Come Jan. 1, 2025, Roger Block’s life will look a little different, as he transitions from his current role as president of Travel Leaders Network to a new senior advisor role for the organization. Despite this change, Block emphasizes that he is not “walking away in any shape or form,” and is excited to see many of Travel Leaders’ ongoing projects come to fruition.
Here’s a look at what Block has learned in his 45-year career in retail travel, and where he sees the industry going in the near future.
What does your role as senior advisor look like?
Even though I’m “retiring,” I’m sticking around. I’ll be working on a number of strategic projects. I’ll still be at most of the member functions and involved with industry affairs like the American Society of Travel Advisors. And anything else is possible.
Even though I’m 'retiring,' I’m sticking around.
What are you most looking forward to in Travel Leaders Network’s future?
That we continue to refine what we’re doing and make our programs more effective and easier to use. There’s a long to-do list: it’s technology, it’s marketing, it’s education, it’s recruitment. The question in everything that we do is, “What’s going to have the most impact for the most advisors?”
What kind of advice would you give a new advisor joining the industry today?
I would call host agencies and ask them what kind of programs and education they have, what kind of support they offer, what kind of booking systems they have and what the payment schedule is.
Also, see who you feel comfortable with. We have our own personalities, [and so do] consortia. It’s about who you think is going to help you achieve whatever your goals are.
Do you have any predictions about where the wider travel industry is headed?
I see leisure travel continuing to expand. More and more people can afford it. The price of a beach vacation or a cruise today, relative to salaries, is very attainable. So, people can experience more, and the choice is so much broader. And once most people have traveled, do they ever say, “I’m never traveling again?” No way.
Once most people have traveled, do they ever say, 'I’m never traveling again?' No way.
When I was a kid, getting a new toaster was a major deal. Today, it’s a throwaway. Getting stuff is very easy, so people are looking for more. I am fortunate enough to have been to more than 100 countries, and I’ve seen that travel is so emotionally rewarding. The memories don’t fade.
And the beautiful thing is the range of destinations is expanding — and that’s going to continue. There are some destinations today that in the 1980s weren’t even on the tourism map. So many destinations have determined that tourism adds to the economic well-being of their citizens. And it’s true. It creates jobs — well-paying jobs. It creates knowledge of what the rest of the world is and who people are.
After 45 years in the industry, do you have any pearls of wisdom to share?
If you’re going to get into the travel business, determine what your role is going to be. Are you just going to be an advisor? Do you want other people to work for you? Are you building a true business?
If so, your job is to build a business infrastructure. It’s not to be the travel agent — that’s a trap a lot of people fall into. Your first job is to focus on how you acquire more and more customers. The second is to retain them. Everybody focuses on the first part, but most people don’t do a very good job of retention. They don’t reach out to their good customers. Most of them do not have good analytics on who their best customers are. What are you doing to thank these people? What are you doing to show that you care?
Third is focusing on how to maximize the sale. And I’m not talking the commission; I’m talking dollars. Fourth is how do you [provide] the customer more and more services. If you do those four things, along with controlling costs, you can only succeed.
