| The SMERFs, a hardy and growing bunch, are | | | | these bookings is reliant on repeat business, word of |
| travelling Asia for Social, Military, Education, Religious, | | | | mouth from existing customers, and direct marketing |
| and Fraternity reasons, offering vast untapped | | | | to social organizers and providing the right kind of |
| potential for this regions developing and recovering | | | | accommodation offers, Mr Birch said.We used to |
| travel markets says Abacus International.Their | | | | think about SMERF groups as a market niche for |
| reasons for travelling are as diverse as war and | | | | budget hotels and hostel style accommodation, now |
| peace, study and learning, seeking their god or just | | | | they use convention and conference centres, |
| to catch up with like-minded people, but what they | | | | university facilities, suburban hotels, downtown hotels, |
| have in common is a will to travel even if times get | | | | resorts and even unsold apartment complexes.Military |
| tough. The SMERFs, a hardy and growing | | | | travelAsia’s estimated 32 million soldiers are |
| bunch, are travelling Asia for Social, Military, Education, | | | | often on the move usually by military transport, but |
| Religious, and Fraternity reasons, offering vast | | | | often by civilian travel networks in countries such as |
| untapped potential for this regions developing and | | | | Thailand, Taiwan and Singapore. Not surprisingly, the |
| recovering travel markets says Abacus | | | | Philippines is one of the largest military travel markets |
| International.Their reasons for travelling are as diverse | | | | in the region. With its more than 400,000 strong |
| as war and peace, study and learning, seeking their | | | | army and vast territory of 7,000 islands, even the |
| god or just to catch up with like-minded people, but | | | | coming and going of soldiers on leave is a highly |
| what they have in common is a will to travel even if | | | | significant market.While exact figures are difficult to |
| times get tough. They do not mind even gathering in | | | | procure due to the sensitivity of military travel, the |
| non peak times if it will help keep the costs | | | | growing number of websites specializing in military |
| down.They are the SMERFS. No relation to their | | | | travel in this region, attest to the scale of interest in |
| cuddly namesakes of television fame, they are the | | | | this market and present a highly focused audience |
| resilient groups travelling to and around Asia in their | | | | for travel suppliers seeking to reach this market, Mr |
| millions for social, military, education or religious | | | | Birch said.Education travelThe Singapore experience |
| reasons, or as part of fraternity groups such as | | | | demonstrates the potential of the education travel |
| alumni, workplace re unions or special interest | | | | market. Prospects for inbound educational travel are |
| groups.Abacus International President and CEO, Mr | | | | promising with the number of international students in |
| Don Birch says that despite being budget conscious, | | | | Singapore for long-term studies (one month +) |
| the SMERFs collectively form a huge market and | | | | growing from 60,000 in 2003 to well over 70,000 in |
| have vast untapped potential for developing or | | | | 2005 according to the Singapore Tourism Board. The |
| recovering Asian travel markets.Abacus International | | | | Singapore Government is targeting to achieve |
| estimates that the SMERF market across Hong Kong, | | | | 150,000 international students by 2015, particularly |
| Thailand and Singapore alone is worth US$1.7 billion a | | | | from China, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and |
| year, based on an accepted US formula that the | | | | Vietnam.From summer camps to immersion |
| SMERF market is equivalent to about one third of the | | | | programmes, travel operators in Asia are beginning to |
| total meetings, incentives, conferences and | | | | discover the value of outbound educational tourism in |
| exhibitions (MICE) market.Whereas their better | | | | the region.One of Singapore’s most |
| known cousins the MICE are serviced by specialist | | | | established travel operators, Chan Brothers Travel, |
| divisions within major hotel groups, travel agencies | | | | set up its own Educational Travel Centre (ETC) in |
| and dedicated Government programmes, the | | | | 2003 to cater to the emerging educational travel |
| SMERFS are often below the radar and therefore | | | | market in Singapore, conducting tours for student |
| harder to measure.They are hardy and | | | | groups to destinations such as China, England, |
| budget-conscious travellers which make them ideal | | | | Germany, Australia and Turkey during the student |
| for developing or recovering markets or as a | | | | vacation months of June and December.Another |
| complementary segment in peak markets, Mr Birch | | | | relative newcomer on the educational tour scene, |
| continued.The SMERFs helped sustain the US hotel | | | | Wing On Travel in Hong Kong offers English language |
| and airline industry in the period following the 9/11 | | | | and activity tours to Britain, Australia, Singapore, |
| terrorist events, and have shown themselves to be | | | | Canada and mainland China. Reflecting their |
