familiarization tour is

What You Should Know About a FAM Trip

Annie Brigham, Digital Marketing Coordinator

What is a FAM trip?

Who attends a fam trip, who pays for a fam trip.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip for Travel Agents and Media Personnel?

What are the benefits of a FAM trip for the Hosts?

What are some things to keep in mind when planning a FAM trip?

A FAM trip stands for “familiarization trip” and is one incentive of being in the travel industry. FAM trips are exclusive educational trips for travel agents, media personnel, and resellers. These familiarization trips provided by travel businesses such as travel operators, tour operators, and accommodation suppliers allow them to experience their services and destinations first-hand. FAM trips are opportunities for travel businesses to familiarize agents and media personnel with their destination and immerse them in the local culture, introduce them to local operators, and highlight the benefits their company offers, essentially take them backstage. For instance, they can have the opportunity to meet a celebrity chef that they have been referring their clients to.

The usual people presented on these trips are Travel Agents, suppliers, and media partners such as Journalists, Editors, Influencers, & Tour Operators. These individuals are necessary for countless travel businesses’ success, and as suppliers and travel operators, you are looking to build a long-term working relationship with them. The aim is to keep track of key industry influencers and invite people relevant to your industry’s success. These invitations may rope in a travel agent you have worked with in the past, who you want to enhance your relationship with or introduce new offerings to, or a new prospect who has recently jumped on your radar who can potentially help you collect new business.

Though FAM trips are endlessly changing and evolving, and differentiate per business, tour operators, cruise lines, and hotels interested in showcasing their points of interest typically provide everything for these trips. FAM trips are more often than not fully sponsored invite-only events unless there is a partnership with a rental car company or airline that exists. Sponsorships are customary because the host provides the money or product in exchange for their visit.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip to Travel Agents and Media Personnel?

Familiarization trips present numerous benefits to the attendees. The head benefit of a FAM trip is that it allows travel agents and other travel industry providers to gain ideal first-hand experience. This involvement enables them to understand better the several benefits that different kinds of trip excursions offer to their clients. As a result, they can better supply the perfect services and vacations to their client based on their desires and needs and effectively inform their clients on what they can expect. In addition, media personnel, travel writers and editors, and photographers can gain first-hand experience that can help provide better content, details, and photographs for their future publications. These trips grant journalists opportunities to develop tailored stories that they may want to develop further. For example, the trip may introduce them to a chef who has a fascinating life story or recipe to share. A further benefit is that the FAM trip guests can expand their professional network by building connections with other travel agents, suppliers, and media personnel; most FAM trips embrace downtime to relax with other professionals. This schedule allows them time to get in touch with industry experts and exchange stories on what has worked for their business. By developing long-lasting relationships with travel operators and suppliers, they will also acquire better deals for themselves and their future clients.

What are the benefits of a FAM trip to the Hosts?

Arranging a “familiarization trip” is a valuable marketing tool. As a host of a FAM trip, one benefit is that you can generate new leads and business for your company. By permitting these professionals to gain first-hand experience with your products, they will better understand and share the benefits of your travel offerings with their clients. When it comes to benefits from hosting media personnel is that you are enhancing your media coverage; travel writers and photographers take part in these trips to photograph your offerings and compose content. If you can impress and inspire your guests during a FAM trip, then you should be able to generate first-rate reviews and recommendations for your travel business. For example, one of our clients , Arizona, invited an Editor in Chief on a FAM trip to their destination. The Editor in Chief made a customized trip with a luxury angle and published over 20 full pages of material about the destination and included them in the cover. The clients were very thankful for these results and said that the benefits of these results were worth more than five times that than the overall cost of the FAM trip.

After conversing with some of our employees regarding their client’s FAM trip success stories, we have put together some things we think you should consider when planning your FAM trip: You must research and plan the trip and itinerary during the FAM trip planning stage according to your media personnel and travel agent’s profiles. Look at their previous publications and create activities that they will find appealing, craft experiences with multiple “wow factors” that they can share in their publications. Keep in mind that it is up to the criteria of your guest when it comes to what will get published; not everything that they experience will be incorporated. Provide thorough itineraries and trip information as soon as possible in the planning process; this will allow your FAM trip guests to raise any concerns or questions ahead of time and will enable you to customize their stay exceedingly well. When crafting a detailed itinerary for your guests, you must also be mindful of their time on your trip; you must provide a good balance of activities and educational events with free time to relax and take a breather. Lastly, put together a plan for contingencies; keep in mind that not everything will go to plan. It would be safest to prepare for anything from a last-minute guest cancellation up to flight cancelations, emergencies, or lockdowns. But, again, it is better to over plan.

Special thanks to our Connect Worldwide FAM trip experts Eduardo Peraza and Pedro Berruecos for contributing to this article. Contact us today if you are looking for a destination marketing partner or are interested in learning more about attending, planning or hosting a FAM trip.

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Familiarization Tours – What are they?

• September 4, 2015
• wellsgraytours

You may have heard of Familiarization Tours (FAM Tour is the industry abbreviation) and wondered what they are, who provides them and who are they for.

FAM Tours are hosted by travel destinations, restaurants and attractions to familiarize travel professionals with products and services that they feel will help the travel professional sell their destinations or services. FAM tours can be as close as a local restaurant or B & B in your community inviting the local Information Center staff or local travel agents to enjoy a meal or overnight stay. First hand experiences are much easier to sell.

FAM Trips are not usually free, but offered to travel professionals at a reduced rate. This ensures that travel expert is truly invested in learning about the destination or product. While this may sound like an ideal way to take a vacation, it is far from it. Destination FAM tours are jammed packed with hotel rooms, quick overview stops at attractions, dining experiences packaged into a short trip with long, long days. FAM tours are designed to provide the travel professional with a “snap shot” of the destination. The upside is that your travel professional will meet face to face with service providers and begin to build relationships with those they will work with. When booking your next holiday or tour, they will be able to recommend safe local transportation as well a personal perspective into your next adventure.

Wells Gray Tours utilizes FAM opportunities whenever possible to research new destinations. These FAM tours provide great benefits for you as the traveller. When researching a new destination it is so much easier to plan the itinerary with input from staff that has had firsthand experience. Having someone on the ground in a destination allows for a personal glimpse into cultural expectations, safety issues and transportation availability. Recently our staff has been busy; Darlene from our Vernon office and Sema from Victoria cruised on the Ocean Endeavor to Baffin Island and Greenland, Stephanie from Kamloops and Kerrie from Kelowna spent time in Savannah, Georgia and the Golden Isles, while Fraser and Shane are busy exploring cruise opportunities with Norwegian Cruise Lines.

