Welcoming New Advisors into the Industry

I read a recent post on Facebook by a travel advisor who was posting pictures of her travels, saying it was her job to travel. There was a comment on the post from someone saying she wanted that job. The advisor replied, “NO YOU DON’T!” I sighed heavily, thinking, “What a terrible representation of our industry.”

I’ll admit that being a travel advisor isn’t always easy. There are times when our jobs are very challenging. But if your attitude is at the point where you wouldn’t recommend the profession to anyone, it may be time to give up the profession and move on to something else.

The travel industry has had its ups and downs, especially during the last two years, as have other industries. But we have moved forward and rebounded, with both seasoned and new agents now thriving. Our recent sales have exceeded those experienced in 2019 prior to COVID-19.

We need new advisors who are passionate about the travel industry and who represent it well. We need positive attitudes where travel advisors extoll the benefits of their jobs. Being a good role model for new advisors is a part of our responsibilities. When we attend events where we meet potential travel advisors, we should show support for anyone interested in joining our industry.

That doesn’t mean we should over-glamorize the job or make it sound like there are no challenges to it. But we should definitely not bad-mouth our profession. There are many positive aspects of our jobs and we should emphasize them rather than the negatives. After all, we’re in an industry that has survived the most difficult of times despite the severe decline in travel during the pandemic.

Travel advisors perform an important and valuable role. We should encourage new members to join us so that the industry continues to grow. We, as experienced travel advisors, have a lot of knowledge that we can share to help new members succeed. We need to be very cognizant of our influence on those considering entering our field. When we travel and share pictures on public forums, we should be upbeat and optimistic about our profession.

Our industry has a very bright future, despite the impact that COVID has had on it. Now that restrictions have eased, there is a strong demand for travel. Our role as travel advisors is more important than ever. New advisors with a passion for the job and willingness to learn can make a big difference in our growth.

To anyone wishing they had my job, I strongly encourage you to give it a try. It’s an awesome job in an amazing industry. I look forward to continuing my involvement in and my impact on the industry for many years to come. I guarantee that if and when you ask me for input or have questions about my job, my answers will reflect my passion for the profession that I’ve enjoyed for decades.