As a result, some oversimplify the sector’s various roles. In my view, in retail travel there are travel agents and travel consultants. The difference is clear, and each has a part to play.

Travel agents use reservation systems to book trips and are adept at finding what clients want from products they understand. While they can access a profile of repeat clients from in-built databases, they are primarily agents of the suppliers they know, and take pride in making successful bookings with these firms.

Consultants operate at a deeper level. They use their knowledge, destination experience and personal contacts to make reservations. Having built relationships with clients, they know a client’s travel background and preferences. With this knowledge, they may also be permitted by the client to collaborate in decision-making. Consultants act mainly as agents of their client, and their ultimate aim is to create a truly memorable experience.

I believe the independent retail sector has a job on its hands to ensure it recruits, retains and develops talent from the agent pool to help them become genuine travel consultants. We need to attract those who are passionate about making retail travel a career rather than just a job to pay the bills, but also help to create that passion.

So what is the roadmap for someone who wants go on a development journey and evolve into a genuine travel consultant? While it is encouraging to see travel and tourism appearing as an A-level in some schools, the reality is that it is often taught by geography teachers with limited experience of the travel industry – or none at all. Having witnessed my son experience such an environment, I know that the information given can be out of date or inaccurate, and that the information given is limited by the lens through which the teacher views retail travel. The best courses will offer general preparation for the retail industry, but they must be broad in their approach, and only the most diligent staff will make an effort to keep up with such a fast-paced industry.

Trainee travel agents are often recruited from schools and colleges, so while the first stop on their roadmap is usually the classroom, the second is the retail office – getting to grips with the reservation systems and starting out with a narrow range of products.

This new generation tends to enjoy the fun, friendly culture in travel, but they soon want the chance to learn and grow. The challenge of management is to provide these opportunities in a sequenced, timely manner in line with each individual’s capability and enthusiasm for learning. This phase is crucial. It takes time, passion and relationship-building skills to develop deep knowledge of a wide range of products, so at this point we must recognise and encourage the few who display the characteristics needed to make retail travel their career.

This point is near the top of my list of priorities, as I believe the future success of independent retail travel depends on it.

Sandra Corkin is managing director of Oasis Travel