On the Ocean Endeavor to Baffin Island and Greenland

The Golden Isles, Georgia

Tallinn, Estonia with Norwegian Cruise Lines.

Wells Gray Tours not only takes advantage of FAM tour offerings, but offers FAM tours to its employees on our tours to destinations that we travel to frequently. This ensures that all our staff stays well informed on areas we go to repeatedly, understand how we operate when out on tour and have a chance to meet and mingle with our guests in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. Wells Gray Tours provides the staff with additional time off to take FAMS.

You know you will be in good hands when you travel with Wells Gray Tours due to on our going commit to making sure we are well educated about the destinations we travel to.

Written by: Joan Niemeier

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What Are Fam Trips And How To Get The Most Out Of Them

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Familiarisation Trips, better known as Fam Trips, are educational trips organized exclusively for media partners or travel agents and resellers, by travel businesses such as tour operators and accommodation establishments.

Fam Trips are designed to equip participants with adequate product knowledge to either sell onto clients or publish for media coverage. Travel businesses host Fam Trips to showcase their business and product to the people who resell or cover them in media.

Either way, the fundamentals of Fam Trips remain the same, you want to create memorable, fun, and personable experiences for the people who undertake them. They are essentially marketing tools that highlight your travel offering and are one of several ways to generate leads and new business for your travel company.

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Who Goes On Fam Trips?

Fam Trips are usually set up either as invitation-only sponsored learning trips or at discounted rates exclusively available for travel agents to book.

Travel agents and resellers go on Fam Trips to experience first hand a travel product or offering. This gives them insight into the finer details of the offering and lets them add a personal touch to their sales pitch.

Travelers are on the lookout for personalized travel experiences and something as simple as a travel agent knowing whether there is a packed breakfast available to take on a day hike excursion without needing to check details with the establishment saves time, conveys efficiency and will attract customers to your travel business .

Fam trips are not only for travel agents or resellers though, media partners also participate in them too. Travel writers or photographers join Fam Trips for media to write up articles and take beautiful images to post and share in their publications.

Tips On How To Run Successful Fam Trips

You want to apply the same basic principles to your Fam Trips regardless of whether you are hosting Media or Suppliers. In both cases, the trips should be experiential and relevant to your product.

Set Expectations

Email your suppliers and media partners their proposed itineraries a few weeks in advance so that they know what to expect from the Fam Trips and can raise any questions they may have to prepare for it.

When hosting Fam Trips for Media discuss your expectations for the press coverage before the trips begin so that you are all on the same page. Establish where the write-ups will be published, the length and frequency of the articles, expectations for social media posting etc.

Offer Authentic Experiences

While you do need to pull out the stops and offer the same experiences that full paying guests would get, you do not want to misrepresent your offering by including something not ordinarily part of your repertoire.

Clients will be disappointed if they read about a sundowner experience on the riverbank but discover on arrival at your lodge that it is not in fact on your activities list it.

Create Partnership Offerings

Contact surrounding travel businesses to see if they would be interested in creating partnership offerings to provide to the suppliers and media partners.

Approach restaurants who might be interested in hosting groups for some of their meals. Or contact a bicycle tour operator to ask if they would lead groups on a trail experience.

This will give the other businesses the opportunity to increase their visibility and get mentions in the media and it will help you to spread some of the costs involved in hosting Fam Trip groups.

Offer Alternative Itineraries

Where applicable, showcase a number of your most popular activities to the people on your Fam Trips. Not only will this highlight more aspects of your travel business, but it will also negate the possibility of accidentally excluding someone from partaking in particular activities.

Consider people’s varied interests and add one or two alternatives to your itineraries. The idea is for your suppliers and media partners to make the most of their Fam Trip experience so limiting your educational Fam Trip activity to a snorkeling trip might not work in your favor if you are hosting people who do not enjoy swimming for example.

Set A Manageable Schedule

Remember the people you host on your Fam Trips are working even if it may not always seem like it. With this in mind, remember to allocate a certain amount of downtime on your Fam Trips to allow your travel agents and media partners to check in with the office, organize the information they are putting together on your travel product, or have a quick catch up with the family at home.

Provide All Necessary Information

Your suppliers and media partners are going to need the details of all the accommodations they stay in, restaurants they dine at, and activity providers who guide them on their Fam Trips. As the organizer, you will have easy access to all of this information.

Compile a list of all the names, email addresses, contact numbers and social media handles of your partners onto a database and share it with the people on your trip. This way they will be able to accredit everyone accordingly.

You can include the brochure images and write-ups of your travel product in this informational package too. You might find that your suppliers need to update your product on their site and this will make sure that they have what they need.

Most of this information will likely be required in a digital format, so either email it or make it available to download from a limited access portal.

Make Follow Ups After The Trips

Do not leave it too long after your Fam Trips have finished to follow up with your travel agents and resellers to get their feedback.

See if they have any questions or suggestions for you and check that your media posts are published and all the information is optimized, correct, and up to date.

Keep the communication lines open and find out what worked and what didn’t and learn from each experience and Fam Trip.

Remember that your travel agents, suppliers, and media partners are key players in your business’ success and Fam Trips are a good way to nurture relationships with them. So consider the time and resources you spend hosting Fam Trips and nurturing relationships as an investment in marketing your business and promoting your travel offering.

In an industry where experience is everything, going the extra mile and working together to give clients the best possible service will translate into stellar reviews and glowing recommendations for all parties involved.

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What is the meaning / definition of FAM Trip in the hospitality industry ?

The term FAM stands for Familiarisation. The Tours – commonly known as FAM Trips – are trips organised by travel providers (can be a Tour Operator, an Airline, a Hotel Chain , a Tourism Board or other DMOs representing a Destination, etc.) with the purpose of educating about their products &amp services and promoting them.

Usually it is dedicated to everyone who is involved in the selling and promoting process of this particular product/ property / destination. It typically hosts travel agents and expedients, travel media (writers, journalists, bloggers) and other important players &amp partners.

Creating awareness and at the same time networking and building relationships are the main aims of a FAM trip .

FAM´s are very important in the hospitality industry . Basically speaking if the travel agent knows and likes your property (and the location), he will book his clients into it. FAM´s are usually FOC ( free of charge ) or available at a discounted fee.

