MIA2YOU / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM
What was the spark that led to the creation of your organization ? Was there a notable event or conversation that made you realize the need for this support in the industry , and that you were the ones to provide that support ?
ADKINS : I worked for Travel Impressions for 12 years and was not seeing a lot of Black agents at events , and then once I switched to the travel agent side , I noticed it even more . I was always only one of four or five Black agents at awards shows , and it was always the same ones and I would wonder , “ How do we get more people who look like me here and not just here at the event , but onstage ?”
HARRISON : Veranda and I met in-person at an awards show and I was invited to the awards show , but just as an attendee . I was not receiving an award . So , she and I had several conversations like , “ How did you win ?” or “ How did you get onstage ?” Even for this particular awards ceremony , I was booking this supplier but I had never had a conversation with my BDM about it . I didn ’ t have any information [ about it ] and Veranda and I had the conversation , she shared the information with me , “ Well this is what you need to do , just make sure you ’ re recording your bookings , make sure you ’ re doing this , make sure you ’ re doing that .” She was very open and honest with me , not withholding information that would make sure I would be recognized for what I was already doing .
The second “ why ” is that I attended a couple FAMs and when I was going about trying to promote the hotels and properties to my clients , I would go into the MediaValet for images for the suppliers and the hotels and there were very little images of and representation of people who look like me . And 95 % of my clientele is people who look like me . To be [ trying ] to market something to someone and not be included in the marketing materials kind of bothered me . So , I reached out to my BDM . He told me there were images , but I couldn ’ t share them publicly . I could only use them for certain things within my organization , and that didn ’ t sit right with me . So that prompted me and Veranda to have that conversation and to have that conversation with Gai .
SPANN : We have similar experiences . I was a BDM for Apple Leisure Group Vacations . Before that , I was a travel agent for about 14 years and just like they ’ re saying , whenever there was an event , I just noticed that there were not a lot of people of color .
I don ’ t think it ’ s a malicious issue . I think people say , “ the reason people get awarded is their numbers because they produce ,” that ’ s not really it . I think it ’ s still a lack of connection and a lack of information transfer .
That ’ s why I came to Veranda and Shawnta and said that we need to create an organization where we can call all of these people to the table and be able to share this relevant information so that we can have more people of color recognized and also make sure that they have their business together [ in terms of ] booking and knew how to book , and knew how to manage their company on the business side as well .
What can industry organizations , host agencies , tour operators , even us here at VAX , do to elevate and support Black travel advisors and Black travelers ?
ADKINS : There are always so many programs for top sellers or people on the rise , but until you get there , you don ’ t get any recognition . And you can ’ t get there until you understand how to get there . It ’ s a Catch-22 . That ’ s one of the great things about ABTP .
S�MMER 2021 / THE COMPASS / 69