There's bad advice, and then there's bad advice so terrible it's actually insulting.
Tamala Edwards, an anchor with Philadelphia's 6abc Action News, gave some truly head-scratching guidance to viewers during an evening news broadcast this week, essentially encouraging people to utilize a travel advisor up until it's time to book to avoid paying them.
"In most cases, agents can book tickets and buy them hotels for little to no cost since the agents collect their fees and commissions from the suppliers, like the hotel or the flight," said Edwards. "Yes, you’ll pay if the agent creates and books all of your itinerary, but you can get around that by using them for a little advice and then calling the concierge and doing that part yourself."
Edwards was deservedly lambasted on social media, with travel advisors calling the advice frustrating and disrespectful.
Nicole Kelly, owner of Wander with Nicole Vacations, shared a recording of the segment—which was removed from the 6abc Action News website—calling it "inaccurate."
"What was most frustrating was the suggestion that people should use a travel advisor for all the research, expertise, and planning…and then go book it themselves. That completely undervalues the time, training, experience, and money that travel advisors invest into this career," wrote Kelly.
"It’s no different than asking a mechanic how to fix your car and then doing it yourself, or asking a realtor how to sell your home and then cutting them out."
The news station succeeded in going viral, albeit for the wrong reasons. The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) even chimed in on the poor advice.
"This kind of messaging misrepresents how our industry works and, more importantly, sends a troubling signal: that it’s acceptable to benefit from a professional’s expertise and then cut them out of the transaction. That’s not how any other professional service is treated, and it shouldn’t be how travel advisors are treated either," ASTA wrote in its Travel Advisory Daily on Thursday.
"The stakes here are not theoretical. Travel advising is a small business industry—95% of agencies fall into that category, and 80% are female-owned. These are local businesses serving local clients, and messaging like this has real consequences," the organization added. "It also oversimplifies compensation in a way that creates confusion. While commissions are often built into supplier pricing, that’s only part of the picture. The real value of a travel advisor lies in the guidance, planning and support they provide throughout the entire travel experience — often long after the booking is complete."
ASTA confirmed that it "reached out directly to the TV station to address these issues."
"In that communication, we asked for a correction to ensure viewers have an accurate understanding of how travel advisors operate and the value they provide," ASTA said. "We also offered to work with them on a follow-up segment and connect them with ASTA members in the Philadelphia area who can speak to the profession firsthand."
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