Agents Share Their Goals for 2020

2020 is poised to be a banner year in the travel industry, with many trends and reports finding an increasingly positive outlook and a strong economy. Luxury travel is set to be strong again this year and many tour operators including TravelBrands is predicting clients will continue to seek more experiences.

Carnival Cruise Line expects to see rapid growth in the number of new travel agents joining the industry, many of whom will be home-based. Airlines such as Air Canada, are focusing more on customers' experience.

But what about the travel agents? What are their 2020 goals? TravelPulse Canada talked with a few about what they're striving for this year.

"Our agency goal is one that has not been achieved in Canada yet, which is to be an Earmarked Platinum Agency for Disney destinations in 2020. We were given Gold level status in the first year that sales tiers were introduced to the Earmarked (Authorized Disney Vacation Planner) program in Canada.

We are also very excited to be part of Universal's new U-Preferred Agency program which starts in 2020. ClickTheMouse Travel has adapted a stronger digital marketing presence with increased focus on social media for agency brand awareness. Canadian consumers might not be aware that there are Earmarked Agencies in Canada as the program itself is fairly new and was introduced in 2014. With the addition of the U-Preferred (Universal) program there is even more reason for Canadian agencies to increase their presence to theme park loving travelers! "

"My motto for 2020 is seeing clearly! Personally, as I am an outside agent and from Atlantic Canada, the winter season is my "busy" time of year. What I have started doing is picking a destination each month - and designed personal packages to create a buzz for increased business in my off months.

May - Greece / Florida for Spring training baseball games

June - Focus on Nashville / CMA fest / Concerts/ Broadway

August / Ireland! Transat has great self guided tour options

September - Greece / Las Vegas / Alaska Cruise

October - NASCAR / Halloween Disney

My Goal for 2020 is 1.4million in sales - by mixing in some high end with some less expensive 3/4 day packages, it creates a larger client base as I'm reaching a wider variety of the market. I also hope to double my Europe sales from last year. People want outside of the box. There are numerous destinations that are not Cuba or Dominican that people want to see. We just need to tell them!!

"My main goal for 2020 is to educate as many people as possible that we travel advisors are here to stay and we are not a dying breed.

I absolutely love my career and assisting clients with their travel dreams and the overwhelming amount of information on the internet only helps me assist my clients with reviving the very best experience from start to finish.

In addition to making the public more confident using a travel advisor, my personal short term goals are to gain more knowledge of more destinations in general even for destinations that I have no personal interest in. Just because I do not wish to travel there does not mean another person does not find it interesting."

I think the worst thing you could do as a travel advisor is to limit yourself and not always continue to learn more about the world and what it has to offer."

"I am a goal setter, and some of my goals this year include:

- Update and refresh my social media platforms - specifically LinkedIn and Instagram

- Develop additional business for pilgrimage tours thru church connections

- Shift more bookings from general suppliers to my agency Preferred/Approved suppliers

- Mentor my associates to help develop new travel clientele and repeat business

- Work with my team to develop better strategies to deal with tire kickers or clients who treat staff as an extension of Google

- Continue to develop relationships with reservation staff at specific suppliers so that it assists in getting quotes returned in a timely fashion

- Make weekly time for my personal wellness to keep me in a healthy physical and mental state

"I don't have a niche or specialty. I believe that the people buying cheap and cheerful Cuba today will be buying luxury travel down the road. Keep them happy.

My personal travel passion is for Adventure or Experience type of trips. Beaches are lovely but travel should include some local culture, food and experiences. That is what I try to promote.

I am currently working on setting up a Webpage within the Premieregroup Website to help me to promote that kind of travel and to drive business to me, specifically."

"My goal is to maintain income while working smarter and… less"