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Home / What Is A FAM Trip And Why Are They Important?

What Is A FAM Trip And Why Are They Important?

“A FAM trip is a huge investment of time, money and personnel. Make sure that you’re giving it your all and you should definitely see results that match,” Nicole Amiel, Beattie Tartan.

We had the chance to chat with Nicole Amiel, Director – Eastern Canada at Beattie Tartan on the power of Media and FAM Trips in the Tourism industry. A familiarization trip, or FAM for short, is a trip designed for traditional media, social media influencers and bloggers to learn about a destination, a tourism operator, a hotel chain, or a tourism board, and sometimes, all of the above.  

“ But what makes a media tour or FAM (familiarization trip) a success? “

Glad you asked! In this Q&A, Nicole will guide you through the recipe for a successful FAM trip. This includes the strategy, process, and tactics used to drive significant earned media attention.

Throughout the year, RTO 9 invites media and hosts press trips in an effort to increase awareness of destinations and operators within the South Eastern Ontario region. Learn more here.

View the transcript.

“Nicole is a passionate communications professional with a proven track record in creating successful campaigns across digital and traditional channels, engaging media at both the local and national level. She has worked in public relations, marketing, communications and events in Montreal, Miami and Toronto for over a decade, gaining experience in all aspects of brand building. Whether as a publicist at boutique firms, an Internal Communications Specialist at the Aldo Group or as a project manager launching new brands, there’s one thing that she has always focused on: building culture and identity through information. Over her years in the industry, Nicole has worked with a range of clients in the fashion, travel, arts and entertainment, cannabis, cultural events and festivals, hospitality, F&B, tech, health and wellness, nightlife, charity/non-profit and design industries.”  [email protected]

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How to Design a Successful FAM Tour

There are many more critical factors of a successful FAM tour than most people realize. Many of these are not widely known and/or acknowledged by destinations and their participating hospitals clinics hotels government agencies and other organizations. As a result hosts spend money for FAM tours and get no return on their expenditure. In fact a FAM tour is an investment and should provide a return on its expense.

So what are these aspects that make a FAM tour effective and how does the host make a profit? First lets look at the generally accepted medical tourism industry standard and then we will examine the actual success factors themselves.

What constitutes a successful FAM tour?

A FAM tour is industry slang for Familiarization Tour. As its name suggests the tour is intended to familiarize the attendees with the host destination. Medical tourism industry FAM tours are currently made up of trips of six to 12 people to a particular destination.

During the tour the attendees visit the destination hospitals and clinics stay at select hotels and engage in some tourism activities. There is also the customary exchange of contact information with the intention of future business being conducted between the attendees and the participating destination FAM tour organizations.

Some of the better-planned FAM tour hosts do some screening of the attendees to make sure that they carry the right amount of influence in the relevant industries. Destinations are often looking for buyers as they are usually called. Buyers are decision makers in the health insurance or employment areas both of which are considered to be sources of potentially large numbers of patients for the destination countries and the participating organizations.

Some of these better planned tours also schedule some business meeting time for the attendees and the host organizations to kick start their business relationships. Often times visits can end without serious business being discussed but rather a promise is made to discuss business in subsequent phone or other meetings.

Both these activities  the screening and the business meetings  are designed to increase the success of the FAM tour.In short the host destinations are attempting to ensure that the expense brings them some return.

However while these are excellent activities they do not guarantee a successful FAM tour. In order for it to be successful the following items must be considered and addressed during the planning stage. (Note that examples of the critical success factors are presented at the end of the article). ‍

Factors for success

1. Build a relationship:- Both destination hosts and FAM tour attendees must understand and agree with the FAM tour objective(s) which is usually to create an event that will trigger a relationship or that will enhance an existing relationship.

Most FAM tours are designed to either create business for the destination host hospitals clinics and participating organizations or to expose the destination host hospitals to the FAM tour attendees in the hope of generating future business. ‍

It's important to note that without the relationship factor the FAM tour is most likely to generate only business transactions at best. Many hospitals complain that after spending money to host a FAM tour they received little to no patients from their efforts.

Usually this is because the attendees are busy sending patients to destinations with which they have a relationship in addition to a business agreement. By introducing the relationship factor FAM tour destination hosts and attendees start building the foundation for a long and fruitful relationship.

The communication becomes more open and both parties work together to achieve success. Trust begins to develop and barriers are broken down. This sort of relationship usually grows to include other business in addition to medical tourism business. ‍

‍ 2. Define the host:- FAM tours generally experience some disarray and confusion during the implementation stage when it is unclear to the attendees who exactly the hosts are. Are the hosts the government agencies the hospitals and clinics the funding organizations or a combination?

It should be absolutely clear and transparent.Also the relationship between the host(s) and the other participating organizations should be abundantly clear. Of course there is an optimal arrangement that will benefit all parties concerned and the host(s) should consult with someone who has experience in the industry and who can help them leverage their host position to achieve successful results. ‍

‍ 3. Identify the tour attendees The host needs to figure out whom to invite to the FAM tour. Remember the objective of the tour is to create an event that will trigger a relationship or that will enhance an existing relationship.

Knowing that this relationship is primarily between the host(s) and the attendees it becomes apparent that the attendees should be people who represent organizations that will benefit the host(s). However the attendees should also be people who represent organizations that the host(s) can benefit.

A relationship is between two parties for the tour to be successful both parties must benefit.

‍ 4. Assign a facilitator and create a schedule:- Now that the host(s) attendees and objectives have been identified the FAM tour needs a schedule and facilitator(s). A facilitator is the person who will actually implement the tour. The person should be fluent in the visitors language but the tour can still be effective if one of the attendees is an interpreter.

The facilitator should be widely available and have no time conflicts for the duration of the tour. The person should also be savvy in the business ways of the destination host country. FAM tour attendees always have many questions and the lack of answers can quickly render a FAM tour ineffective.

An effective FAM tour schedule is one that contains hospital and clinic visits some government agency visits opportunity for business discussions and some social activity usually with a tourism component associated with it. The length of the tour depends on a number of factors. See the table below for an example of a three-day tour.

‍ 5. Secure appropriate housing:- The lodging is central to the FAM tour and should be absolutely first class. First the travel time between the host hotel and the hospitals and clinics to be visited should be minimized.

Second the host hotel should have some examples of the types of rooms that will be available to future patients including fully accessible rooms and fitness facilities. The cuisine should be international in flavor and availability and room service should be 24/7.

