A decade of difference
Travel advisors weigh in with their thoughts on how the industry has changed
“It’s more exciting and more challenging — to be excellent requires more time and commitment to education; but the tools are available to continue to grow and develop. As with life, the desire to be excellent, and to do that which is required, has to be there. Coasting is not an option!”
Leslie Bulluck
Direct Travel, Glencoe, ON
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“Service is expected at a very high level and it must be given at that level to differentiate yourself from other agents but as well from online agencies. As we are competing against the internet and live in an instant gratification time. I find that customers expect you to be available 24/7 and want immediate responses. This is very demanding on what used to be a 9-5 job. I love it and use it to really show my service level but expectations need to be set.”
Sandra Sundborg
Expedia Cruise Ship Centers, Vaudreuil, QC
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“I’ve only been an agent for 2.5 years but I imagine it has been harder in recent years with the ease of clients being able to book online and have deals thrown in their faces around every corner! Clients wanting you to match impossible online pricing regardless of the quality of the trip, etc.”
Megan Duncan
Travel Gurus, Edmonton, AB
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“People are coming back to travel agents in the last decade. More for complicated itineraries but at least now travellers understand the importance of a travel agent.”
Theresa Harder
CWT Vacations, Saskatoon, SK
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“Clients are more demanding on our time — they can reach you in multiple ways via technology to try to reach you. Years ago they emailed once or called and left a voice mail message. Now I have clients calling every number they have for me, office line, cell, text, messenger through Facebook, private message through my Facebook business page. I have to constantly be aware to check all of these channels and it is easy to miss requests. We live in a world now where people want you to respond instantly or they will move on.”
Shelly Monroe
Sweet Escapes Travel- Travel Professionals International, Kentville, NS
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“It’s more important than ever to have a real relationship with your clients. What we’re selling is NOT travel, it’s our time and our expertise!”
Diane Dafoe
Dafoe Travel Group Inc, Dartmouth, NS
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“Clients are more knowledgeable, which makes the job easier, but playing devil’s advocate sometimes they want to do too much in too little time and it’s difficult to explain they can’t see all of Europe in two weeks.”
Ned Ambrus
The Travel Desk, Spruce Grove, AB
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“Communication with clients on social media and text more than through phone calls. The travel advisor has to continually adapt to new technologies and in ways to provide more value to the client; as there is competition in some cases with OTA’s. The margins have decreased, especially with airlines.”
