Travel Advisor Training Enters a New Phase in Its Evolution

Host agencies and consortiums are ramping up efforts to provide better training for travel advisors, whether they are newcomers seeking rudimentary skills or veterans needing to keep up with changing technology and consumer demands.

One of our stories looks at how host agencies are developing training “boot camps” to serve a growing number of people looking to travel as a career change. While they welcome the interest, host agencies realize that many aspirants will quickly become discouraged and even do the industry a disservice if they aren’t prepared for the challenges that lie ahead.

We also talk to David Harris, a veteran travel agency owner recently tapped by Ensemble Travel Group to be the consortium’s first-ever CEO. He also emphasized the growing importance of travel advisor training, not just on products and destinations, but on sales skills and specialist knowledge.

For more coverage of pertinent issues, click here.

Any suggestions for the coverage you would like to see are welcome. Feel free to contact me at mbl@skift.com.

— Maria Lenhart, Travel Advisor Editor

Featured Stories

Travel Advisor Recruits Participate in Host Agency Boot Camps: Host agencies are seeing an influx of prospective travel advisors, many coming from other careers, and are creating education programs to ensure the newcomers are up to par. There are a wide range of options out there, so potential agents should do their research before choosing a host.

Silversea CEO on the Evolution of Luxury Cruising: Luxury travelers are demanding new experiences, and cruise lines that cater to the market are trying to deliver. Roberto Martinoli will speak about that shift and more at Skift Forum Europe later this month.

U.S. Travel to Cuba Faces Tighter Restrictions on Non-Family Visits: The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control intends to implement changes to non-family travel to Cuba “in the coming months,” a Treasury Department spokesperson told Skift.

Ensemble Travel’s First CEO Brings Agency-Owner Perspective: Ensemble Travel Group hired its first CEO, a veteran travel advisor and agency owner. The move signals a realization that firsthand understanding of the daily challenges faced by travel advisors can only help a consortium better serve its members.

Airlines

First Direct U.S. Flights to Cape Town in 15 Years Will Be Boon to Tourism: United’s plan to launch direct flights between New York and Cape Town, South Africa, is a potential bonanza for tourism in the city and the wider region. Now local operators are holding thumbs the seasonal route becomes year-round.

Hospitality

Four Seasons Shows That Hospitality Can Be a Passport to a Global Career: Hospitality can be the gateway to a richly rewarding global career. But even some of the top brands aren’t making this sell well enough to the next generation of talent. Here’s how to do it.

Why Oyo’s Founder Calls Himself the Chief Clarity Officer: Who has ever built a portfolio of half a million rooms in six years? Oyo, that’s who. And founder and CEO Ritesh Agarwal, who will be speaking at the first Skift Forum Asia on May 27, says his journey has just begun.

Skift Travel Advisor Editor Maria Lenhart [mbl@skift.com] curates the Skift Travel Advisor Innovation Report. Skift emails the newsletter every Tuesday. Have a story idea? Or a juicy news tip? Want to share a memo? Send her an email.