The Travel Advisor Resource Center (TARC), an online platform that offers professional tools for new-to-industry and veteran travel advisors, unveiled two new free offerings on Nov. 1: The Ultimate Travel Advisor Handbook; and the TA Launchpad, a 10-day course for those at the very beginning of their travel careers. Both will be provided as complimentary resources.
Our Analysis: Free, Accessible Education Will Help the Travel Advisor Profession Succeed
Unlike many other industries, travel advisors are not required to receive any certifications or licenses in order to operate their businesses, which often leaves them without a clear path toward professional success. And with an influx of new travel advisors entering the profession, there’s an even greater need for accessible training, career education and professional development.
These new, free-to-access programs developed by TARC — which was founded by travel advisor Steven Gould — are a clear representation of a “community-over-competition” approach to peer-to-peer training that should be embraced and emulated by all.
Steven Gould, founder of TARC and president/CEO of Goulds Travel
Credit: 2023 Steven Gould/TravelAge WestFast Facts: TARC’s New Tools Provide a Travel Advisor’s Roadmap to Success
- The Ultimate Travel Advisor Handbook is available for download and features a comprehensive overview of the travel advisor career, along with tips for avoiding burnout, standing out in the industry, developing skills, embracing technology, building relationships and more.
- The Handbook also features a QR code that takes users to essential industry resources that include, but are not limited to: a travel supplier directory; a travel partner blog; the 10-day TA Launchpad program; workflow templates; legal templates and waivers; and more.
- The TA Launchpad is formatted as a 10-day, self-paced online course, and will include worksheets, exercises, blogs and more. Topics within the TA Launchpad curriculum include finding a niche, choosing an agency model, speaking with an attorney, opening a business bank account and more.
- The TA Launchpad also has a dedicated Facebook group called, “TA Launchpad: How To Become A Travel Agent.”
- Educational content was compiled by TARC, along with input from travel industry experts.
- Gould, the founder of TARC, was named runner-up in the TravelAge West Trendsetter awardsin 2022 in the Upward Bound, Rock Star Advisor Under 40 category.
What They Are Saying: In a World That Glorifies Competition, Let’s Champion Collaboration.
“At TARC, our credo is, and always will be, "Community Over Competition," said Steven Gould, founder and chief innovation officer of TARC and president/CEO of Goulds Travel, in an excerpt from The Ultimate Travel Advisor Handbook. “We seek to unite and empower the incredible travel industry to create remarkable experiences, while fostering personal and professional growth. In a world that often glorifies competition, let us be the pioneers of an industry that embraces a different narrative. Let us nurture a community where collaboration is championed and the success of one becomes the success of all.
