If the recent American Society of Travel Advisors’ (ASTA) conference had a feeling of celebration, well, who could blame anyone? While we certainly are not out of the woods yet when it comes to COVID-19, the ability to see one another in person represents a big step forward. All we have to do is look back at where travel was earlier in the pandemic to realize how far we have come as an industry.
Back then, if anyone had said that travel advisors would not only weather the worst crisis in modern history but emerge stronger, you probably would have been skeptical, to say the least. But here we are, with a recent headline in The Wall Street Journal — just one of many similar headlines in major publications over the past year — proclaiming “Travel Agencies Are Having a Moment Amid COVID-19 Chaos.”
How did it happen? And why should we believe advisors will continue to prove their worth during the pandemic?
First, advisors have shown the world that they are savvy, hard-working, customer-focused experts of their craft. The value they bring to their clients is undeniable. But the other key to advisors’ success is that they came together as an industry and lobbied for the resources that were necessary to survive. Being able to speak to government in a unified voice and be heard was — and continues to be — crucial to the future of the profession.
Back then, if anyone had said that travel advisors would not only weather the worst crisis in modern history but emerge stronger, you probably would have been skeptical, to say the least.
ASTA, of course, is key to this effort on the part of advisors, but it is not alone in lobbying decision makers in Washington, D.C. Other groups, including the U.S. Travel Association, the U.S. Tour Operators Association and Cruise Lines International Association, are also actively working to protect members.
While it’s still too early to take a victory lap, we should celebrate the fact that we have enhanced the profile of our industry and learned the importance of supporting all segments of travel professionals. These valuable lessons will help see us through the course of this situation and beyond.
