TAKING OFF
HARNESSING THE POWER OF LIFELONG LEARNING
As the president of The Travel Institute , Diane Petras has helped thousands of advisors refine and expand their skill set . Here ’ s how .
WORDS / ROSSILYNNE SKENA CULGAN
Linda Ann Luizza
Diane Petras
In the last few years , travel advisors have been forced to navigate uncharted waters . From keeping up with complicated health protocols across hundreds of cities to learning about RV rentals , travel professionals had to figure out how to pivot — and fast .
Suddenly , the job of a travel advisor encompassed the roles of consultant , therapist and risk navigator — and managing those new identities requires continued learning .
That ’ s where Diane Petras and The Travel Institute come in . As a Certified Travel Industry Executive , Petras knows firsthand the importance of keeping knowledge fresh amid an evolving industry .
Over its nearly 60 years in existence , Petras estimates that The Travel Institute has trained more than a million people . She ’ s led the company for the past two decades ,
26 / THE COMPASS / SUMMER 2022 vaxvacationaccess . com / thecompass