Help Wanted! The Travel Industry Seeks Qualified Talent

There is a need for strong talent in the travel industry with agency owners growing more concerned about where and how to source the next generation of agents.

According to the 2017 Pulse of the Industry Survey, which was compiled by global marketing firm Strategic Vision, it’s the high-end agencies that are having the most difficult time with staffing. Business is up in the industry and with that, there is an increased need for qualified travel advisors.

“It is going to be a good year for agents, if they can find the staff to handle it,” Strategic Vision President & Founder Peter Bates said. “If yellow means agents are cautious about finding enough agents, and red means there is danger they won’t be able to meet their bookings demand, I would call the warning color amber.”

Explore 3 Opportunities for Today’s Traditional Travel Agency and What Will Drive Consumers to Traditional Travel Agents in 2017?

Business Drives Demand
Of the firms surveyed, almost three in five (58%) stated their clients are optimistic about domestic travel, while 44% reported that booking habits haven’t changed. A mere 2% stated they had “cautious” feelings about the travel forecast for the year ahead. Internationally, however, agencies are feeling less optimistic. Nearly half of all firms are “cautious” with the other half reporting that they are “optimistic” and booking has not changed – each at 31%.

The survey itself didn’t directly address staffing; however, Bates said that the number of anecdotal respondents was “alarming.” Regardless of locale, the message was the same–agencies cannot find an adequate pool of qualified travel counselors or agents. A small agency in the Northeast stated that they are at a loss regarding “finding new talent” and “attracting young people to the industry.”

“The high end of the industry is feeling very upbeat about travel in 2017,” Bates said. “They foresee higher revenue and, in a sign of confidence, plan to hire more advisors.”

Those looking for fresh talent are casting a wider net and looking to other industries, particularly real estate and service industries.

Discover Current Insights into Today’s Affluent Travelers.

Tech-Forward Recruiting
It takes keen insight to recruit young, promising talent–as well as some solid recruiting skills. Knowing how to utilize social media is a key factor in sourcing tech-savvy professionals. Cast your vision–there are superstars waiting to be discovered.

Agencies should think long and hard about the candidate they feel is most ideal and create a profile they can leverage in their network. Industry sales representatives, friends and travel organizations, as well as industry events where it is appropriate to promote your company or agency are a great start. But let’s not stop there.

Social media has dominated the business networking and recruiting space. For a good reason, too – with social media, you can directly reach your desired audience, engage in collaborative dialog, and often reap almost immediate results.

Here are some tips to consider for recruiting millennial talent:

• Use social media to present your company culture in a favorable light
• Actively use social media platforms that are popular with millennials
• Don’t put on a persona that isn’t representative of your company
• Don’t wait until people start job hunting
• Get current employees to help in the recruiting efforts
• Be aware of what millennials think of you
• Use targeted Facebook ads to reach millennials
• Be clear when creating job listings
• Use visuals to make recruiting efforts more engaging
• Be authentic; be human

Training and Retaining New Recruits
While technology is certainly at the core of the travel business, it’s important to not overlook other functions that are key to successful business such as building supplier relationships – including connections with hotel general managers and local venues.

“Technology is allowing owners to let new agents transact while they’re on the move—and the best agents are on the move all the time, visiting destinations and getting to know the product,” Bates said. “How else can you understand which product fits which client?”

Agency owners should look for rising stars within their organizations, finding further training opportunities for them to hone their skill and offering promotions for advancement.

Up-and-comers who are ready to take advantage of the industry’s talent gaps could find opportunity in the tourism industry. And those who make critical industry connections and are capable with technology are poised for both a challenging and fulfilling career.

For more on Millennials, read Do Millennials Make The Most Attractive Customers For Travel Companies?