A new survey from American Marketing Group (AMG) reveals a hurdle currently faced by its member agencies: Despite today’s high demand for travel advisor services and no shortage of open positions, members of AMG’s Travelsavers and Nest networks are having trouble finding qualified candidates well-equipped to do a travel advisor’s job.
And, alarmingly, 19% of travel advisor respondents say consumers don’t know the profession still exists.
Our Analysis: A Robust Recruitment Strategy is Needed
The problem has been exacerbated by two factors, the report shows. Although the travel advisor market is expected to grow 11% over the next 10 years, many advisors are leaving the business (or struggling to replace employees lost during the pandemic).
What’s more, misconceptions about the profession are drawing in unqualified candidates. More public education on the career choice and an industry-led recruitment effort — featuring education, events, public awareness campaigns and more — are needed. Travel advisors need to also be their own best advocates and work to educate their own networks about the realities of the career.
Fast Facts: More Details Revealed About the Travel Advisor Profession, According to AMG’s Report
– Sixty-nine precent of agencies plan to or may hire advisors in the coming year, but only 7% say it’s easy to find qualified applicants.
– Of the agencies hoping to hire, two-thirds are looking to fill more than one position, and about one-third is aiming to bring on as many good candidates as they can find.
– The market for travel agency services is expected to grow by 11% over the next decade (to $1.3 trillion).
– The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that travel advisor positions will rise by 3% annually until 2032 (with about 8,600 openings per year).
– Simultaneously, The Travel Institute reports that 36% of agencies lost staff during the pandemic, and 56% of those haven’t replaced them.
– Two-thirds of advisors today are over 50 years old, with retirement nearing, and only 6% of advisors are under 35.
– Nearly half of advisors say applicants don’t have the right combination of skills and abilities, 44% report that applicants only want to travel for free, and 41% state that pay isn’t high enough.
– Recruitment strategies used by AMG’s agencies include referrals (64%), networking (35%), job listings (28%) and social media posts (24%).
What They Are Saying: The Travel Industry Needs to Attract New Talent
“The travel industry is facing a perfect storm,” said Kathryn Mazza-Burney, chief sales officer for AMG. “Veteran advisors are leaving the field at the same time that travelers are eager to partner with them. As an industry, we have an obligation to attract new talent to get ahead of the huge demand our agencies are facing.”
“We need to shout from the rooftops that travel advisors are thriving,” she added. “We also need to educate prospects about the realities of the career. Yes, they need the right skills and training. Yes, they will work hard to establish themselves. But those who are a fit will enter a wonderful community of talented people in an industry with unlimited potential.”