| very resilient in the face of international in the face | | | | commitment to cater to this emerging travel market, |
| of international events, Don Birch said.Who are the | | | | the agency decided to create a dedicated educational |
| SMERFS?The SMERFs are part of a wider trend in | | | | tour division. The company launched its first study |
| the travel market towards more outcome based | | | | tours in 2004 and this year plans to take 14 groups |
| travel for a purpose other than just to see things, | | | | to Britain alone.Mr Birch says, This travel segment has |
| and they're more prepared than ever to travel | | | | a high growth potential but travel operators need to |
| abroad to achieve their aims according to Mr Birch. | | | | be aware of the challenges inherent in conducting |
| This seemingly diverse group is united by a willingness | | | | educational tours for school groups. Parents |
| to travel despite the economic cycle, to go off-peak | | | | expectations, differences in cultural understanding and |
| and even off the beaten track if that is what it | | | | catering for homesick young students are just some |
| takes to track down budget transport and | | | | of the many issues that tour operators will have to |
| accommodation, Don Birch said.Social travel traverses | | | | address through equipping their staff with the |
| the fields of sports, special interest, ethnic, talent and | | | | necessary skill sets and expertise.While students |
| dance organizations, with more and more diverse | | | | from Hong Kong and Singapore are venturing to |
| ethnic and professional associations adding to the | | | | foreign shores for a comprehensive educational |
| growth. Examples include women’s groups, | | | | experience, Indian students are discovering |
| volunteer workers and social sports teams travelling | | | | India’s own cultural identity and heritage. Mr P |
| domestically or inter country for tournaments.The | | | | Saravanan, from Viking Tours and Travels in Chennai, |
| growing number of car owners joining clubs in | | | | South India said that school groups are mainly |
| Singapore such as BMW.sg, TeamChevy Singapore | | | | travelling to experience the history, culture and |
| and the Toyota Club Singapore, are a case in point. | | | | monuments of other Indian states generally in groups |
| Aside from their regular monthly meetings where | | | | of 25-40 people.The school groups are very budget |
| enthusiasts exchange tips on the technical aspects | | | | in their accommodation needs. That is 1 or 2 star, |
| their cars, these clubs also serve as a rallying point | | | | with as many as 3 or 4 children sharing each room, |
| for trips overseas, either to Sepang in Malaysia for a | | | | but they're definitely a valuable market, because |
| day of track racing or to other regional destinations | | | | schools come back a number of times, as do families |
| for leisure trips. Further afield, fans of the Lord of | | | | of the children as they grow up, so it is a valuable |
| the Rings have travelled to New Zealand in their | | | | part of marketing, Mr Saravanan said.A pioneer in the |
| thousands to experience in person some of the | | | | educational travel segment, Thai tour operator Track |
| magic of the film. A guide book to the filming | | | | of the Tiger has been running educational tours for |
| locations has now sold over 300,000 copies becoming | | | | students from Australia and the UK for more than |
| the fifth largest ever selling non-fiction book in New | | | | ten years. Mr Shane Beary, Director, said that the |
| Zealand in the process.The Lord of the Rings has | | | | demand for educational programmes at its Maekok |
| created the largest film tourism event the world has | | | | River Village Resort & Outdoor Education Centre has |
| ever seen. Thousands of people have flocked to | | | | been growing at an average rate of 25 to30% over |
| Middle earth New Zealand to follow in the footsteps | | | | the past five years and recorded 7,500 room nights |
| of the hobbits and to bring back some of the | | | | in 2005. With a market base that has grown to |
| emotions they felt when watching the film or reading | | | | include students from Singapore, Hong Kong, |
| the book, says Ian Brody author of the Location | | | | Bangladesh and Thailand, Track of the Tiger now |
| guide, which is selling just as well a full three years | | | | offers programmes at Pang Soong lodge, its new |
| after the last movie in the trilogy.Pacific Asia Travel | | | | Outdoor Education & Research Centre in Mae On, |
| Association (PATA) Director of the Strategic | | | | Chiang Mai, covering a range of environmental, and |
| Intelligence Centre (SIC), Mr John Koldowski says | | | | outdoor programmes for student groups, as well as |
| there is also a well beaten path from India to the | | | | team building and 'voluntourism options for the |
| exotic film locations of Switzerland and Austria, as | | | | corporate sector.Mr Beary commented, Our |
| fans of Bollywood seek out the sets of their favorite | | | | experience has shown that there are many overlaps |
| movies.The social category is a good market for | | | | between educational, volunteer and eco tourism, |
| hotel sales staff who want to fill room blocks in | | | | which we have tried to build on in developing our |
| off-season and weekend periods, but attracting | | | | programmes. |