Remember that the attendees will be conducting business with their countries while visiting and this may involve a time difference. Therefore they should be able to access all the hotel services round the clock.

‍ 6. Narrow your marketing/hospital selection:- Destination countries should focus on the one or two procedures that they have world-class reputations in and the lowest prices. It is not good marketing to advertise all the hospital and clinic procedures because it demonstrates a lack of understanding of the metrics that make medical tourism viable. Patients and buyers look for quality equal to or better than what is available in their home country and at the best price possible. ‍

‍ 7. Include tourism activities:- There are two reasons to included tourism activities in a FAM tour. The first is because most patients will be accompanied by a companion and the companion may need to re-energize themselves during the patient visit.The second reason is to advertise the destination country.

The most popular and effective form of marketing is word-of-mouth. There is no better way to encourage repeat visits whether for healthcare purposes or for tourism purposes than to make sure that the visitors see what the destination country has to offer.

‍ 8. Plan efficient and effective business meetings:- Of course the main reason for the FAM tour to begin with is to motivate business and to do this via a relationship approach. This approach is not only a smart way to do business but it also is an excellent marketing approach for the destination country and its hospitals and clinics.

Some time has to be dedicated toward business and business activities. Careful consideration and planning should be undertaken. FAM tour participants should be given a schedule that clearly shows what all the activities are well in advance of them leaving their countries to start the tour.

They should be clearly instructed on what business activities are going to take place how to prepare for them and what their role is going to be. This will ensure a smooth business discussion.

‍ 9. Appoint a business meeting facilitator:- In addition to the above recommendations a business meeting facilitator has to be appointed. This person does not have to be the same person that facilitates the whole tour.

This person should be trained and should know who the attendees are their titles and responsibilities the objectives of the FAM tour and the objectives of the business discussions. This will ensure an error-free business environment.

‍ 10. Follow up:- Follow-up is essential to the eventual success of any FAM tour. Follow-up is the ultimate responsibility of the hosts. They are the ones that have made the financial outlay in order to achieve an objective and therefore they are the most invested in the outcome.

At the business meetings and other FAM tour meetings milestones for certain activities would have been established. These milestones should be the focus of all follow-up activities.

Buyers beware

Always prescreen your buyers and evaluate their position in the industry. There has been a growing trend of Fake Buyers on Fam Trips. They may be consultants and marketing companies that use the Fam Trip as a fully paid trip to market their services directly to the hospitals. If disclosed in advance and if the host finds value in it then the consultant may provide value to the host. ‍

A FAM tour is a one-time opportunity for a host country and its hospitals and clinics to impress the tour attendees. This is a cant fail proposition. In other words everything must go well during a FAM tour otherwise word-of-mouth communication will certainly cause future problems for the host country.

All efforts must be made to ensure that the FAM tour is most impressive and that the attendees are supremely confident that the host country offers a viable short- and long-term solution for their healthcare issues. If all the above factors are addressed successfully a FAM tour will provide just the jump start that a host country needs in the medical tourism industry. ‍

About the Author:

Alex Piper is the President of OneWorld Global Healthcare Solutions a consulting company committed to creating a worldwide healthcare solution.With over 17 years experience in Insurance Marketing and Employee Benefits Management Alex Piper possesses extensive knowledge of the U.S. Healthcare Market and the influence that Insurance Carriers U.S.

Employers Hospitals Physicians Physician Groups Healthcare Professional Organizations and Government will have on the next generation of global healthcare.As an insurance executive at a top Fortune 50 U.S. company he spent eight years designing employee and customer benefits programs including healthcare programs for the large supplier and distribution partner companies of his employer.

He was responsible for creating a benefits program that had over U.S.$140 million in assets and had over 1300 companies enrolled. His latest program grew from zero to $40 million in insurance premiums in less than two years!

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Brian’s FAMs Do’s and Don’ts

In more than a decade of professional travel journalism, i’ve attended dozens if not 100 or more familiarization (fam) tours of many varieties. in addition to individual fams, i’ve joined organized tours with other writers, as well as group leaders, tour operators, travel agents and other industry professionals. and although each tour is different, fam tours have many things in common., i’ve observed a number of best practices that will help you make the most of your time on fam tours and develop good relationships with your hosts. next time you set out to explore a destination, remember these six do’s and don’ts of fam tours..

• DO come prepared to work. FAM tours often entail long, fast-paced days with busy itineraries. You’ll get the most out of a FAM if you embrace the hustle and view it as an opportunity to get business done.

• DON’T treat it like a vacation. I’ve had some incredibly fun experiences on FAM trips, but that doesn’t mean I take the trips just to enjoy myself. FAMs are professional events, and you should be punctual, courteous, attentive and appropriately dressed.

• DO take notes and photos. You’ll see tons of attractions, restaurants and hotels on FAM tours, and some will be just right for your groups. Taking notes as you go will make it easier to pinpoint the organizations with which you want to do business, and taking photos can help you sell the tour when you get back home.

• DON’T rely on your memory. It’s easy to think you’ll remember everything about an exciting trip, but FAMs are so busy that many of the details blur together in the end. If there’s something particular you want to remember from a trip, you should document it as you go.

• DO ask questions and engage with your hosts. Only you know the particular needs and tastes of your travelers, and you may have questions or insights about an activity or an accommodation that your hosts haven’t considered. Feel free to speak up, and try to work out the best arrangement for your travelers.

• DON’T be a diva. Sometimes a FAM tour participant can become a little too vocal and monopolize hosts, to the exclusion of everyone else on the trip. Don’t be that person; divas annoy everyone else on the trip and make a bad impression on hosts.

Brian Jewell

Brian Jewell is the executive editor of The Group Travel Leader. In more than a decade of travel journalism he has visited 48 states and 25 foreign countries.

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4 Tips for a Successful FAM Tour

In the wonderful and exciting world of tourism marketing, various tactics are used to market a destination. One of these is hosting a familiarization tour, otherwise known as a FAM tour or just simply FAMs. Hosting a successful FAM tour is a great tactic for driving sales and increasing motorcoach business in a destination. The purpose of a FAM tour is to invite travel trade professionals to learn first-hand what an area has to offer. Participating tourism professionals may include group tour operators, group tour leaders, tourism partners, and travel agents ( travel writers also go on one-off or group FAMs). When a tour professional experiences something first-hand, they become more educated and more excited about the experience. This makes it easier to sell the destination to their own customers.

