Comments from all corners of the industry are welcome, and it’s clear that for many people working in travel, we’ve reached a crossroads in the conversation – some are keen to say years on the high street are the key to success; others say we must shore up our sector by welcoming one and all, with many travel transactions now born from social media alone.
I speak from a privileged position of having seen and experienced things from both sides, although I don’t intend to stay sat in the middle. Working in a community that supports business owners with and without direct travel experience to launch a new venture, my view is that so long as we are open to great people and to doing things right, there is always hope and excitement.
As younger people come into the workplace and take up the mantle, it’s important to remember everyone has to start somewhere. This isn’t about negating years of experience in any profession or sector, or enabling anyone to skip the queue, but holding the door open for people who have a boundless passion for travel.
Those keen to craft seamless itineraries full of amazing experiences, those eager to make a positive impression on the people around them by being kind, courteous and professional, and those ready to learn from and lean into the knowledge of their peers who have already forged successful careers.
Not everyone fits the bill. For our part, we recognise the unerring commitment it takes to build a full-time career and business as a professional and trusted advisor. While our standards and requirements are high, the ability to build lasting relationships is not exclusive to those who have only ever worked in travel – caring for customers is a currency that transcends travel, and it’s a non-negotiable minimum we expect of everyone within our community, regardless of their background.
The Travel Counsellors Academy programme has for more than 15 years supported amazing people launching their own travel businesses, and has provided an added benefit we didn’t perceive at its inception, which is the invaluable learnings and feedback from other industries it’s brought into our global community.
A few facts – more than 300 Travel Counsellors started with no travel background or experience, including 10% of our "Gold" TCs. Our training, meanwhile, is accredited by the Institute of Travel and Tourism, and we have more than 175 accredited mentors who support our new TCs.
What’s more, there are exceptional people out there who have a passion for travel who either want to get into the industry at a younger age, or have developed their career in other ways and circumstances now enable them to do something different and apply their long-held love for travel to a career and business.
Switching lanes and changing career path is a brave decision. It involves a lot of thought and research, and input from family, friends and peers; it needs to make sense from a personal and business perspective; and it needs to be driven by a belief that you simply must do this. You could call it a calling.
We can also make space to recognise different methods of learning. In today’s digital world, skills needn’t be acquired in a traditional academic setting, such as through the use of virtual reality or immersive video content, as well as personal travel experiences that provide unique viewpoints.
Travel must protect its reputation
Training is broader than the two-year course that was required when I started my career in 1992. Yes, I learned airline codes, minimum connecting times, and how to write a ticket and revalidate them, but this perhaps doesn’t reflect the incredibly complex industry we now work in.
Over time, many like me have added to these foundations with both life and work experiences, and been inspired by the diverse perspectives individuals joining the industry bring, and the innovation and change these inspire.
There is also a real requirement for travel professionals to keep investing in their development and refreshing their knowledge. With new products and experiences coming to market all the time, this work never wavers, so it’s up to individuals and the communities they’re a part of to relish this on behalf of customers.
To be successful in this ever-evolving field, you need to have technology, marketing and relationship management skills, you need to be resilient, understand sales and excel at customer service, you need to embrace sustainability and keep calm during crises, and you need to develop direct destination experience and a high level of business acumen. How many industries require this level of multi-tasking?
The travel industry should be for everyone, but not anyone. Businesses must look to their own attraction and selection methods to protect the reputation of travel professionals in the first place.
Yes, it might be nice to be able to sign up and launch your business in minutes, enjoy huge discounts on your own travel and see commissions paid upfront.
But when thinking about what makes a travel professional, let’s focus on quality of the service and support they provide for their customers and fellow professionals, and the care they show for helping people make memories that last a life-time.
The customer or client will ultimately make the final decision. Those who value the expertise, advice, care and attention of a reputable travel professional will of course seek out these qualities for the benefits they bring.
Matt Harding is director of franchise sales at Travel Counsellors.
