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Hassle-free Travel? Photo: iStockphoto.com/Joel Carillet.
Travel advisors may be just the ticket
BY SHERYL NANCE-NASH
R
ecent winter storms left thousands of airline passengers stranded when flights were canceled, but not everybody got stuck. “We got a call from a panicked client about flight cancellations during the ice storm. We were able to quickly look in our system and see what flights were available. We told them to check out of their hotel immediately and get to the airport, and if not, they would likely have to stay where they were for two more days,” says George Balogh, a travel advisor and president of Blue Skies Travel in East Greenbush. Balogh took care of the new arrangements, and his client was not among those at the airport searching airline websites on their cell phones and waiting in long lines scrambling to sort out their travel woes. It’s not just Mother Nature’s increasing unpredictability that is complicating. COVID and the rules and requirements around it have complicated travel. “There is also a whole new
demographic of traveler that is looking to get more out of their experiences. Whether that be connecting more meaningfully with the destination, breaking out of their comfort zone or having a personal transformation, these people understand the value that a travel advisor brings to the table,” writes Jenn Dolan, owner of her own agency, Travel Awakened in Long Beach, New York, in an email. These are just some of the reasons travel advisors are seeing a boost in their business. Traditionally, travel advisors, formerly known as travel agents, were the go-to when you were ready to hit the road. Then came the internet with its online travel resources that ushered in the era of DIY travel. The internet nearly ended the travel advisory business. Now, travel advisors are again being turned to for globe trotting advice, primarily as a result of travelers seeking help to navigate COVID and all its issues. So while COVID wreaked havoc on the travel industry overall, there’s a silver lining for travel advisors. In fact, in a research study last year from the American Society of Travel Advisors and Sandals Resorts, 44% of those surSPRING 2022 | 55PLUSLIFEMAG.COM
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