FAMs engage tourism stakeholders, such as lodging, restaurants and attractions, and give them a chance to meet the FAM participants. There are different types of FAMs you can offer for your destination. Larger FAMs require collaboration with several Destination Marketing Organizations ( DMOs ) across multiple counties. Others have just one county or smaller destination where there is only one DMO hosting the FAM. Regardless of the scope and size of a FAM tour, here are 4 tips to ensure its success.

1. Educate everyone involved on how they will benefit from a FAM tour .

This goes for both the stakeholders and the FAM participants.

Stakeholders need to understand that this is a marketing opportunity. As such, stakeholders agree to offer their services and/or products complimentary. They should understand they are not donating goods and services! This is a fantastic marketing opportunity to showcase their business.

FAM participants need to understand that as much fun as FAM tours are, everyone is still working. They are only going to get a sample of products and services. They should not expect to spend a lot of time at one location. There is much to do and see and they are expected to take part in every opportunity offered.  

2. Communication is key for a successful familiarization tour.

FAMs typically have a very tight schedule, and good communication  ensures a successful tour for everyone. Both stakeholders and participants should be fully versed in how much time they have to spend at each location.

There are also logistical items. All stakeholders should provide contact names, immediate contact numbers, parking instructions, etc. The FAM organizer needs to notify each stakeholder when the group is en route so they can be prepared for the group’s arrival.

Each participant needs the itinerary before the start of the FAM and needs to provide their contact information as well as an emergency contact. As a requirement of participation, they need to share with the DMO host(s) what they do and why they have an interest in participating on the FAM.

3. Treat your FAM guests as VIPs.

Roll out the red carpet! Participants will remember what went wrong before they remember what went right. Travel professionals sell destinations. They want to feel 100% confident their customers will have a great experience. They have relationships to foster and protect. If they are treated well, they will understand and feel confident that their customers will experience the same thing and be willing to put their name and reputation out there to promote your area.

4. R emember to have fun during a FAM tour.

Don’t forget, this is tourism! It’s about having a good time! Even though this is a professional situation, selling a destination is fun and every destination is sellable . People are still people and will relate best and relax more when stress is low. No matter if things go as planned or not, what the group will remember most is if they had an enjoyable experience, and that’s what makes a successful FAM tour.

Rhonda Carges

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Small Biz Survival

The small town and rural business resource

Fam tour basics for tourism businesses

By Becky McCray

A “fam” tour, or familiarization tour, is a common tool in the tourism industry, but almost no one takes time to explain the idea. Let’s go through the basics of fam tours for small business.

Tourism expert Sarah Page explained that a fam tour is “a short tour geared toward the press or travel trade to familiarize them with the attractions of a particular area. The hope is that after the tour the press will write stories and articles about the area, and the travel trade will begin to book tours there.”

So if you run a bed and breakfast, you might give a night of free lodging to a small fam tour group in exchange for the hope of exposure that would lead to future business. If you could have your B&B featured in a national magazine or on a popular travel blog, wouldn’t you trade a night’s stay to get it?

Who might come on a fam tour?  While travel writers are the most common fam tour participants, there are lots of different people who you might see:

• people who publish in traditional media like newspapers, tv and magazines
• people who publish online with blogs, videos, audio, photos and the like 
• people who book tours, like group tour organizers
• people who recommend travel, like your state or regional tourism groups

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Becky started Small Biz Survival in 2006 to share rural business and community building stories and ideas with other small town business people. She and her husband have a small cattle ranch and are lifelong entrepreneurs. Becky is an international speaker on small business and rural topics.

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Wondering what is and is not allowed in the comments? Or how to get a nifty photo beside your name? Check our commenting policy . Use your real name, not a business name.

August 11, 2010 at 2:56 pm

Great post – and yes, a very overlooked area of explanation in most of the small towns or even in larger cities with small businesses with whom we work. It is imperative that when a fam tour is organized by a local CVB that the business owner doesn’t just sit around waiting for the tour to swing through their business – but that they make a special effort to leave a memorable impression. I have had some clients that have actively accepted business cards from members of the tour and e-mailed them a personal note after to remind them, have seen them hand out one-sheet profiles stating the basics of the business and its’ back story along with a list of resources they could provide (like existing professional photographs, etc.). Helping the media and tourism folks help your business is your job. Just being there isn’t enough to make the business stand out.

Thank you so much for putting the spotlight where it needs to be!

August 25, 2010 at 6:41 pm

Hey Becky, I’ve been behind in my Google Reader and just saw your post today.

I want to first thank you for the reference to my post. What a nice surprise!

Secondly, I appreciate you taking the conversation on this topic a little further. Many DMOs out there still haven’t caught on to this yet, and I think your post goes a long way in showing them why they should.

August 26, 2010 at 6:49 am

Marianna, thank you for adding those ways that businesses can stand out on a fam tour.

Sarah, thank you for your original post to kick off this discussion. I was sure that most small businesses had never heard of fam tours, so we ought to explain.

October 11, 2010 at 5:16 pm

thanks for this article on Fam Tours. I’m an entrepreneur living in Austria, Europe. We’re launching a new business in the travel sector. As my mother tongue is german and my english is therefore not perfect it would be great if somebody could answer my question: we want to call our business “femtour” – can this be mistaken for fam tour in the tourism industry? we want to offer journeys for women and I don’t want to have to explain that femtour is something different than famtour…can you see my problem? or do you think it is no problem…? Would be great if someone could answer. Thanks!!! Anita

October 11, 2010 at 5:37 pm

Anita, I think it is not likely that “femtour” would be confused with “fam tours.”

You never know with business names. My local clothing shop called the Daisy Village frequently gets catalogs targeted to florists.

October 11, 2010 at 7:03 pm

Becky, thank you very much. I think so too. I just needed some affirmation.

By the way: I like your blog and your website. I think healthy small businesses are very important for cities and as employers…

October 11, 2010 at 7:04 pm

Thanks, Anita. Glad to have your comments.

April 4, 2013 at 9:26 pm

Good guidence for small businesses and DMOs. I am just getting into the tour operator business and hope to participate in FAM tours so I can better market BC to our asian clients. I think there is a big difference between a properly run FAM visit (explaining tour policies, available media etc) and what a visitor would experience as a walk up guest.

