt-sich-dahinter/#:~:text=Eine%20Roadshow%20ist%20eine%20mobile,erfahren%20und%20an%20Workshops%20teilzunehmen.
2: https://www.touristik-aktuell.de/nachrichten/veranstalter/news/datum/2022/01/13/der-touristik-webinare-und-live-events/
3: https://whatwhenwhy.de/magazin/die-eventbranche-nach-corona/
4: https://www.messebau.de/ratgeber/roadshow-was-verbirgt-sich-dahinter/#:~:text=Eine%20Roadshow%20ist%20eine%20mobile,erfahren%20und%20an%20Workshops%20teilzunehmen.
5: https://www.touristik-aktuell.de/nachrichten/veranstalter/news/datum/2022/01/13/der-touristik-webinare-und-live-events/
6: https://whatwhenwhy.de/magazin/die-eventbranche-nach-corona/