Travel Advisor Tough: Meet Edouard Jean

Tough times favor tough people, and times don't get any tougher than they have in 2020. To succeed in the present environment travel advisors need the durability to adjust not only to changing conditions, but to great upheaval.

Our "Travel Advisor Tough" series spotlights retail travel professionals who are proving their toughness in this extremely difficult travel environment. This week's subject is Edouard Jean, owner of Massive Travels in New York, N. Y.

Jean launched his business in 2006 following a decade in New York's financial industry as a stockbroker. He says the September 11 terrorist attacks, ironically, led to his initial interest in international travel.

"I started realizing I'd never taken a 'real' vacation," said Jean. After returning from an extended visit to Jamaica, he began organizing annual group trips to the country with up to 300 attendees.

Jean endured his own tough times when he was later laid off from his stockbroker's position. But that development ultimately enabled Jean to focus on his true interests. "I caught the travel bug, which is my passion," he said. "I realized my true calling was as a travel advisor." Jean opened his agency in 2006 and "I've never looked back," he said.

Since that time, Jean has become a leader among his fellow advisors. He's a trusted and consistent presence on social media, where he shares tours of properties, products and events. He's the current president of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA)'s Small Business Network's New York chapter.

We talked with Jean to learn his strategies for surviving and creating success in 2020 and beyond:

TP: What are you doing to navigate this difficult period?

EJ: "I have been and still do a few things. From the beginning and currently, I've reached out to my clients to catch up with them, see how they are doing, and to remind them that I am here when they feel comfortable to travel again.

"Secondly, I reached out to my BDMs (business development managers) several times over the past months to see how they were doing and get caught up on the status of their products, destinations [and] properties. I also took the time to take most of the specialist courses I didn't have time for before.

"I also kept myself present on social media by posting travel-related and inspiring posts, with no sales or travel deal posts. And I looked for and worked on areas of my business I needed to improve. All this was to put my agency in the best possible position when tourism comes back. And I believe it will come back in a big way!"

TP: If she/he could do only one thing, what is one strategy a travel advisor must undertake now?

EJ: "Reach out to your clients via calls, emails and social media to let them know that during these times you are still here and ready for them, when they are ready for you."

TP: We're asking advisors profiled here to tell us of a recent find. Yours is the TWA Hotel at New York's JFK International Airport. What do you think of the landmark hotel? How would you sell it to clients?

EJ: "I loved the TWA Hotel! I felt like I had walked through a time portal and entered the 1960's. Because the hotel is attached to the airport, I would definitely recommend it to my clients who are catching a connecting flight from another domestic city to an international flight the next day or with a layover that's a five-plus hour wait. Or, to my local NYC client who is catching a red-eye or early morning flight. They can arrive that afternoon or early evening and catch a nap/sleep shower and change their clothes before heading to their gate."

TP: You also revealed to us that the airport, after initially not offering commissions to travel advisors, has reversed that policy. Why do you think they decided to start paying travel advisor commissions?

EJ: "I believe they realize the worth of the travel advisor and needed them to inform the public about this gem of a property."

TP: There are some travel professionals who still prefer the term "agent" to "advisor" Where do you stand: travel agent or advisor? Which do you prefer and why?

"Advisor for sure! We do not just book trips. As advisors, we have the knowledge, know-how, experience and relationships to turn vacations (big or small) into lifetime memories."

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