FIZKES / SHUTTERSTOCK . COM rentals and RV parks popped up seemingly overnight . For some advisors , these were completely new offerings . But The Travel Institute was ready , after quickly producing webinars to respond to the immediate needs of their students .
The luxury course helps advisors identify current trends in the luxury travel marketplace , define the scope of the market , determine strategies to find luxury consumers and craft meaningful sales messaging .
It ’ s critical to define what luxury means to your clients , especially in an ever-changing marketplace . To one person , luxury might mean being spoiled with the best , most exclusive amenities in a country club atmosphere . To another , it could equate to an adventure full of authentic experiences , eschewing glitz and glamour . joining as president after her own experience as an independent travel advisor . She credits her mentors for helping her understand the industry , the distribution chain , the role of the frontline advisor and the efficiency of travel software . Eventually , she parlayed that expertise into education . Even for longtime travel professionals , she said , there ’ s always something new to learn .
KNOWING HOW TO PIVOT TO CREATE OPPORTUNITY “ Trip planning has become extremely complex ,” says Petras . “ The industry changes so dramatically that your skills can ’ t stagnate . You need to keep up on what is happening as it ’ s happening .”
For example , amid the pandemic , some agencies partnered with local concierge health facilities to secure COVID-19 testing before travel , Petras said . Others shifted from booking airline tickets to securing Vrbo accommodations . “ Keeping up with change ,” she adds , “ means knowing how to pivot to create opportunity .”
The Travel Institute makes it easy to do that with flexible courses for every level of professional . The library of courses includes introductory training , certification , webinars , white papers and micro-learning pieces . The flexibility of the programming allows learners to fit the courses into their lives among other responsibilities . The Certified Travel Associate certification ( the Institute ’ s most popular certification ) also offers access to a private Facebook group with 1,500 members who provide peer-to-peer support , along with formal coaching .
The learning opportunities encompass a wide swath of topics . Weekly webinars cover everything from sales skills to social media tips . Lifestyle courses concentrate on specific destinations , as well as niche topics such as wellness tourism , destination weddings and luxury travel .
SELLING LUXURY The luxury travel market , in particular , is noteworthy because it never stopped amid the pandemic , says Petras . Luxury RV
DOUBLING BOOKINGS AND BUILDING CONFIDENCE While many travel professionals were drawn to the industry by their love of travel , Petras says , they continue to succeed due to their love of learning .
Amid the pandemic , Linda Ann Luizza devoted time to her studies . She became a certified travel associate through The Travel Institute ’ s certification course . “ I wish I would have taken the class when I first started ,” she admits . “ This course has helped increase my awareness in all areas of the travel industry and has given me so much confidence when selling that I doubled my bookings .”
For Petras , success stories like this fuel her work . Mentorship helped her as an independent travel advisor , and now she gives back through The Travel Institute ’ s vast programming .
“ My years in this industry have shown me that quality training is necessary to achieve and maintain success because so many advisors are on their own , working from home and without someone immediately available to help them find the resources they need to thrive in today ’ s highly competitive and complex environment . Thankfully , our work has helped change that .”
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