Flight cancellations have been an unnecessary headache for agents and their customers, and the fact we are still talking about airport chaos four months after the sector first struggled to cope at Easter is shameful – government and aviation bosses have serious questions to answer as to why they were so woefully prepared for summer.
But for all the frustrations, agents are still smiling. Some 67% of respondents to TTG’s latest Travel Agent Tracker say the amount of new business taken outstrips the amendments and rebookings they’ve had to deal with (p26).
And in uncertain times, consumers seek out trustworthy businesses – and agents are clearly reaping the rewards. “In the most obscure of ways, the airport situation is doing us a favour,” admits Meon Valley Travel’s James Beagrie (p7).
Yet while this silver lining might be gleaming for now, staffing challenges – and how to address them – remain a worry for the entire sector.
Most would agree travel can rarely compete on salary – although Holidayspleases’ Richard Dixon has some choice words on this in his One Last Thing column. He urges companies to cough up more now to attract recruits and build a more sustainable future.
As delegates at TTG’s Fairer Travel Diversity Forum heard though, money isn’t everything. Flexibility is a key way to “provide an environment for everyone to grow and succeed”, insists Taiwo Owatemi, shadow minister for women and equalities (p20).
The industry can at least be thankful it’s in a better place than 12 months ago. But investment – and a sustainable plan to keep attracting talent – is crucial if it’s to avoid being in the same sweat in 12 months’ time.
FUTURE LEADERS
The industry’s best new talent can be found in TTG’s 30 Under 30 2022 intake. From travel consultants to sustainability researchers, discover more about the travel leaders of tomorrow (p34-42).
Read the latest TTG magazine online here.
