If you read the most current travel industry news, you wouldn’t realize there had ever been a pandemic. United Airlines announced its greatest transatlantic expansion in history, new cruise lines, such as Explora, Atlas and Virgin Voyages have not only set cruising dates, they’re announcing even more new ships. The big hotel companies, such as Hyatt, Wyndham, Marriott and Hilton have their visions set keenly on the all-inclusive market and are affiliating at a rapid pace with resorts throughout Mexico and the Caribbean. That’s a dog fight that’s been predicted for years from this desk, and I’m anxious to see how it all shakes out and what it will mean for travel advisors and their clients. Will new commission tiers be created? Will advisors have the chance to vie for senior status as they book more properties within each brand universe? And will commissions be paid on a more timely, efficient basis? Which all-inclusive hotel companies will remain independent and how will they fare?
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As this new dynamic in the industry takes hold, may I ask all of these corporations to keep the travel advisor in mind as they develop their marketing plans. CFOs at these firms know that leisure travel has helped keep their P&L statements afloat throughout COVID and it’s the travel advisor distribution channel that has kept business flowing in and profits growing. It’s no secret travel advisors “sell up.” They book premium accommodations for clients and recommend all the ancillary add-ons at a resort that will make a simple vacation an extraordinary experience. To keep profits moving in the right direction, it would behoove all of the companies above to develop and maintain robust travel advisor programs that keep these professionals educated on their products and paid at a rate that is on par with the stellar services they are delivering.
What else have travel advisors done for hotel companies during the pandemic? They’ve answered the myriad of questions any client in their right mind would be asking right now about COVID restrictions. Advisors have taken on this task themselves and been champion intermediaries, doing all they could to get their customers back on the road in a safe, and well-informed manner. And they’ll do that in the next crisis, and the next.
I’m excited about all the travel news lately that shows the travel industry cannot be kept down—that, like the universe, it’s always expanding. The visionaries in our industry are always striving to create new brands and new products, and the travel advisors in turn are always here to support these new entities and introduce them to their clients. It’s a beautiful thing.
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