What really happened between the first of the year until now? One day I was happily attending a Hawaii Tourism Board event in Scottsdale and today cruise lines were told to pause sailings until late September. What happened? When 2020 began, my business was on track to bypass 2019 by tons! I was so excited to see how far I could go this year! Somewhere in the middle of everything the world came to a crashing halt. The Travel Industry burned to the ground. All of the commissions I had worked so hard for gone….kaput!
From the beginning, Cruise Lines were amazing! Giving everyone Future Cruise Credits or offering refunds. I spent countless hours on the phone working for my clients to ensure they were getting what the cruise lines had promised. Maybe things did not happen as quickly or smoothly as the Cruise Lines had planned, but in the end, the FCC’s were received along with the refunds. Many times after being on ‘eternal hold’ I would finally get an agent on the phone that could only give me the same answer as I had gotten so many times before. “We are working in the order of the cruise dates and as quickly as possible. Please be patient.” And I got it. They were dealing with short staff just like many other business around the world were. At least those that did not close due to the pandemic.
We live in uncertain times. I can’t even count anymore the emails I received from suppliers pushing back their opening or resuming date of business. It is summer, a time of family vacations! People want to travel. Experience the world. Get out of the house! But, we are told we cannot. It is disheartening. What can I do if I can’t sell travel right now? I can prepare for the future. And I have! I have completed two certification projects I had started last fall. I am now a Certified Travel Advisor – CTA and a Master Cruise Counselor – MCC. I have spent hours on Zoom meetings learning about what’s new in certain destinations or with certain suppliers. I have revamped my website – take a peek around HERE. I am doing as much as I can to prepare for our re-emergence. Our Industry we come back, of this I am certain.
Many travel agencies won’t make it back, sadly. But I am confident I will. If 9/11 didn’t kill the Travel Industry, neither will COVID19. Thankfully, I am blessed to be a Pollyanna kind of girl. Think positive. Move forward. Pull up my big girl panties and carry on! I prefer to make lemonade from life’s lemons. I am grateful for those that still want to travel, but opted for next year. YAY! New bookings for 2021 and 2022! THANK YOU!! I truly appreciate each and every one of you! MORE than you know! It has always truly been my pleasure to help you make amazing memories. I work hard so all you have to do is pack and go have fun. I do it all for you! My clients, my friends. I have learned a lot in that past few months. Mostly I have learned what has to happen in order to survive. And Infinity Travelaz will!
It is time to kick it up a notch or two. Take it to the next level! When I and many other Travel Advisors lost our commission earnings – how we get paid from our suppliers – we all started to panic. Who wouldn’t – no income! How can any business survive with no income? The truth is they won’t. They can’t. I am not ready to ‘shut my doors’. I love what I do! I love helping my clients take amazing vacations and making life long memories. This whole pandemic mess has taught me in order to survive, I must change my business model. I must take the commission world and combine it with the complete service it takes to put the whole vacation together while providing an even higher level of quality and customer service. I must reinvent my wheel.
Travel Agents began selling travel in the late 1800s. Back then there was no such thing as commissions. The Travel Agents charged service fees for what they sold. Things started to change in the 1930’s as tour companies started realizing the value of Travel Agents to their business. They started paying commission. And that blossomed and grew until sometime in the late 1990’s. Airlines stopped paying commission and ticketing fees were introduced. Travel consortiums were born, a way for Travel Advisors and Preferred Suppliers to join together for the benefit of both. Cruise lines and tour operators would pay more commission and lasting relationships were formed. But, in reality, Travel Advisors do so much more than just sell the cruise or tour. Far more.
The history of one vacation is this. Together you and I have a conversation, or 2, about where you want to go, how you want to travel and who will be traveling with you. I then begin researching the destinations, my suppliers, how best to tie in the little pieces, and then present it to you for approval in one complete and tidy package. We may have a few more discussions and a few tweaks might be made before you are 100% satisfied with the overall package. Then I contact each supplier to book all the pieces of your puzzle. Flights, transfers, hotels/resorts, cruise line, shore excursion/tours, dining reservations and of course adding in every extra benefit, upgrade or something special I have access to with Virtuoso or my Host Agency. Invoices are reviewed, deposits are paid, Travel Insurance is added, payment options are discussed. It is now my responsibility to manage everything to ensure it all goes smoothly. If I find anything interesting about your vacation, I send it to you. I want you to stay excited and engaged! Something to look forward to and a diversion from the daily grind. I prepare a fully digital and printed out detailed itinerary that covers every step of your vacation. When the time comes, we schedule a meeting to go over your document package and double check you have everything you need to have a fantastic vacation. Many of you send me photos while you are traveling so I can share in your excitement – please never stop doing that! I love it! If you have any issues during your trip, I am there to take care of them, so you can continue to have fun. And when you return home, I can’t wait to hear all about it.
There is unmistakable value in hiring a Travel Advisor. The service you receive, the quality of the vacation you take and the support you get is worth the price you pay. Our fees are for our Professional Service. My committment to you has and always will be to provide you with exemplary customer service. I want you all to feel like VIPs. I think I do a pretty good job of that. And I promise to work even harder to ensure your experience is second to none. I hope and pray you will continue to hire me as your Travel Advisor. Thank you from the bottom of my heart – it means the world to me!
