The biggest news this week was the planned introduction of 25 percent tariffs on both Canada and Mexico, as well as another 10 percent tariff in China, which President Donald Trump quickly delayed after each country retaliated with tariffs of their own and the stock market temporarily plunged. The latest, however, is that the tariffs are intended to go into effect starting April 2.
A trade war like such will likely have negative impacts on American consumers and could alter their discretionary spending. That said, at Forbes Travel Guide’s Summit last week, we heard from several sources that there is still strong consumer confidence. When diving into that topic, however, Travel Agent learned that consumer confidence is more akin to “A Tale of Two Cities.”
As U.S. Consumer Markets Industry Leader for PwC Ali Furman explained, higher-end consumers will be more resilient and will likely continue spending on travel as they may no longer even see this as discretionary spending but, rather, required spending. Lower-end consumers, on the other hand, will continue to be squeezed and may reach their tolerance for increasing rates.
But travel advisors have survived much worse, including 9/11, the Great Recession and the Covid-19 pandemic. In her most recent column for Luxury Travel Advisor, Ruthanne Terrero, VP, Questex Travel + Meetings Group, said, “We live in turbulent times that could affect the economy and the luxury customer’s penchant for travel, but that’s a challenge you’re well poised to take on. My advice is to step up your game consistently; the number of millionaires and billionaires is increasing steadily year to year, which means more clients for you.”
If you’re looking for ways to step up your game, consider these seven things Helen Papa, owner of TBH Travel, says advisors should be doing to set themselves up for success in 2025. Among her tips are: incorporating new technologies, upselling clients, streamlining your social media, and cutting your problem clients.
Agency, Consortia and Association News
Cruise Planners has unveiled Hotel Sheets, a component within CP Maxx. With this tool, advisors can curate personalized hotel proposals that include property descriptions, star ratings, high-resolution photos and a list of amenities. Hotel Sheets also empowers clients to browse advisor-selected room rates based on their preferred accommodations and book rooms directly through the advisor’s website.
Canadian host agency Trevello is set to make its U.S. debut this April. Most recently, Trevello World Holdings has hired industry veteran Erwing Hernandez as president of lead the expansion. He will spearhead Trevello’s U.S. strategy, driving growth, innovation and new opportunities for travel advisors as the company establishes its presence in the States.
This week, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) announced several key promotions and additions to its leadership team:
- Sarah Little has been promoted to senior vice president of business development
- Michael Schottey has been promoted to vice president of membership, marketing and communications
- Aleksandra Biskoup was named the association’s new vice president of finance
- Rob Fleming has been promoted to senior director of IT program management
In addition, Erika Richter, vice president of communications, has announced her retirement from the association after 10 years.
On the consortia front, Travel Elevates, the foundation arm of the Signature Travel Network, announced its 2025 Global Impact Grants for the year. These grants were selected by Travel Elevates board of directors and were required to meet one of the three funding pillars the grant program is built on: education, technology and business empowerment. The list of grantees this year includes a larger scope of global destinations, such as programs in Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Peru, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.
New Looks for Iconic Brands
In the luxury space, Abercrombie & Kent revealed a complete brand overhaul. Central to the new visual identity is a modernized monogram and the tagline, “Life, Well-Travelled.” A&K also streamlined content from three consumer websites into a single, unified “.com” platform. This website offers travelers easy access to information and inspiration for planning journeys. Better yet: It also offers users the ability to create their own tailor-made journeys and digitally to save to a “book-it” list to discuss with their travel advisor.
ALG Vacations (ALGV) this week also introduced a refreshed brand architecture and visual identity across its portfolio of brands. This strategic evolution strengthens ALGV’s commitment to continued innovation—ensuring travel advisors and their clients can easily identify and connect with the brands that best meet their needs. The newly established brand architecture is intended to reinforce the distinction between ALGV and its individual brands. Tip: Additional updates—including ALGV360° and more details on Blue Sky Tours—will be announced this fall.
Related Stories
Luxury, All-Inclusive Openings Lead Marriott's CALA Growth
Norwegian Cruise Line to Debut Four New Shows in 2025
InsideJapan Tours Encourages Offseason Travel With New Pricing