For many, a career in the travel industry represents a dream come true. The allure of exploring exotic destinations, creating unforgettable experiences for others, and the daily thrill of new challenges make for an enticing and glamorous career image. You probably have friends that are jealous that you are part of this world. However, beneath the sun-kissed beaches and cobblestone streets of postcard-perfect locales lies the reality that building a successful career in travel is, unequivocally, a lot of hard work.
Understanding the Dream
What attracts individuals to the travel industry is often a passion for travel itself—a love of discovery, an enthusiasm for cultural exchange, and the joy of curating remarkable journeys. For all of us, the dream is fundamentally the same: to make a living doing what you love and sharing that love with others.
Confronting the Reality
The fulfillment of the dream, however, doesn't come without dedication, resilience, and determination. The path is riddled with long hours, complex problem-solving, relentless competition, and the necessity of constant learning. It's a profession where success is directly proportional to the effort invested in building and nurturing client relationships, staying ahead of industry trends, and managing the myriad of operational tasks that come with running a business.
How Do We Bridge The Gap Between Dream and Reality?
Here’s the basic playbook. There are variations, of course, but these rules will serve you well.
1. Set Realistic Expectations: Understand that success won't come overnight. Building a client book takes time, patience, and persistent effort.
2. Pick a Primary Product Pathway: There are a handful of product pathways to choose from. Broader than a niche, centering around a product pathway allows you to develop expertise, but maintain flexibility. Example product pathways include Cruising, Sun + Fun (think resorts, be it beach, skiing, wellness, and more), Tour + FIT (foreign/flexible independent travel), and Theme Park + Domestic.
3. Establish Your Presence: Website, social posts, Advisor Showcase + Agent Profiler, and Email marketing. These are the building blocks to establishing your presence. Use our tools are adopt your own. Whatever you want to use, just do it, and don't let perfection get in the way of progress.
4. Travel: Travel, travel, travel, and travel some more. Once your presence is established, the single best thing you can do to build success in this industry is to travel and share your stories.
5. Create a Sales Plan: Know your targets. Establish micro-improvement goals. Measure your continual progress. Keep going, you'll get there!
6. Develop a Niche: As you build knowledge and experience in a product pathway, stand out by becoming an expert in a specific niche (type of travel, destination, and/or client interest). Mastering the small details can dramatically improve your ability to attract and retain clients and achieve peak efficiency.
7. Prioritize Relationships: Cultivate personal connections with your clients and supplier reps. Go beyond transactions to truly understand client preferences, needs, and dreams. Build relationships with supplier reps. Ask them for insights to help you succeed. Don’t wait until you have a problem to establish contact.
8. Continual Learning: Engage in professional development to enhance your expertise. Knowledge is the currency in the travel industry that will set you apart.
9. Embrace Technology: Utilize tools that streamline booking processes, client communication, and marketing efforts to maximize efficiency.
10. Master Your Sales Process: Yes, you are indeed a sales professional, and refining your sales process to continually increase your close rate is key to achieving your dream outcomes.
The work that goes into building a career and business in travel is intense and often goes unseen by those dreaming of a life in travel. Nevertheless, the blend of hard work and passion is the secret to sustaining a dream career in this dynamic industry. It's about crafting incredible experiences for clients while creating a rewarding and profitable enterprise for yourself.
In the travel industry, passion is your fuel, and hard work is the vehicle that drives you towards the dream. The drive will be demanding, the hours long, but the destinations—both literal and metaphorical—are incomparably rewarding. Here's to the journey of turning your passion into a lifelong profession.