April 5, 2013 at 9:53 pm

Cameron, that’s a good point. Because the FAM tours are bringing people who are not the usual tourists, the tours should be different. Travel writers (for print or online) will want a more compressed version of what regular tourists may experience. Tour operators are more interested in sampling or surveying what is available to regular tourists. It pays to know this when deciding how your business may participate.

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Why familiarization trips (FAMs)?

Why does Destination BC host familiarization trips (also known as FAMs) and what are the outcomes of trips like this? Destination BC and key partners often host journalists, editors, travel agents, product managers, marketing managers or reservations staff from tour operator partners.    The intent of these trips to provide attendees with a level of understanding about what BC has to offer as well as inspire them to sell or write about the destination more knowledgably (when they often sell or write about hundreds of destinations around the world). Learn more about FAMs in BC.

UK trade education

The Destination BC UK team held an educational quiz for Trailfinders, consistently one of the biggest tour operator partners and producers into British Columbia from the UK, which shared BC facts to attending staff in London.

German documentary filming

A German documentary team filmed in the Kootenay Rockies in rare boreal forest from 2016-2017, and the subsequent film “Black Forest” is being released.  The dark woods in British Columbia’s Kootenay Rockies is a 55,000 hectare sized remote area that was owned for many years by the German Carl, Duke of Württemberg who managed it with sustainability in mind. He named it Darkwoods after his home mountain range Schwarzwald. Home to the very rare boreal woodland cariboo, wolves, and grizzlies, the area is owned by the Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC).

Australia Winter FAMs

November and December 2018 saw many FAM trips from Australia, sharing the idea of experiencing Winter in BC/pre-Christmas and non-ski activities. The team hosted: 10 retail travel agents from Flight Centre stores in New South Wales, who visited Whistler and Vancouver on their FAM; 10 retail travel agents who were part of the Canada Specialist Program from across Australia, visiting Victoria, Vancouver and the Kootenay Rockies; and 8 top travel trade clients in Vancouver, Whistler, Victoria, and Field at Emerald Lake Lodge.    Feedback from the trips included the following: “If you’ve been to Canada in summer you’ll know the scenery is spectacular, but to visit in winter is truly magical” .

Photo: Product Managers snow shoeing Grouse Mountain.

Recent travel media coverage

Here are just a few of the media outlets Destination BC recently assisted or hosted:

Outside Online, National Geographic Traveler, Orbitz, Robb Report, LA Travel Magazine, BC Living, Globe and Mail, Ski Canada Magazine, Matador Network, Today (Australia)

Examples of recent coverage:

USA Today https://www.10best.com/interests/explore/why-you-should-visit-canadas-thompson-okanagan/?geo=eu

Iconic Life https://iconiclife.com/experiential-gift-ideas/

Outside https://www.outsideonline.com/2375486/5-road-trips-you-need-take-winter

OpenTable https://blog.opentable.com/page/3/

OpenTable https://blog.opentable.com/2018/neighborhood-gems-restaurants-for-a-hip-casual-new-years-eve-celebration-with-friends/

SkiCanada.org https://www.skicanada.org/christmas-carving-part-2/

Sharp Magazine https://sharpmagazine.com/2018/10/12/why-vancouver-is-the-best-place-in-the-world-for-upscale-chinese-food/

Divergent Travelers https://www.divergenttravelers.com/things-to-do-in-squamish-bc/

justBobbi https://www.justbobbi.com/diary/9-wellness-resorts-to-help-you-reset-and-recharge

The Globe and Mail https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/travel/article-the-best-new-things-to-see-and-do-in-canada-in-2019/

Ski Magazine https://www.skimag.com/adventure/bc-ale-trail-tour-de-suds

Ski Magazine https://www.skimag.com/adventure/coming-of-age-in-the-valkyr-range

Scout Magazine https://scoutmagazine.ca/2018/12/07/exploring-the-pacific-marine-circle-route/ ​

Road Stories https://roadstories.ca/okanagan-valley-vineyard-eats-and-bicycle-seats/

Miss 604 https://miss604.com/2018/12/places-to-storm-watch-in-ucluelet-and-tofino.html

Lonely Planet https://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/british-columbia/travel-tips-and-articles/connect-to-culture-experience-first-nations-traditions-in-british-columbia/40625c8c-8a11-5710-a052-1479d2757815

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What is a FAM trip (Familiarization Trip)?

One of the main reasons for this type of trip is to introduce the region as a destination for medical tourism and to generate an interest from healthcare buyers to send patients to the hospitals and clinics visited on the tour. During a typical trip, visitors will see hospitals and clinics, but they should also engage in tourism activities that a potential patient could elect to enjoy. The trips are fully funded by the providers or government organizing the tour so that the delegation participating in the tour has no out-of-pocket costs.

Who is eligible to attend?

MTA Members, including Insurance Companies, Facilitators, Consultants, and Media/Press, upon request and subject to approval by MTA.

How are the Locations Chosen?

We base our decision for locations for FAM trips based upon the number of MTA members located in the region and the development stage of the medical tourism initiative therein. The sponsoring group or “host” has the right to approve or reject the selection of the participants based upon the region’s particular business objectives. MTA typically requires one hospital on the tour to be an MTA member in order to organize the trip.

Past MTA Trips:

In the last decade, the MTA has organized FAM trips to El Salvador, Jordan, Guatemala, Malaysia, Medellin, Colombia, and, Mexico.

What are the Host Benefits?

Hospital and Clinic Site Tours. Hosts can showcase their country or destination as “One of the top quality healthcare destinations in the world and as a leader in medical tourism and wellness.”

Creating new relationships with healthcare buyers. Throughout on-site tours, attendees will see advanced equipment and technology offered by hospitals and clinics.

Personal interaction. Attendees have the opportunity to meet the physicians and their staff and speak with them one-on-one about sending patients to their hospital.

Tourism and Country Features. It is important to showcase not only the high quality of healthcare in your destination, but also the history, culture, and natural resources it has to offer patients and their companions. These details can set it apart as a top tourism destination.

Government Support. The involvement, participation, and support of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Tourism, Ministry of Economic Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the U.S. Embassy reinforce the commitment of the country as a top medical tourism destination. It represents credibility, accountability, and a commitment to quality.

The MTA Organization Fee includes one article written by a member of the Medical Tourism Magazine Editorial Department covering the experience and highlights of the FAM Trip.

