We talk to travel agents at the coal face to see why they got into the industry in the first place, whether the journey has been worth it and their hopes for the future.
Name: Peta Godfrey
Agency: Travel Focus Group
Years as a travel agent: 21
Above: Peta crossing ‘The Saddle’ enroute to base camp, Mt Kilimanjaro
Q: What was the main reason you became a travel agent?
A: It all started back in 1997 when my best friend asked if I wanted to go snowboarding in Austria with her and her mum. I had just started Year 11, but a trip to Europe seemed far more important at the time.
My parents were incredibly supportive and let me take six weeks off school. Being in Europe at 16 with my best friend was even better than I’d ever imagined – especially when I discovered there was no legal drinking age in Austria!
When I returned to school after the most incredible time of my life, I walked straight into my English exam. Knowing I had absolutely no chance of passing my exam because I could not stop thinking about my next trip, I made a bold decision.
I left school, enrolled in a travel course and began living my passion for travel. And I’ve never looked back.
Q: What are the main changes you’ve noticed in the industry since you joined?
A: I was lucky enough to join the travel industry just in time to catch the tail end of paper tickets, with my trusty red pen always on hand.
The transition to e-tickets and a much more digital world was exciting in terms of growing my career, but I think the biggest and best changes have happened over the last three years. TRAVEL 2.0!
COVID was a traumatic time for everyone to go through, but I’m an optimistic person so I’ve always tried to focus on the good that came out of those dreaded years.
One of the most significant shifts is that most of us have now boarded the “service fees” train. With airline commissions being cut, we’ve all been forced to start charging fees that reflect the true value of our service.
From what I hear, everyone is far more profitable now and customers need travel agents more than ever.
I’d say that’s the best possible outcome from a terrible situation… but that could just be my optimism talking.
Peta on a food walking tour of Cape Town
Q: So you think the travel industry is in pretty healthy shape right now?
A: We are headed in the right direction, but not quite there yet. The travel industry has lost a lot of exceptional people to other higher paying industries because of the challenges we’ve faced over the past few years.
People with incredible experience and knowledge have moved on, and with demand for our services higher than ever, finding experienced staff has become almost impossible.
It’s great to see ATIA and other companies developing programs to bring new talent into the industry. In the last two years I have hired and trained two staff members with no prior travel experience and am just about to put on another two next month.
It takes a bit of extra effort to get them fully trained but put in the hard yards now and I believe we will be on the right track to building a strong, healthy industry once again.
Q: Given the amount of product and offers available online, do you think travel agents are more important now than ever before?
A: Absolutely! I hear it every day from our clients. The internet is so overwhelming – too much information, too many options. Then there are the scams and the frustration of not being able to talk to an actual person.
Travel agents are the solution and the word seems to be getting around because we are not getting any quieter…busier if anything.
Peta at Uhuru Peak (5,895m) on Mt Kilimanjaro
Q: Do you think ‘travel agent’ is still considered a good profession to join?
A: We all know the pay isn’t great in this industry, but for anyone with a true passion for travel, it’s absolutely worth it. The perks are fantastic and being part of an industry filled with like-minded people makes every networking event or famil an absolute blast.
What other profession lets you travel 35 hours across the globe to join industry colleagues you’ve never met, share a room and spend the next week or two by each other’s side 24/7 – and actually enjoy it?
You definitely have to be a certain kind of person, but that’s exactly what makes this industry so special.
Q: Finally, what are some of your favourite destinations and what’s left on the bucket list?
A: My favourite destination and continent is Africa. Nothing quite compares to a game drive – being woken by a lion’s roar or even being charged by an elephant.
My bucket list is to visit as many African countries as possible… plus, I’d love a sneaky trip to Antarctica!
https://www.travelfocusgroup.com/
