The Travel Industry Mentor Experience (TIME) board has announced its mentoring program will pause for three months in response to the unprecedented impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the industry.
TIME’s program will be paused from 1 April to 30 June 2020, and its graduation events set for April and June will be postponed, alongside its 10th anniversary dinner that was scheduled for 10 June 2020.
The not-for-profit organisation does, however, have its eyes set on a return to full activity on 26 August when the current crop of mentees is due to graduate. It is expected that a new TIME program intake will also commence on that date.
TIME chair Penny Spencer said: “The board recognises the heavy burden the industry is carrying at this time.
“As a not for profit, the financial viability of TIME is dependent on collective funding from individuals, corporations and sponsors from within the industry at large, and although we had hoped it wouldn’t be necessary, the prudent and responsible thing to do at this time is to pause operations.”
The TIME board is also working on a plan that involves bringing together existing mentors and past graduates via an unofficial mentoring framework until 30 June. More details on this plan will be announced to the TIME community as soon as possible.
Featured image credit: iStock/flytosky11
