As COVID-19 vaccinations catch up with pent-up travel demand, travel advisors are starting to see a promising increase in trip inquiries and future bookings.
But one travel advisor, Lindsey Epperly of Epperly Travel (her agency) and EntreTravel (her travel agent certification course), hopes that the travel industry does not revert to “business as normal.”
At EntreTravel, we would create a world in which the travel agent profession was incredibly respected — so much so that future generations of travel agents would never hear the age-old question of, ‘Wait...travel agents still exist?’
Instead, she wants the industry to make good on its pandemic-era promise to “build back better” by encouraging advisors and suppliers alike to be more intentional about what kind of future they would like to see.
“The best gift a crisis can give us is the opportunity to rebuild,” she said. “I began asking myself, if we could do this over again, what would we do differently? At EntreTravel, we would create a world in which the travel agent profession was incredibly respected — so much so that future generations of travel agents would never hear the age-old question of, ‘Wait...travel agents still exist?’ If advisors get in the right mindset, we can make a lasting impact on the travel industry.”
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With that goal in mind, EntreTravel launched the 15-part complimentary Travel Agent Rebuilding Series on March 16. Subsequent videos will be released weekly on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. EST on YouTube.
According to Epperly, the content encompasses three overarching topics: rebuilding ourselves, rebuilding our businesses and rebuilding our industry.
Episodes focused on “rebuilding ourselves” will tackle topics such as how to revive personal confidence (the subject of the first episode); how to set bigger visions; how to positively channel negative emotions brought about by the pandemic; and getting your mindset right for future hurdles as the world reopens.
Videos aimed at “rebuilding our businesses” cover how to set business goals when the future is uncertain, and topics include how much more valuable travel agents are as the world rebuilds; understanding the value behind service fees; and how to position yourself as the type of advisor clients are looking for.
The final theme, “rebuilding our industry,” aims to maximize the current opportunity to change the way the world views the travel agent profession. Topics include defining what it means to be a great travel advisor; understanding the ability to grow and scale; implementing systems of business accountability; and creating programs that honor the advisor's professionalism and potential.
The Details
EntreTravel
www.entretravel.com
