AUSTIN, Texas -- Global Travel Collection, Internova Travel Group's luxury-focused host agency, will launch a program to train travel advisors who are new to the industry.
Ragan Stone, senior vice president of GTC brand In the Know Experiences, announced the program Monday during GTC's Arrive conference at the Fairmont Austin.
The program, set to be launched later this year in November, will be a "six-month, hands-on experience," Stone said, "designed to prepare new advisors for sustainable, respected careers in this industry."
Stone said it was designed to address a gap in the travel agency community.
"Right now, as you guys all know, there's a real gap across the advisor landscape," she said. "There's a lot of people entering our world with no structure, no mentorship and no long-term support. Not everyone who's coming into our space is being held to the standard that you guys have worked to create."
The training program is about investing in the next generation of travel advisors and building upon the legacy GTC's advisors have built.
It will emphasize that travel advising is a full-time job built on hard work, experience, expertise and relationship- and trust-building.
The program was "designed around quality over volume," Stone said. It will be selective and structured, built upon "mentorship, accountability and long-term opportunity." It will also include a week-long immersion at one of GTC's offices.
"The standard that you guys have set is the standard that we intend to carry forward and hand to the next generation of travel professionals intact," she said.
Arrive 2026 has drawn 650 attendees -- including 300 travel advisors, 300 suppliers, GTC and Internova executives and media -- to the Fairmont. The meeting will go through Wednesday.