Jamie Biesiada
SAN DIEGO -- Here's some advice for agents dealing with clients who are reluctant to travel abroad because of concerns over recent terrorist attacks: listen carefully to their concerns and discuss potential travel with honesty and empathy.
Paula Hayes, vice president of sales at the Globus family of brands, was speaking with Avoya Travel agents during the network's recent conference here on understanding, and responding to, traveler anxiety.
Citing research from TravelStyles, Hayes said the No. 1 reason people are not traveling internationally more frequently because is they can't afford it. But the second is a fear of terrorism.
"Over the years we have tried to gauge how many months it takes after an incident for our booking pattern to recover," she said. In 2004 and 2005, when there were bombings in London and Madrid, it took about 6 months for business to normalize, according to Hayes. That dropped to about 4 months in 2015 and 2016 after the attacks in Paris and Brussels.
Most recently, with incidents in London and Paris, "it's only been taking days or weeks.""
"So good or bad, I think our clients have all come to understand that these difficult things are going to happen and it has become part of our new normal," she said. "But the reality for all of us in this room is it is going to continue to impact people's decisions about traveling."
Reluctant travelers need reassurance, and the first place they are likely to go for that is their travel adviser, Hayes said.
First, she advised agents to avoid saying dismissive things like, "It's very safe," or quoting statistics.
"You have to really understand this person is coming at this from a very emotional point of view," she said. "They're not thinking logically, so throwing statistics isn't going to work."
"This is very serious to them, so saying something like, 'You don't really have anything to worry about' could be considered insensitive," she said. "To them, you're not hearing their concerns."
Instead, Hayes recommended agents listen to their clients' concerns, and potentially paraphrase back to them to ensure they are on the same page.
She also advised agents to be honest. For example, it's ok to acknowledge that negative events do happen around the world, and to be empathetic about clients' concerns. While those in the travel industry likely find travel to many destinations to be safe, it's important for agents to tell their clients that they understand their concerns.
Then, agents could ask, "What could I do; how could I help you feel more confident so that you can go forward on this trip that you've dreamed of?" Hayes said. She also encouraged agents to talk about clients that they do send abroad each year without issue.
Also on the to-avoid list is a detailed discussion of past terrorist events. Agents should get clients back on track by acknowledging that bad things can happen, then asking how they can best reassure them. An upbeat, but not joking, attitude is also important."
Following these steps will likely help agents build a rapport with their clients, she said.
"You're building a relationship with this customer and you are certainly setting yourself apart," she said. "If they talk to several other agents, I bet they didn't have the same kind of reaction. And even if this customer doesn't book with you today, you've already earned their trust, which we firmly believe means that you will have earned their business in the future."