Destination Requirements

Presentations and Tours must be given in English

Hospitals and clinics that will be visited on the tour must be accredited, or at least in the process of accreditation

FAM Trip budget submitted to MTA no later than 3 months prior to the proposed FAM tour dates

FAM Trip Agenda submitted to MTA no later than 3 months prior to the proposed FAM tour dates

MTA Involvement

The MTA can assist in FAM trip logistics in the following ways:

Invitations to MTA Members

Flight Coordination

Travel information & agenda supplied to all attendees prior to the trip

Liaison between FAM trip attendees and hosting country for immediate questions or concerns pre and post-trip

Medical Tourism Association

The Medical Tourism Association is a Global Non-profit association for the Medical Tourism and International Patient Industry. The MTA works with healthcare providers, governments, insurance companies, employers and other buyers of healthcare - in their medical tourism, international patient, and healthcare initiatives - with a focus on providing the highest quality transparent healthcare.

FAM Trips & Site Inspections

What are FAM Trips & Site Inspections anyway?

Who offers travel agent discounts & why.

travel like a travel agent

Join our travel agent community. Only $19.95 for a 12-Month Subscription. Gain access to countless FAM Opportunities.

Featured Suppliers

FAM stands for “familiarization” tour. It is bringing travel trade networks from mature and emerging markets to enhance first-hand product knowledge of Washington, DC. Hosting a travel agent or tour operator FAM tour aims to create and strengthen networks between travel trade and Washington, DC suppliers.

Destination DC (DDC) is thrilled that you are interested in bringing a FAM trip to Washington, DC. To ensure that your group receives the best experience possible in our nation’s capital, please review the following and complete the FAM Request Form and Liability Waiver . 

Important documents:

• DDC Familiarization (FAM) Guidelines & Policy
• FAM Availability Calendar 

Due to increased demand in Washington DC, all FAM requests must be received no later than 4 months in advance of the trip. Support for your FAM is not guaranteed. Destination DC has a limited FAM budget and focuses on supporting FAMs that we organize. Additional requests are considered but are based on staff availability, market priorities and budget. 

Please note that FAM participants are responsible for all costs relating to COVID-19 testing as well as individual travel insurance. The FAM organizer may step in to cover these costs as appropriate. All participants of the FAM must be fully vaccinated to join the FAM unless exempt for medical reasons. DDC follows the local DC government guidelines for what is considered fully vaccinated.

A DDC representative will review your request and follow up with you.  

Hosting the Perfect Familiarization Trip

• May 16, 2019
• Sales and Service

(this post was originally posted February 2018; this is the revised post here)

Some of your meeting planner prospects may be quite savvy on the FAM circuit, or this may be their first opportunity to be hosted.  Regardless of where your client is in their career and journey, there are some things you can keep in mind as host when planning a FAM trip.

Why are FAMs important?

For meeting planners, familiarization trips work because they provide a holistic view of what their program would look like in a destination – from ease of access, hotels and offsites, local beauty and amenities, and ease of doing business.  All factors contribute to a meeting planner’s decision to use a destination.  For site selection professionals, many of their clients lean on these industry experts to advise them on destination that make sense for their program’s goals. FAMs are education-based opportunities , not vacations.

As a host destination and/or event host, here are some things to keep in mind when you host your next FAM:

• One point of contact- while your FAM trip requires lots of partners in order to make it a success, designate one point of contact for both suppliers and the attendees. This will save on confusion during execution.
• Timing – it works best if you can offer FAMS at varying times of the year, so planners can somewhat “pick and choose” when they can come. If you can only host one FAM a year, you may benefit from moving the FAM around to different weeks or seasons to accommodate planner’s schedules.  There is one destination that I’m dying to go see on behalf of my clients, but they hold their FAM during the same week, every year, during my busiest month of the year.  For 10 years now, I’ve had to decline the opportunity to go see the destination.  Ironically, I haven’t booked a lot of business in this destination either.
• Vetting process – FAMs can be seen as “free vacays” by some inexperienced planners. By vetting the potential delegate, you may be able to qualify your delegates and ensure your fam is full of planners who truly have business aspirations for your destination.
• Pre-fam survey – conduct and execute a pre-fam survey with your delegates. Ask them key questions about their program(s), including size and demographics of delegates.  This will help your suppliers customize their talking points specifically for certain individuals.
• Work collaboratively – regardless of how you feel your particular service is the “best game in town”, ensure you work in tandem with the other hotels and offsite venues in your destination.  The first and foremost goal should be to get the planner to buy into the destination, not your particular service.
• Showcase unique local qualities – showing what’s unique to your destination may seem like a no-brainer, but ensure your offerings truly stand out as original. Are you a museum town?  How are you different from the other museum towns in the country?  Do you have a thriving wine region?  How do you set yourself apart from other wine regions?
• Agenda and timing
• Contact information for each facility, and for the hosts
• Social media handles for each facility
• Dress code for each day of the trip
• Average weather for the season
• Communication between partners – every stop on the tour wants to showcase their best, and they should be encouraged to do so. Have the partners communicate with one another (or use your “one point of contact”) about the plan for the day, especially menus.  While its great that all your partners are known for their fried chicken, the delegates likely do not want to eat fried chicken at three different places in one day.
• Downtime – many of your attendees are busy meeting planning professionals. Their life at the office doesn’t stop just because they took 3 days out of their schedule to see your destination.  Ensure you build in a few hours each day for delegates to catch up on email (or jet lag).
• Post-fam debrief – Conclude the familiarization trip experience by sending both a post-fam survey to your delegates, as well as your suppliers, to see what was impactful about the FAM, and what leaves room for improvement for the next one

Leanne’s Note – I recently attended a FAM during the destination’s most popular festiva l – it was an incredible experience and it really showcased the energy of the city.  Ensure your FAM participants understand the booking implications of booking their meetings around the festival time as opposed to other times of the year.

Some of the above tips may not work for your destination given the logistics, but many of these are achievable regardless of the duration of the familiarization trip or destination.  By employing many of these tips, you’ve set yourself up for a great return on your FAM investment.  Good luck with your FAMs this season!

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Taylor Swift Gives Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds’ Kids Onstage Shoutout at Eras Tour Concert in Madrid

Taylor swift subtly praised blake lively and ryan reynolds’ daughters james, inez and betty ahead of playing her folklore track that includes their names..

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds ' daughters will dream of this moment all summer long. 

After all, Taylor Swift gave the actors' daughters James , 9, Inez , 7, and Betty , 4, a special shoutout before playing her Folklore song "betty" at her Eras Tour concert in Madrid, Spain.

