The three days of Travel Market 2022 in Las Vegas were held under the sign of optimism. TravelPulse attended the numerous conferences and discussion panels, and expressed what emerges from this great TRAVELSAVERS gathering.
1 - Forget past trends: we must stop looking at what was "before" and now look towards the future. Trends are no longer the same, travelers have changed. "We have to do things differently right now," said Dondra Ritzenthaler, Senior Vice President, Sales, Celebrity Cruises, which now offers "all-inclusive" formulas (tips, drinks and wi-fi) on board cruises. For Frank Demarinis, President, Travel Brands, "we need to monitor trends weekly, not just once a month or quarter. The booking window is no longer the same, whether for flights, cruises or FITs. »
2 - A new market: extended family travel: after a few years without seeing each other, without being able to get together, we notice that more and more extended families are booking group holidays. "Grandparents want to travel with their children and grandchildren and make up for lost time. People have a lot more money in their bank accounts today than they did in 2019. This is a market to consider for the next years," says Gary Murphy, co-founder, AMA Waterways.
3 - The Golden Age of Travel Is Now: We have just entered the golden age of travel in the sense that, now more than ever, travel agent services are required. There is still a lot of uncertainty, travel is still complicated and the agents are there to support holidaymakers and reassure them. "Their work has never been more important," said Ray Snitsky, Group President, Apple Leaisure Group. For Scott Nisbet, President, Globus Family of Brands, "baby boomers, who represent half the wealth of the population, really want to travel. Some have waited more than 2 years for the great trip of their lives. We are now witnessing more trips at any time of the year. »
4- Online Presence is Mandatory: Although it's one more task on today's list, having a good online presence is more important than ever, if not mandatory. Facebook, Instagram, having a blog on your website to talk about destinations, share travel tips, etc., helps you stand out from your competitors. "It's quite a task and getting started on social media is difficult, then you have to publish, but quickly you see a difference. It's good to rely on word of mouth, but it's even better to have a reference to send your potential customers to see what you do best," says Abigail Schimke of Grande Traverse Travel. For Ray Snitsky, it's important to "talk to people in a more relevant way, to speak the same language. We can no longer have a "one-size-fits-all" service."
5 - Hot destinations: Local travel still seems to be popular for now, but according to Gary Murphy, "Europe should be on everyone's bucket list, especially with the current exchange rate. I think it will be a very popular destination again. Social media also play an important role in attracting certain destinations. You never know what will be the next success on TikTok or Instagram! »
6 - The lack of manpower: the topic of the hour, the lack of manpower is what everyone is talking about. The end of the pandemic, however, announces a positive return for travel, the attraction of exotic destinations and for the profession of travel agents. "We need to invest in technologies that allow us to be more efficient in our work," said Frank Demarinis, President, Travel Brands. For Scott Nisbet, "you have to hire people who don't have experience in the field and build a future with them. It's again a "cool" job and an exciting industry to be in."
TRAVELSAVERS' Travel Market 2022 ended on October 30th in Las Vegas, celebrating the company's 52nd anniversary at the same time. The next edition will be held in Marco Island in September 2024.
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