How Travel Agents Can Avoid Fraudulent Bookings
One of the largest—and most complex—segments of travel planning is air transportation. As a travel advisor who must provide accurate and timely information to clients, it is very important to understand all facets of air. When arranging air travel for your clients, you likely are using either a global distribution system (GDS), directly with the […]
The Alphabet Soup of Accreditation
The Travel Institute team is often asked about requirements for success in the travel business. One of the first things someone new to the travel industry encounters is the overwhelming number of acronyms and accreditations available. To be successful, it’s important to ramp up and learn these acronyms and accreditations—and much more—very quickly. In our […]
How Does YOUR Sales Cycle Flow?
Whether you are a new travel agent or an experienced travel advisor, the one skill that is critical to your success is sales. There is much that goes into selling, communications, understanding needs and, very importantly, understanding the sales cycle. If you are new to the travel industry and want to strengthen your business in […]
How Important Is Your Vocabulary?
Like highways to truckers or stocks to Wall Street, communication is key to the travel industry. Travelers’ dreams and requirements; the details of schedules, itineraries, restrictions, and rates; the characteristics and attractions of destinations—all these and other ideas must be passed among many people in our industry. Your success depends on effective communication. The art […]
60 Years of Providing Educational Excellence
The Travel Institute and its Board of Directors express deep gratitude to all who’ve volunteered, led and supported our mission to enhance industry professionalism through education.
Introductory Travel Agent Training Scholarships
As we celebrate our 60th anniversary as the only non-profit organization solely focused on education for our industry, of course, we see this as a challenge we want to take on.
Fun in the South Florida Sun
Anyone who ever took a geography course will remember the classic example of the word peninsula: land bordered by water on three sides but connected to the mainland. Then the teacher would always point to Florida.
The Power of Branding
As you start planning for 2024, the question to ask yourself is: How will you create brand awareness for yourself as a travel agent and your agency? Specializing in a niche or destination can be rewarding and profitable, as long as you maintain your focus on your unique value proposition (UVP) that enhances your marketability. […]
Wrapping Up 2023: Inspired to Keep Inspiring
A Message from Diane Petras, CTIE, President, The Travel Institute Often inspired by our industry’s resilience, this year I am especially so. Collectively, we’ve pushed past where we were three short years ago and through additional challenges since. Today, consumers are again traveling and prioritizing safety and peace of mind over simple savings,1 with 50% […]
Nothing Happens If the Client Doesn’t Trust You
Developing strong relationships with your clients is important for all travel professionals, but particularly for agents who are just starting out. Your relationship with your client is everything. And there can be no relationship unless you have a strong reputation for being worthy of your client’s trust. Remember that an educated travel professional saves travelers […]