Every once in a while , a new wave comes along that revolutionizes the travel industry .
PRESIDENT ’ S NOTE
Every once in a while , a new wave comes along that revolutionizes the travel industry .
The last innovation was the iPhone in 2007 . Who would have thought 16 years ago that so much of a traveler ’ s experience would be accomplished through a smartphone ? Today , most people can barely remember the days without it .
The same thing happened with social media . While it might not have been used as a resource 15 years ago , the majority of travel advisors now use social media , including Facebook , Instagram and TikTok . Travel advisors are masters of social media , and I would guess quite a bit of business comes from using these channels .
The latest wave of innovation that will impact the travel business is ChatGPT . This generative artificial intelligence engine gathers information from around the internet to provide recommendations and insight on various topics , including travel . The first murmurs about ChatGPT might have been brushed off , but we ’ re realizing that it is only becoming more sophisticated , and it ’ s most likely here to stay . So get ready , because it ’ s time to adapt to new technology once again .
I encourage advisors to start to experiment and fully embrace this new technology , as it has a lot of potential . Preparing for it now and understanding what it ’ s capable of will allow advisors to use it to their advantage . Using ChatGPT can open the door to a whole new form of trip planning advisors weren ’ t previously able to offer .
No matter how advanced , one thing a technology tool will never have is the capability to build a relationship with a customer — and solid relationships are key to business growth . Years of experience working with clients and an extensive knowledge of travel are things that will always set travel advisors apart .
Travel experiences are defined differently among
John Ische PRESIDENT , TRISEPT SOLUTIONS John ’ s industry tenure spans more than three decades .
clients . For example , if someone says they want a water-focused experience on their vacation , this could mean several different things . Do they want to be in the ocean ? Are they pool people ? Would swimming in a cenote interest them ? Travel advisors know their clients , and from experience , they know just what their client is looking for — or they know the right questions to ask to figure it out .
It might seem threatening , but I encourage you to embrace ChatGPT and figure out ways to utilize this technology in your business . VAX will be here to support you in this new world as well . With each new wave of innovation , we plan to continue helping enable advisors to succeed . We ’ re excited to go on yet another new adventure together , just as we have throughout the years .
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