The year is drawing to a close ladies and gents.
There’s only a handful of meetings, early wake-ups and colleague small talk conversations left to endure for 2017.
A lot has happened in the travel industry this year.
Helloworld and Flight Centre lead the way in expansion and acquisitions, Balinese volcanos wreaked havoc, travel agents were convicted of fraud and travel agents hit the silver screen.
But rather than letting us ramble on about the year that (almost) was, we’ve hit up some of our travel heroes to get the goss on what’s made them tick, sweat and smile this year.
Oh, and of course, what 2018 holds. PS – if you still haven’t told us what you thought of 2017, check out our 2017 Agent Survey right here.
See also: “Expect to see great travel agents thrive in 2018”: Penny Spencer
The next industry legend to spin our 2017 wheel of truth is Chairman of TravelManagers and Director of House of Travel, Barry Mayo.
So what was the biggest moment for travel in 2017 for Barry Mayo?
For the first time in twenty-one consecutive years, all finalists in the prestigious 2017 Avis Scholarship of Excellence Award were home-based travel professionals demonstrating the changing face of the travel industry and in particular travel consulting.
And what about TravelManagers 2017 highlights?
TravelManagers continued sales, growth and profitability, personal travel manager Nakita Byrne’s win at 2017 Avis Scholarship of Excellence Award, and the success of TravelManagers annual National conference in Darwin with its record attendance of 398 delegates.
How is travel changing in Australia and globally?
The growing impact of affluent travellers from “emerging” market countries.
The impact of these emerging markets can already be seen in patterns of overseas travel into Australia, Europe the United States and elsewhere and will have a significant impact on the shape of destinations, infrastructure investment and pricing.
A combination of the capacity increases by the Middle East and Asian airlines and increased services to North America ensuring international travel remains inexpensive for Australians.
Was there anything that took you by surprise?
No
Was there anything you wished had happened in the industry but still hasn’t?
No
What trends will be big in 2018?
Active and adventure travel, food tourism and Inter-generational travel.
The requirement of consumers for more personalised travel arrangements will be a major differentiator in delivering exceptional experiences, service, and satisfaction.
A personal travel manager is well-positioned for success in delivering individual customised service compared to online travel providers and many bricks & mortar travel agents.
Growth in Baby Boomer traveller – while the focus is often on Millennials, it is the Baby Boomers (a market of 5.5 million people who own 55 per cent of the country’s wealth) who are enjoying an era of unprecedented financial and personal freedom and are in the prime of their lives with the inclination, time, money and propensity to travel.
Baby Boomers live for the moment and as their children flee the nest they have developed a love for travel and are more adventurous than any other generation.
What excites you for 2018?
The outlook for leisure travel continues to be positive with a growing demand for luxury travel with more and more consumers seeking tailor-made holiday experiences.
