Need to Know Research: Are New Travel Advisors Entering the Industry?

The pathway for potential travel advisors is not clear-cut, according to a new survey of nearly 300 agents conducted by TravelAge West, part of its Need to Know research series. Most respondents (56%) say their agency is not hiring at this time, and 79% report that they do not personally know anyone entering the travel industry for the first time.

“I can understand the hesitation for agencies to be hiring right now,” said Nikki Miller, owner of Travel With Nikki in Portage, Mich. “We just went through a very low point in our industry, and people are gun shy to make additions to their teams. However, right now would be the ideal time to add to an agency as the leisure market is the segment of travel that is coming back fast and strong, and having the extra hands to assist with travelers’ last-minute requests is sure to increase traveler satisfaction.”

Despite not knowing anyone entering the industry, advisors generally have a positive view of their profession. Nearly two-thirds (64%) of respondents would be comfortable suggesting a career in the travel industry, and 57% would be supportive of a family member or friend who wants to become an advisor.

“It’s really fantastic that, after everything we have been through, over half in the profession would suggest entering the industry right now,” Miller said. “A career in the travel industry is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle that seeps into your blood, and you just don’t want to get out of it once you are part of it. It’s great that so many in the profession are ready to welcome new advisors into the industry and understand that we put community over competition.”

A career in the travel industry is more than a job, it’s a lifestyle that seeps into your blood, and you just don’t want to get out of it once you are part of it.

Unfortunately, despite a need for cultivating new advisors, there appears to be an industry-wide problem attracting and training young talent to the field. Nearly two-thirds (64%) say it is very important to create programs to attract the next generation of travel advisors, but 70% feel the industry has not done a good job attracting those agents.

“The travel industry knows that we need to attract the next generation of travel advisors to the profession, but we just haven’t figured out how to do it consistently yet,” Miller said. “There is such a need for attracting new blood to the industry to keep it going. We need to make sure that we are keeping relevant with the generational changes that are happening so we can continue to keep passing the torch on and keep the industry going strong.”

Only 8% of advisors say they work with more than five people under the age of 30, and only 13% have specific initiatives for attracting new-to-the-industry agents. However, the numbers are better when it comes to onboarding these advisors — about one in three (30%) have a training program for new-to-the-industry advisors and the same number (30%) have a mentorship program for these agents. 

Nearly half of respondents (45%) feel they did not have adequate training themselves when they entered the industry.

“Everyone is busy — especially these days when agencies are working short-staffed and are scared to hire,” Miller said. “Agency owners want to use their time efficiently and don’t think they have the bandwidth to train new staff. Everyone wants to have the next generation in our industry, but no one wants to take the time or responsibility to bring them on. I feel everyone is just waiting for someone else to start a training program rather than starting one themselves.”

It appears most advisors are relying on consortia to help with training — 61% feel these companies do a good job equipping advisors for a prosperous future.