Stories and articles abound on the dearth of young people entering the travel profession. Industry leaders, agency groups, owners and agents all bemoan the graying of the agent pool, the average age of which is now 50, according to some sources.
Several reasons are offered:
• Low pay: Average agent income was just over $30,000 in 2009, declared inadequate by some. But is it really? The median income for all 155 million persons over the age of 15 who worked was about $29,000 in 2005. Given the economy of the last few years, it is likely that number is only marginally higher, so maybe average travel agent pay isn't all that bad.
• Image: The good ones among us have to deal with the unfavorable picture too many have of travel planners, which result from interaction with untrained, unskilled people who pass themselves off as agents and tarnish the industry by spoiling vacations, ripping people off or disparaging the profession upon finding it wasn't a get-rich-quick business.
And even the good ones don't help our reputations sometimes. Have you ever heard a fellow agent, when asked what he or she does for a living, grouse ad nauseam about long hours, ungrateful clients and more, convincing all around them that they have to have the worst job in the world? We generally do a terrible job of communicating to the buying public what we do and why they need our services. We collectively need to bring our A-game to the consumer education arena.
• Lack of educational opportunity: At one time, there were numerous travel schools that provided agent training, but as the industry grew and automation prevailed, that training built an obsolete skill set. There is a definite need for the right kind of professional training.
I have also had agency owners say they don't want to hire younger employees because they have a poor work ethic, they aren't loyal or they expect to be making $100,000 after the first year and running the store.
In truth, the work ethic isn't necessarily bad; it's just different. Many of us work to live. Today, you might have to expect to hire someone who wants to live to work, to have a career in a field about which they feel real passion. The days of toiling 9-to-5 for 45 years and getting a gold watch when you retire are gone. New hires today expect a better balance between work and free time, even if it means sacrificing some income. They want more flexible hours, more vacation time and access to the latest technology. Some bring a large dose of attitude. And they probably won't stay with you more than five years.
Why would you hire someone like that?
Because they're ambitious, energetic and better-educated. They are skilled multitaskers who adapt easily and well to change. They've never known a world without cellphones or the Internet. They are loyal to people. They don't call their friends; they text. They are resilient and welcome a challenge.
They respond to coaching and acknowledgement of a job well done. They don't deal well with nonconstructive criticism. They ask questions. They want our guidance and need our feedback and attention. They want structure and clear direction on what is expected and how they should do it. Be a teacher. Lead by example. And be alert for coaching opportunities.
Well, now that we have an idea what this potential employee looks like, where do we find him or her?
You've probably heard the same refrain that I've heard: "They are doing nothing to attract young people." Well, it's time to stop waiting until they do something, because they are us.
If there isn't a tourism and hospitality training course in your area, help start one. Contact local high schools and/or community colleges to see if they have a travel and hospitality curriculum. If they don't, ask if they would consider establishing one. And when you find a school that is interested, get involved.
My wife, Sherrie, is an advisory board member at a local high school that has a curriculum dealing with all facets of tourism, including becoming a travel consultant as a broader part of hospitality management.
I will begin a similar involvement at another high school in the coming school year. Charles Rosner, a renowned advertiser and marketer from the '60s through the '90s, used the phrase "If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem" as a Vista program recruitment slogan in 1967. It applies here.
One of my daughters recently sent me a copy of an offering from what looked like a start-up tour operator. Great! I thought. The leisure travel pie is sliced thin enough without more competition.
The flier described a five-day adventure program. It listed daily activities, describing the great time participants would have. It included transportation for a day trip and more.
And here's the kicker: That entire package was being offered at a price of only $15. How, I wondered, could this company be making any money at that price with so many personal touches?
So I called the owner, Patrick Terry, to learn more. I asked why he had put together a program like this. He explained that the kids in his neighborhood could benefit from learning how to fish, explore safely and just observe nature by participating. When I asked how he was promoting his offering, I learned he also publishes a neighborhood newspaper in which he advertised the package.
Patrick also mentioned he put the product together because he enjoys helping kids do what they like to do. He thinks that becoming a brain surgeon when he grows up would be neat.
Patrick is 11.
If I'm still in this business in seven years, I plan to check in on Patrick and see if he would like to help adults do what they like to do. Remember that attitude I mentioned? There are lots of young people who have Patrick's attitude about service. We need to find a lot of them, because I am convinced that attitude can't be taught.
Charlie and Sherrie Funk own Just Cruisin' Plus in Brentwood, Tenn., and have provided agent and agency owner training throughout North America. They are the authors of several books, including "A Recipe for Travel Agency Success," "A Blueprint" and "You're Invited," a complete guide to hosting consumer travel events.