The travel advisor industry has had its share of labor shortages, particularly during those darker years when the public perception was that travel agencies were passé since everyone could book travel on their own. Fortunately, we’ve seen a groundswell over the years of luxury travel agencies attracting high-performing candidates from other sectors, such as teaching, law, finance, you name it. It’s created an industry filled with fascinating entrepreneurs and advisors building unique business plans based on extremely in-depth knowledge and skills from their past careers.
Still, there’s a labor shortage for many business categories these days and the luxury sector is no exception, according to a recent article on VogueBusiness.com. Even though luxury has its appeal, recruiters worldwide for top retail brands, such as LVMH and Chanel, are having a challenging time filling key positions. These same recruiters are urging clients to reconsider what younger employees, and employees in general, want from their employers. The pandemic has changed everyone’s attitudes about work location, long hours, physical and mental wellness and family time. Many travel agencies have already addressed this issue by letting advisors work remotely as they travel the world, but much more needs to be done.
VogueBusiness.com says that recruiters for the luxury retail industry are urging the big brands to reconsider what job candidates now want from employers. Aside from the freedoms stated above, newer graduates want the companies they work for to have strong moral core tenets that focus on sustainability and the well-being of its employees.
Interestingly, Tony Capuano, CEO of Marriott International, speaking at the International Hospitality Investment Forum (IHIF) in Berlin recently, said something similar. “[Upcoming graduates] seek companies whose values dovetail with their own, and they are not satisfied by flowery language in an annual report statement about commitment. They want to look at [a corporation’s] demonstrated commitment and progress in many of these areas as they make their decisions about to who they are going to join,” Capuano said.
Luxury travel agencies are urged to keep this in mind as they recruit for the future of their businesses. Be ready to speak about what you do within your communities. Do you conduct fundraisers for local causes? Do you work with sustainable travel suppliers? Be able to articulate your core belief system to those candidates you really want to hire. They may even inquire what you’re doing in this regard in the first interview.
You must also show them a career path. Certainly the numbers are there for really good luxury travel advisors, who can make six figures with the right business model and mix of clients. But what can you do for your advisors besides letting them travel? (Not a bad perk.) How can you support their entrepreneurial spirits? What type of training do you provide so they can enhance their profitability? Is there a senior role they can aspire to within your company?
Let your job candidates know what the future holds for them consistently after you hire them so you retain them. We all know it’s competitive out there. Top luxury agencies and networks are consistently vying to attract top talent and you don’t want your best advisors lured away for a benefit you could easily have provided. You’re putting a lot in your best people, so do all you can to hold on to that investment.
Related Articles
WhirlAway Travel's Jamie Jones Revamps for Future Success
The Set Collection Announces New Appointments