Travel Experts in Raleigh, N.C., No. 27 on Travel Weekly's Power List, has found evidence that sales are slowing for some of its advisors. A poll conducted this month found that while nearly half (49.2%) of advisors are seeing higher sales compared with last year, 16.8% said sales are down from a year ago. Senior editor Jamie Biesiada spoke with Claire Canady, the host agency's director of North Carolina operations, about what's behind the decline.
Claire Canady
Q: To set the stage, was 2023 a record year for Travel Experts?
A: It was the best year we've ever had. We've been in business for 35 years, and that was our best year. Clients seemed to be determined to travel no matter what the cost, and there was definitely pent-up demand.
Q: That was true for many agencies. With that in mind, was a decline in sales inevitable?
A: We always say election years are unpredictable. The year started really well. It started strong but then sort of leveled off. I wouldn't say it's inevitable, but it's not surprising, either.
Q: Advisors experiencing a dip in sales attribute it to a number of factors, including the economy, the cost of travel, clients taking fewer trips and, as you mentioned, the election. Has that been the most impactful factor here?
A: I think it's probably a combination of reasons. I don't think there's just one thing that's caused it, but together, I think they've caused the slowdown.
So it's the election, the unrest in the world has made some people nervous to travel to at least certain areas of the world, even the high pricing at hotels and air. And then, with popular destinations being so overcrowded, I think it's making people rethink their plans and maybe go in a different
direction.
Then we've got some advisors who are working on their work-life balance, so they're limiting who they're working with. They're limiting their client list and being very selective and choosing to reduce their workload.
Q: Is this a sign that travel demand is starting to normalize a bit?
A: It does seem to be the case. That immediate rush to travel has passed, and now we're sort of settling back into a more normal situation.
But 2025 planning and booking has started really well. So the demand is still there, but the travel at any cost seems to have passed for some people.
Q: A large number of your advisors, almost half, said sales are up compared with last year. How are they doing it?
A: Many of our advisors focus on high-end leisure, and those are the clients who understand the value of working with an advisor. They're spending large amounts of money. They want an expert to guide them.
And I think one of the plus sides, if you can say that, of Covid was it made the public aware of the benefits of working with a trusted advisor. So they're getting referrals from friends and colleagues, and that's creating the higher demand for the services that our advisors provide.
Q: Do you have any predictions as far as what we might see in travel sales-wise in the next six months?
A: I think we're going to see more closer-in travel, where people have maybe delayed and delayed, and now, as the year rolls on, they're going to decide they do want to take that vacation. So they're going to be booking closer in. And maybe not quite so far from home. They're also planning for next year. They're looking ahead already at 2025, and that seems to have taken off really well so far.