In case you missed it, we recently published the latest Need to Know research, which focused on the growth of the travel advisor profession. One of the more startling results is that 43% of respondents say that they personally know someone who has joined the industry for the first time, which is more than double the number (21%) recorded in a similar survey a year ago. These new-to-the-profession recruits are helping to make up for those who have left the industry — 58% of respondents say they know a travel advisor who has recently quit.
I saw this firsthand at two recent events produced by Northstar Travel Group, our parent company. In August, TravelAge West held the Future Leaders in Travel Retreat, which is designed for advisors who are relatively early in their careers. Then, this month, CruiseWorld 2022 brought together more than 1,000 attendees for education, networking and more. While the two industry events were different in many ways, there were several striking similarities.
Both groups of attendees were hungry for professional development, product education and destination updates. Also, agents at these events approach the industry with a fresh mindset. Rather than going along with the status quo, these advisors — many of whom are coming to the profession as a second career — want a new way to do business.
All of this suggests the industry is in for exciting times ahead. However, we still have plenty of challenges. The same Need to Know survey shows that 68% of advisors feel the industry has not done a good job attracting the next generation of agents, even though 73% say it is important to bring in new talent. It’s up to all of us to put a spotlight on the profession, and let the world know that travel advisors are not merely surviving, they are thriving.
