In his From the Window Seat column of June 25 ["Is there life outside the travel industry?"] Arnie Weissmann writes: "Once people join this industry they have a hard time leaving it, even for better pay." That statement is, unfortunately, not true.
Prior to 9/11 we would receive, on average, 18,000 new job candidates each month and add them to our database on a worldwide basis. Today, and trending steadily downward, we receive, on average, 2,000 per month. We can easily conclude that people are leaving travel and going into other industries.
In the old days Arnie Weissmann would have been 100% correct. People would accept huge pay cuts, loss of benefits and more just to maintain their travel role. Today, with the economy in the dumpster, it ain't so. I see more and more people leaving.
I remember there were tons of travel schools. Now, I cannot think of even one. Companies would offer training and mentoring programs. Some still do, but not many.
While there are still universities and colleges that provide travel and tourism training programs, more fall into training for the hospitality industry than for other aspects of travel and tourism. Supplier mergers (airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, etc.) are pushing people out as well because, for example, when two companies merge they only need one controller, etc.
Unless the industry as a whole can unite and create incentive programs, people will still leave our industry. We offer startup travel companies as well as small tour operators, travel agencies, etc., a free consultation, yet today we cannot give them away. Companies are just closing at an unbelievable rate. They do not even wish to sell; they just walk away. This is a real shame.
P. Jason King, chairman and CEO
P. Jason King Associates
Canadensis, Pa.
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