Professional development & your travel agent

Professional development and continuing education are important aspects in many career fields including the travel agency business. My students will be some of the first ones to state that I stress this in class.

Actually in the agency business it is crucial for the successful sales person to really know the products that they are selling and to be able to relate this knowledge to their travelers. The job of the travel agent is to recommend the perfect vacation getaway for you their customer.

So the upgrading of individual product knowledge is vital and also one of the perks of being a travel agent. I call this a chance to travel and learn to earn.

There are a multitude of study options today. You read brochures, watch videos tapes and DVDs, attend seminars and complete on-line lessons. Past travelers and other agents are queried for their feedback on products and destinations and all of this data is compiled in the agent’s databank.

However in my opinion the most meaningful educational opportunity is the learning that is conducted on location. The industry refers to these journeys as “fam” or familiarization trips. They pull together all of your other studies methods and let you experience the product “live” and in the field as your traveler would. This allows you to tell your customer that I’ve been there, done that or I’ve flown that carrier or cruised with this specific cruise line.

I am off on one of research trips. As a graduate of The College of Disney Knowledge and the Universal Studios-Orlando Specialist programs I am required, yes required, to visit Disneyland, Disneyworld and Universal periodically to upgrade my personal knowledge. Grudgingly my bags are packed and I am off to hot and humid central Florida. My schedule is packed with hotel room inspections, coaster rides and Disney character breakfasts. Time is also allotted for some shopping and dining and if I’m lucky a round of golf. All of this work just to keep my professional credentials current. In addition to Disney I’ll have the chance to visit Universal Studios and inspect other area attractions, all in the interest of keeping knowledge and certifications up to date. Tough job but then someone has to do it.

A visit to Disney’s Wide World of Sports and the opportunity to catch the Cleveland Indians Gulf Coast Rookie League team play the Kissimmee Braves along with a Tampa Bay Buccaneers football practice is also jammed into an afternoon and evening.

I’ll slather on SPF 100 sun block as we spend the morning at Wet & Wild, a spectacular water park located on the International Drive strip. No rest in the afternoon as my schedule is filled with visits to the Disney water parks.

All work but a lot of play too! But that’s what a vacation travel agent has to do to be able to tell you, their travelers, what to see and do at a specific locale.

My Florida trips ends with a farewell dinner and I am sent north armed with tons of brochures and plenty of first hand experiences. These will be shared with travel students and customers alike. I will also share my knowledge with other travel agents in the office and community.

Most of the destination and product specialty programs have these field based research components. How can you talk about Scotland if you’ve never seen the lowlands or highlands? How can you tell a prospect about the differences between Carnival and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines if you haven’t sailed aboard them?

This personal testimonial the agent gives reassures the traveler when they are considering vacation options. I also believe that this is one of the major reasons that a knowledgeable travel agent adds more value to your trip than the one dimensional web site offers. The good agents should know what your travel motivations, needs and expectations are then recommend the appropriate cruise line, air carrier, resort destination or so forth.

Sound like an interesting career? We have the career training classes at Ohio University Ironton. Contact me at 740.533.4559, 800.636.0513 or call@ohio.edu and we’ll discuss how we can get your travel career off the ground.

Now where in the world is my next research trip going to? Vegas? Europe or a vacation at sea, who knows but my passport has been renewed and in the interest of education I’m ready to go.