The other day I received an email from an agent who is building an app for his small, family-run agency. His goal is to create something that not only benefits his business, but assists all agents as well. The project has inspired him to go back to school and get a master’s degree, which he hopes will help him run a successful agency for many years to come. This agent is 21 years old.
Not long ago, a person like this would likely be starting a career in a field unrelated to travel. However, nowadays there are many inspiring stories of young people looking to make an impact on the future of our industry. These up-and-coming agents are often full of great ideas and are open to new ways of thinking, but they need guidance, information and the connections to make their dreams a reality.
At TravelAge West, we decided we can — and should — help with this journey, so we’ve launched The Future Leaders in Travel Retreat. This event, which will take place Sept. 4-7 in Aspen, Colo., will bring a small group of qualified advisors between the ages of 22 and 37 together with suppliers for in-depth education, high-level networking and experiential activities. The Retreat will strive to meet Aspen’s core philosophy of uniting mind, body and spirit, and by hosting the event at Aspen Meadows Resort, home of the Aspen Institute, we are looking to tap into the property’s history of intellectual excellence and fostering of fresh ideas.
Some advisors have questioned why we are doing so much for this group of agents. I can only point out that there are many excellent events for successful agents of all experience levels, but there are few to none specifically for advisors in this stage of their careers. Our goal is to help these exceptional agents as they grow to be the next generation of leaders in our industry, and if we’re successful, everyone will benefit.
If you’re an advisor who is interested in attending The Retreat — or if you know an agent who you think would be ideal for it — go to FutureLeadersinTravel.com for more information and to submit an application. We hope to see you in Aspen this fall.
