During the first few days of catching wind that a virus was spreading, you may have been a bit nervous about any clients you had traveling to the areas of concern. The next week added several additional areas to your "list of concern," and by the following week, you were spending the majority of your time canceling, rebooking and rerouting clients since the entire world was affected in one way or another.
After what felt like forever, you were finally able to come up for air and figure out your next steps. These include anything from scoping out future bookings that may be affected and reducing budgets where needed to researching what is available for your agency in regards to coronavirus relief.
Some agencies may still be busy in one way or another, but many are most likely at a standstill-or slower than usual-during what should be one of the busiest times of the year. And it's okay to let yourself enjoy this unexpected slow time.
It's important to take some much-needed time to relax, but when you're ready, now is the best time to be taking advantage of educational opportunities.
Let's face it, you've never had this much free time before. There are specialist courses, recorded webinars and training classes you've been itching to take, but your never-ending to-do list never really allowed for these things to take top priority.
There's no better time to start checking these courses off your list. It will not only grow your knowledge of the travel industry, but it will also play a role in keeping your travel inspiration and motivation alive.
Diane Petras, The Travel Institute President, explains that demand for travel education is on the rise even now.
"I'm encouraged now by recent, high demand from so many professionals seeking to strengthen their professional and practical capabilities while they have the unanticipated time to do it," Petras said in a letter to the industry.
The Travel Institute offers travel advisors access to training programs, a private Certified Travel Associate (CTA) Facebook study group and even a business planning course (which is currently being offered complimentary).
Several suppliers also create webinars for travel advisors, and they are almost always recorded for those who miss the live version-although attending live has its benefits, as there is usually a Q&A at the end and sometimes even a giveaway.
To access a range of different webinars, on anything from cruise lines and resorts to tour operators and destinations, visit travelpulse.com/webinars. Here agents can find upcoming webinars as well as sift through a host of recorded options under the on-demand section.
If the word "giveaway" caught your attention earlier, you're in for a treat. Travel Agent Academy allows advisors to earn prizes and rewards when they graduate from various courses. This program is designed for travel advisors to expand their knowledge, boost their confidence and increase client bookings with a range of programs.
Whether you want to become the next Puerto Rico travel expert or learn to sell La Coleccion Resorts, now is the time to broaden your knowledge before your agency gets busy again.
Taking advantage of training opportunities while you're safe at home will allow you to come out of this an even better travel advisor than you were before.
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