Travel Weekly Blog

Introducing the first of our winners to become a regular blogger for Travel Weekly, Brian Horden of Silversea Cruises.

The perennial job argument has never changed - "they always want people with experience, but if I cannot get a job in the travel industry how will I get the experience?"

A feature in the 27 October edition of Travel Weekly made reference to the need for a minimum standard of training, and this is without doubt some to be applauded; but let's hope that the standard includes a level of selling skills alongside the academic skills which are invariably well integrated into the curriculum.

The travel and tourism industry is an exciting, vibrant, satisfying business to be employed in, just look at many of the industry leaders who came literally right through the ranks to attain “high office", and with many years of outstanding service; this is a true testimonial to the industry.

And the diversity of job opportunities within travel and tourism is also often overlooked; holiday travel, corporate travel, inbound tourism, domestic tourism, hotels, cruising, car hire and more...just look at the recruitment pages in TW for a real introduction to the industry.

Meanwhile a comment piece in Travel Weekly recently by the Travolution editor makes reference to the "easiest way to wind up a travel agent is to predict the passing of human interaction as consumers emigrate to the Internet".

Believe me, a knowledgeable, well trained, enthusiastic and sales-driven travel person can easily become the "living internet" with the customer, who will soon recognise the many benefits of booking through a true travel professional

Yes, the price will continue to be a problem for some time, but with value products, real professional travel agents will continue to make an impact, and this represents the aspirational target for the student population.

Also, congratulations to the University of Wolverhampton who see "the vast majority of their students going into the travel industry this year" - surely a success story to share with others.

And as I complete this current missive, out of the national newspapers jumps the new Fashion Retail Academy, with heavy funding from the fiercely competitive high street retailers within the industry, and targeted at moulding a new generation of retail superstars.

Can this happen in the travel and tourism industry? Over to you…

Brian Horden, director of training development, Silversea Cruises