The fundamental truth is that the world has changed and the travel industry has changed.

This is not new news.

The industry was changing before the pandemic, and the internet had a lot to answer for. But since 2020 everything has been flipped on its head and it’s all about how the travel customer now behaves when they buy.

With the rise of online travel booking platforms like TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Expedia and Wotif to name just a few, plus the massive phenomenon of the Influencer and their YouTube videos, Instagram #reels and TikToks, what hope does a traditional travel agency have?  Well, I’m here to tell you there is huge hope. But it’s fair to say that hope won’t win sales, rather an understanding of customer buying behaviours and how to react to them, will.

The Travel Trainer delivers training to travel agencies and travel wholesalers who are keen to push past their fear of unpredictable sales and into a realm of greater certainty and predictable sales success. Knowledge is empowerment.  

Okay, so who is our training for and not for?

Well, we generally come across two types of people in the travel industry. People that love training and others that don’t. And that’s okay. We get it, training equals change and that can feel uncomfortable.

Our training is not for travel businesses that feel that their existing sales and marketing systems are working well enough for their business model and maybe they don’t feel the need to measure ‘quote to booking conversions’ or streamline their sales system and processes.

“It doesn’t apply to us, we’re different, that’s not how our customers think or buy from us, the sales templates won’t work and our staff don’t like change”

Our training is for travel businesses that are curious to grow and improve. They respond to uncertainty with a growth mindset to take back control.  These travel professionals know that with challenge comes change and with struggles we all get stronger.

“Sure, I can see how that’s possible, we could learn something new and might be able to apply that to our business, let’s find out what this is all about and if it unifies the team, then that is a big win in itself.”

Giving back to the industry that has provided so many amazing experiences, opportunities and friendships is why The Travel Trainer loves doing what they do! Delivering enormous value well beyond the cost of the training programs.

Now is not a good time to sit back and hope, while business is bouncing back strongly, it’s the perfect time to ‘grab the bull by the horns’ and question the effectiveness of your sales and marketing process. And no, we’re not talking about travelling to Pamplona to Run with the Bulls, we’re talking about doing what matters most, that is, taking your travel business to the next level.

And if you haven’t yet joined us inside the Specialist Travel Training Directory, head to the home page and click on the ‘Request Industry Access’ button. It’s FREE and offers industry training programs, webinars, memberships, discounts, and more. Open only to travel and tourism students and professionals.

For more information.

Author: Sonja Leicester, Founder and Trainer, Workshop Facilitator, Coach and Australian Professional Speaker, The Travel Trainer. May 2023