The Future of Travel Agents

[Nicholas Kontis]

 

I said it before, this is a two subject question. On one hand, travel agents, home based travel agents, travel agency owners are probably at least 70% over the age of 40. That means, we have been around the block. In 2001 , I had a company called Ticket Planet, that was to go public, and would have been a mini Expedia. Well, my Wall Street backers bought the company and luckily ,but barely, I came out ok. I evolved from going to an office in downtown San Francisco, with 50 people, to working from home and remotely as a one man show. I still can't decide which way was better for me. Now I sell specialty airfare, primarily business class, first class, corporate , last minute , around the worlds, and mostly to other agents. The point is I had a great last ten years. If you are in this discussion , you also survived through , internet changes, 9/11, airlines cutting commissions, the great recession. Automation has been a blessing and a curse for most agents. Yes, we are survivors, and we know how to swim in shark infested waters.

 

Now , as for the future of the profession called a 'travel agent' in terms of finding new life, new blood, young people to take the torch. At one time I would actually take people who purchased an around the world year long trip and convert them into travel agents upon there return. I would also take the best agents from other agencies by offering them better incentives.

I tried to hire at least one person of any ethnic background that I could find. I would find the one brightest student from a travel agent school and hire them. I had travel agents who knew how to sell travel. At one point at Ticket Planet, I had maybe 20 different languages spoken in the office. I let my agents travel and they took advantage of the perks that the industry had to offer, and were better consultants because they traveled to world.

 

So, now there are no sales reps bringing gifts and giving free or reduced airfares. The hours are usually quite long. A travel agent works much harder than a bank teller, but probably makes the same amount of money and is revered in the same light. Maybe in nations where travel relies heavily on travel & tourism., places such as Kenya, Guatemala,The Maldives, or an island such Bali, perhaps young people still are going to enter our industry. But, in the United States , and I really hate to say it, I do not see a bright future after, we, the 40 plus 50 plus , 60 plus people retire.

Who will take over. Tell me, do your children want to join the travel business as you, mom and dad did?

 

 

 

[Cathy Hohmeyer]

I am in the innkeeping / restaurant business.  We have a unique place with a unique story and I have wondered if I should be contacting travel agents these days to try to link our place with interested people (nature, history, healthy whole foods)  Even the restaurant business is not "as usual"

[Forrest Walker]

Future? You mean travel agents still exist?