Jamie Biesiada
Travel Leaders Network (TLN) is on a roll this year, adding nearly 200 member agencies in the first half of the year. That represents 25% more agencies onboarded in the same period in 2023.
Among those new agencies, TLN president Roger Block identified an interesting trend.
"We're getting a number of multimillion-dollar ICs who are now leaving their hosts, and now wanting to establish their own credentials and their own book of business that they are recognized by the suppliers with," Block said.
"And," he added, "I think that trend is going to continue."
His reasoning?
The "tens of thousands" of independent contractors who have entered the industry in the past three years.
Even before the pandemic, the IC segment of the travel agency community was steadily growing. That trend accelerated in the past three years for several reasons, including a new awareness of the flexibility of working from home and soul-searching and career changing.
And now, the success of those ICs is on display.
Of course, Block said, many of the ICs entering the industry do so as "hobbyists."
"But there are some that are truly wanting this as a profession," he said. "They're very engaged and want to absorb all the education they can get. They want training in all kinds of areas, whether it's salesmanship, whether it's product knowledge, whether it's customer service. Whatever it is."
It's not just an interesting trend, though, Block said. It answers the question that for so long plagued the travel agency community: Where will the next generation of travel advisors come from?
For years, concerns about advisors aging out cropped up frequently. But Block contends that next generation is now comprised of the new ICs who have joined the industry in recent years.
While it takes years to really understand the business of travel advising, Block said, today's ICs often start off on a simpler path: focusing in on one area to master (like Caribbean cruising, honeymoons or active and adventure travel), then branching out over time.
"You expand as you become proficient," he said.