"I have to say that on Folklore," Taylor told the crowd May 29, "some of my favorite characters are named James, Inez and Betty."

Naturally, the comment was a nod to Blake and Ryan's daughters, who are all name-dropped in the aforementioned track. And Taylor's performance of the song was even more special considering Blake and some of their daughters were seen in the audience at the recent Santiago Bernabéu stadium show alongside Alana Haim , Este Haim and Daniella Haim .

Ryan joined the squad at Taylor's concert in the city the following night. 

Speaking of the  Deadpool star, he recently gave Taylor a shoutout of her own while discussing the name of his and Blake's 15-month-old.

"We always wait for Taylor to tell us what the child's name will be," he joked on a May 14 episode of  Today . "And, we'll say this: we're still waiting, so Taylor, let's maybe start. You know, she's a prolific writer. I mean, what are we doing here? And lazy is not a word I'd attach to Taylor."

In addition to their children's names showing up in her songs, Blake and Ryan continue to make their presence known at Taylor's Eras Tour . 

"My wife and kids have been to five of them, five or six now," Ryan gushed on Today . "They love it, they're obsessed."

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Blake and her brood are certainly not the only ones. Taylor's pals Gigi Hadid and Selena Gomez as well as her boyfriend  Travis Kelce have also attended multiple shows. 

Keep reading to see every celebrity guest at the iconic tour. 

Christina Milian

The "Dip It Low" singer and her teen daughter Violet were in a lavender haze at Taylor Swift 's Paris show.

Jessica Capshaw

The Grey's Anatomy actress attended the Eras Tour in France in May 2024, captioning this pic with the Midnights lyric, "Cause we were in Paris."

Travis Kelce & Rita Ora

"It’s fair to say Sydney always delivers," Rita Ora captioned Instagram photos from Taylor's Feb. 23 show, including a snap with Travis Kelce . "Or shall we say our TayTay @taylorswift always delivers!”

Taika Waititi, Taylor Swift & Rita Ora

Taylor's dad Scott Swift delivered an epic photobomb.

"Got to see an old friend shine tonight," Katy Perry captioned footage on Instagram from the Feb. 23 concert.

Tom DeLonge & Rebel Wilson

The Blink-182 rocker—whose band was playing near Taylor's Sydney venue on the same day—and the Pitch Perfect alum hung out in the VIP tent.

The Oscar winner captioned the moment with friends in Mexico City, "Spamming u w really good @taylorswift Eras Tour content."

The Pretty Little Liars star attended with friends  Morgan Pesante , Katie Greenthal and  Claire Leahy . "Omg??? @taylorswift putting on a show that was so good I can't even process," she wrote. "Nostalgic, empowering, and sparkly."

The "Bad at Love" singer got in the spirit by making friendship bracelets to trade with fans during the last Los Angeles show.

Mariska Hargitay & Savannah Guthrie

"Still in the afterglow of the most magical night," the Law & Order: Special Victims Unit star wrote on Instagram Aug. 9 after a bejeweled night out in L.A. "Deepest gratitude to @taylorswift for your poetry and wisdom. You inspire us and connect us to our #delicate tenderness, joy, hope and strength—and most of all, our wish to live and love courageously."

Sharing pics from an L.A. show, Chris Olsen  quoted the T.Swift lyrics in his caption, "I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GETS BETTER THAN THIS."

"Eras tour (Dylan's version)," the influencer captioned fits of her rocking a Stella McCartney outfit. "@taylorswift you are a goddess best night ever."

Spencer Pratt & Heidi Montag

The  Hills stars filled a blank space in their calendar with a date night in Los Angeles at the Eras Tour. Heidi Montag  captioned their pics, "This was the concert of a lifetime! Legendary! Thank you for the tickets @taylorswift."

Jessica Alba & Cash Warren

"@taylorswift with the fam," Jessica Alba wrote, "what a show!" She and husband Cash Warren  celebrated their love story by taking their kids  Honor , Haven  and Hayes .

The Mad Max star danced to "Shake It off" with her kids August and Jackson . "Thank you for the best birthday ever @taylorswift!!!" she wrote. "We had such a great f--king time."

Paula Abdul & Vince Vaughn

"What a SHOW," Paula Abdul  wrote while posting for a photo with Vince Vaughn  and Taylor's parents  Scott and Andrea Swift in Los Angeles.

James Kennedy, Paula Abdul, Scheana Shay & Ally Lewber

The Vanderpump Rules stars made their wildest dreams come true on the floor with Paula.

The "No One singer" attended the Aug. 5 show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with her 8-year-old son Genesis .

The actress attended one of Swift's shows at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles with Anastasia Beverly Hills cosmetics founder Anastasia Soare and her daughter, Claudia .

The late  Kobe Bryant 's wife  Vanessa Bryant and their daughters  Natalia Bryant , 20,  Bianka Bryant , 6, and  Capri Bryant , 4 attended Swift's show at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles Aug. 3. While performing her song "22," the singer approached Bianka at the end of the stage, hugged her and gifted her a black hat she typically gives a fan during the number. The family later got to hang out with the pop star backstage.

The Hills alum was ready to be enchanted at the Aug. 4 show.

The New Girl star shared a family photo on TikTok ahead of the Aug. 4 show.

Elizabeth Banks & Amy Adams

The duo snapped a selfie at SoFi Stadium on the first night of the Eras Tour in Los Angeles, with Elizabeth Banks  writing of Taylor's performance, "She was an Angel and a Unicorn and Pure Magic."

Elizabeth took a pic of Sarah Paulson showing off her Eras Tour merch from the Casamigos suite.

"The first night of the LA Eras tour was everything!" Mindy Kaling wrote after the Aug. 3 show. "@haimtheband set the tone by destroying in their home town and then @taylorswift, well, did her bejeweled thing and 70,000 of us were like 'how can we know every single lyric to 5 hours of songs?'. There were no highlights. It was all highlight."

Hayley Kiyoko & Becca Tilley

The couple headed to Night One of the tour in Los Angeles, with Becca captioning their look with the "Fearless" lyrics, "I know I wanna ask you to dance right there, in the middle of the parking lot."

Brie Larson shared a pic from her view of the show in Los Angeles.

Brie captured a video with fellow Marvel star  Lupita Nyong'o .

The Hills alum was ready for it on Aug. 4 in L.A.

Kobe and Vanessa's 20-year-old daughter shared a hug with Taylor after the show.

Why "Devastated" Jennifer Lopez Is Canceling Her Tour

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