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Travel Vision 2020: The Future of Travel Agents

"Our aim is to provoke, to stimulate discussion …. exactly what travel agents need to hear about their future." - Mark Luckey

“Our aim is to provoke, to stimulate discussion …. exactly what travel agents need to hear about their future.” – Mark Luckey

 

Change in the travel industry is forever accelerating; the experience from yesteryear may not be what takes a business forward. As a technology lover, roomsXML’s Mark Luckey is keenly aware of the challenges and opportunities that change brings.

“A travel agent had been in contact with his head office about their vision was for the future of travel agents in Australia. The response left him feeling deflated.

“He articulated he wanted to speak to like-minded individuals, to be challenged, to workshop ideas and to understand the sorts of tools, skills and technology required to grow his business beyond 2020.

“roomsXML supports travel agents and we wanted to put together this workshop to drive and develop travel agents.”

roomsxml

A chance meeting with Benjamin Weinmann, Hotel Distribution Manager at Amadeus, started to shape the topics and approach. A key driver was to bring together speakers who had industry experience and. could provide their insights and knowledge to the travel industry.

“The travel industry needs to better understand, prepare for, and cater to, emerging traveller segments to ensure their future success.”

Benjamin Weinmann

Benjamin says  Travellers are savvier and better informed than ever before. The travel industry needs to better understand, prepare for, and cater to, emerging traveller segments to ensure their future success. Personalsisation is a key driver but what other trends should we all prepare for to meet the demands of the traveller? I look forward to exploring this at Travel Vision 2020.

But the pair felt a high level overview of the industry in Australia was essential. Enter Gary O’Riordan, formally GM of AFTA and now running “Gary O’Riordan Travel & Tourism Solutions”.

Gary said he was delighted to be involved with this important industry focused event. “Travel Vision 2020 is the perfect opportunity to highlight and discuss the key challenges impacting on travel agents in this ever evolving industry. It’s all about understanding the bigger picture to position your business for the future,” said O’Riordan.

“It’s all about understanding the bigger picture to position your business for the future.”

Gary O’Riordan O’Riordan

travel agent

Mark continues with “We also wanted someone who was also experienced in the travel industry but touched on the human side, growing sales and inspiring people. Penny Spencer introduced me to Meg Salter and I was won over.”

Meg says “With sophisticated online booking engines and aggressive consumer direct airline and wholesale marketing strategies, customers attitudes towards travel agents have dramatically changed. In order to survive, let alone thrive, we need to redefine the role of the traditional travel consultant.”

“In order to survive, let alone thrive, we need to redefine the role of the traditional travel consultant.”

Meg Salter

Workshops are scheduled for the 26th and 27 October, 4 PM to 7 PM, in Melbourne (Hawthorn) and Sydney (CBD) respectively. The events will be catered AND free of charge to a select number of travel agents.

Each speaker will present on their topic for 15 minutes, followed by an open forum panel discussion.

“If we could tell you in an hour how to run your business in 2020, we would all be travel agents. Instead, our aim is to provoke, to share our thoughts, to stimulate discussion and if needs be, to tell travel agents exactly what they need to hear. The forum is going to prove very interesting.

Spots are limited; to register an expression of interest email au.support@roomsxml.com by 10 October.

Are you keen on attending?