Upskill yourself in the next big travel trend

Young hispanic female friends in white robes relaxing together at wellness hotel resort spa

A wellness travel company has launched an upskilling program to help travel agents through this time of uncertainty.

Now, more than ever, health and wellness is at the forefront of consumers’ minds, and In This Life Wellness Travel’s founder and director, Joanne Vomiero, predicts it will also be on top of their travel list.

“It has been forced into our consciousness, with our primary focus now the wellbeing of ourselves, our families and those around us,” she said.

“As a result, when the world reopens, it is likely that one of the first sectors of travel to recuperate from this epidemic, will be wellness travel.”

Here’s why, according to Vomiero:

  1. Wellness travel offers safe, healthy and nurturing environments where wellness is the focus.
  2. The cruise industry may take quite a while to recuperate from this event. Wellness travel can be a straight shift for cruise passengers, as it attracts similar demographics and travellers.
  3. Domestic travel will likely be the first travel sector to reopen and wellness travel offers domestic travel options in all regions of the world.

Before COVID-19 stopped us all in our tracks, Vomeiero claims wellness travel was the fastest-growing sector of the tourism industry, growing more than double the rate of general tourism at 6.5 per cent versus 3.2 per cent. She also said the sector was projected to reach 7.5 per cent growth by 2022.

After things settle down, Vomiero believes this projection will be even higher.

In This Life Wellness Travel is offering agents, both currently employed or otherwise, the opportunity to up-skill in preparation for when things get back on track.

“This is regardless if an agent has managed to keep their position in an agency throughout this crisis or not,” Vomiero said.

“Because our booking system has been developed with live availability, even agents who no longer have access to the GDS or agency booking tools will be able to make reservations, creating an opportunity for them to make personal income by offering their services as a travel agent or advisor by becoming an accredited agent of In This Life Wellness Travel.”

It’s also a great opportunity for agents to add a new qualification to their resume, should they find themselves job searching when things calm down.

“Wellness travel is similar to the cruise industry in that it requires some foundation training, particularly when it comes to matching clients to a wellness property,” Vomiero explained.

“It is not unlike the necessity of knowledge required to match clients to a cruise line or ship – agents would not recommend past passengers of Crystal cruise on a Carnival cruise, nor book clients who regularly sail on Seabourn then onto P&O.

“There are certain things agents need to know. In our industry thus far, there has been limited training in wellness travel, limited access to product and booking systems for agents to use.”

To find out more, go HERE, or register an expression of interest HERE.

Featured image source: iStock/wundervisuals

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