All travel agent eyes are on the future of the industry and where its next generation of professionals will come from. Enter Travel Leaders of Tomorrow. This special educational arm of Travel Leaders Group is designed to lure new blood into the industry.
The enrolled students in Travel Leaders of Tomorrow are currently working their way through what's called "Module Three" of the curriculum focusing on tours and packages.
The entire program takes place via what is called a virtual campus. Webinars, and often webcams, allow students and instructors - usually working industry professionals, as well as suppliers - become experienced through intense role-playing such as mock qualifying clients.
The tours and packages curriculum is supplemented from three program sponsors: Delta Vacations/MLT, Funjet Vacations and Globus Family of Brands.
When students graduate from the program, if qualified they might even earn a place at a Travel Leaders Group agency.
"The beauty of this module is that our participants begin using the knowledge they've learned in the first half of the program in qualifying 'mock clients' with the right destinations and products," said program director Heather Kindred. "We're providing our participants with customized virtual training that is unique to our program."
Critical to this module is the work that is done on geography skills and recognition of sights in scenery in the United States, Canada and Western Europe, according to Kindred.
Module Three works in conjunction with The Travel Institute on these skills. Matching traveler psychographics with the appropriate tours - those of the sponsored suppliers - is only one of the assignments that the students must successfully complete.
Kindred said that sponsored suppliers are terribly dedicated to bringing new people into the industry. They focus not just on the product but also on industry trends.
Some Travel Leaders of Tomorrow students like Lori Ferris, received invitations to and participated in fall industry functions like MLT University, CoNexion 2013 and CruiseWorld.
"I love the opportunities to attend travel agent-only events where I can learn, network and continue to be excited about the travel industry," said Ferris.
Module One of Travel Leaders of Tomorrow was launched in April and Module Two was introduced in Aug 2013.
To apply for Travel Leaders of Tomorrow visit www.travelleadersoftomorrow.com.
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