Three veteran travel agents - Mary Clegg, Cory and Cheri Andrichuk - have formed a new group, "Travel Agent Revolution," a company dedicated to "shouting from the roof tops" the value of using a professional travel agent.
"The Travel Agent Revolution is a grassroots movement. It’s about putting travel agents first. It is about helping all travel agents from all walks of life understand that they matter in their business; that personal and professional development are just as important as product knowledge when it comes to selling travel," the new group says.
The company will offer business resources that will teach agents how to brand and market themselves and then align with the correct products to sell, the company says. "Agents will discover who they are, what they want to achieve and how to define their success, not someone else’s definition of it. "
The Travel Agent Revolution also launched their new website (www.travelagentrevolution.com). According to Clegg, principal founder of the Travel Agent Revolution, travel agents can join for $12 per month. This includes opportunities for certification training, mentorship, group business coaching, industry resources and regularly scheduled live and virtual training events.
Clegg is the former Vice President of the National Association of Career Travel Agents (NACTA) and the President and Founder of brandUcoaching Inc. Cory Andrichuk, along with his wife, former travel industry cruise franchise owner, Cheri Andrichuk, have teamed up with Clegg to launch the new group.
The group reports it will also spear head a consumer campaign that promotes the value of using a professional travel agent when planning a vacation. “Making this type of training value packed and affordable for all agents is extremely important in today’s economy. Another focus that has been travel agent driven, is our goal to fund a social media consumer campaign that will educate the public to plan their next vacation with a trusted travel agent and not even consider any other booking options,” Clegg said.
Travel agents who join the group will be trained on how to market themselves and grow their business based on personal branding and their professional passion for travel. "Our mission at the Travel Agent Revolution is to provide a roadmap for travel agents to build their own brand and business, focusing on personal and professional development and training and not just product training. Finding out why the agent is in travel, what their passions are and then fitting the right products that relate to their passions, is what we are all about." said Cory Andrichuk.
The company said it believes the professional travel agent needs to take a stand to position themselves as the personal bridge between supplier and consumer. “Agents are still the best option when planning a dream vacation of a life time,” according to Cheri Andrichuk. “Consumers need to protect themselves from being "stung" when planning their own travel and by using a professional travel agent they can avoid the pitfalls of a low price vs. the actual vacation they really expect. The Revolution helps agents communicate their value and much needed expertise to the traveling public through special training and resources available on www.travelagentrevolution.com.”
Professional Travel Agents who join by August 1 will receive a discount off the normal rate of $12 per month to $9 per month as a founding member. As part of the revolution’s launch is a free webinar “Weekend Warrior Workshop” hosted by Club Med Ixtapa September 22-25.
Visit www.travelagentrevolution.com.