Since COVID, it’s no surprise that some clients have – quite rightfully – become extremely particular about every intricate detail of their booking.
As travel agents, we aim not only to provide a satisfactory service but to go above and beyond to ensure everything runs smoothly and that clients experience the holiday they’ve always dreamed of – and more.
Yet, as a 25-year-old travel agent with nearly four years of experience in the industry, I sometimes find myself having to prove my knowledge to clients who occasionally request a second opinion from a more experienced colleague.
After spending months collaborating with a client to plan their trip, having them suddenly question everything you’ve told them makes you wonder if you’ve done something wrong.
You find yourself re-reading months’ worth of emails, ensuring that nothing you said could have been misinterpreted, that all the information provided was correct, and that you always sought their opinions and feedback before finalising anything.
Then, you obsessively double-check their itinerary, confirming every detail for the 50th time, re-checking hotel reviews, verifying travel dates, names, luggage allowances – until it drives you mad.
This kind of self-doubt happens far too often to younger agents.
More often than not, the manager the client insists on speaking to simply confirms that everything is correct, wishes them a wonderful holiday, and sends them on their way. It’s bittersweet because you knew you hadn’t made a mistake, but you still find yourself asking: Why? Why did they suddenly lose confidence in you? Why did they question your expertise despite months of planning?
I like to think that, despite my age and having less experience than many older travel consultants, I am knowledgeable, capable, and well-trained for this role.
To put it bluntly, I believe they see a young woman – someone their daughter’s or granddaughter’s age – and immediately feel concerned. If they were sitting in front of a 50-year-old woman with 20 years of experience, they would feel at ease. She’s well-travelled. She’s done this a million times before.
After all, their neighbour’s aunt booked with her a decade ago and had a great experience – she knows what she’s doing.
But if someone is under 30, they worry. Has she even left the country? How many holidays has she really booked? Has she even experienced the products she’s selling? Do we trust her to handle our bucket-list trip?
To further back this up, we recently had a mature apprentice in our office. Despite having little to no experience in the travel industry, there were instances where clients gravitated toward her rather than the younger consultants.
Clearly, this is a problem – and one that needs a solution, not just for business reasons but for the mental well-being of younger agents.
We shouldn’t have to prove ourselves ten times more than our older colleagues simply because of our age. We shouldn’t be made to feel as though our knowledge is inadequate or that we aren’t good enough at our jobs.
The anxiety of knowing a client doesn’t trust you is not only disheartening but can also lead to self-doubt and, in some cases, impostor syndrome.
We can’t change certain clients’ perceptions, but what can help is having a supportive team that reminds us we are good enough.
To office managers and older colleagues: please support your young staff. Some might show it, others might not, but nobody enjoys the feeling of being dismissed or undermined by a client.
Stand up for younger consultants, reassure clients that you trust your team, and reinforce that they should, too. If necessary, set boundaries with particularly difficult clients for the sake of your staff’s mental well-being.
The travel industry is facing a significant shortage of agents. If you’re lucky enough to have a young consultant who is eager to learn and does their job well, invest in them and protect them.
To suppliers: please include younger agents in destination training and famils. If they aren’t selling your product, it may be because they lack firsthand knowledge. This can be the only real difference between a younger consultant and a seasoned agent who has experienced the destination multiple times.
As someone from the UK, I feel very confident selling Europe because I have firsthand knowledge of the region. I can discuss destinations freely, make recommendations, and answer questions without needing to doublecheck facts or consult a map.
However, when clients enquire about destinations I’ve never visited – such as Africa, the USA, or New Zealand – I have to conduct extensive research before providing a quote. I ensure I’m 100% confident before presenting an itinerary, but it would be great to have firsthand experience of these places.
I understand that top sellers deserve rewards and incentives, but there should also be more opportunities for young (and indeed newer agents of any age) to gain valuable knowledge, because ultimately this benefits both clients and suppliers.
To fellow young agents: I know it’s easier said than done, but don’t let this discourage you. You’re not alone. Many of us feel the same way. It helps to have a strong support system to remind us that we are capable, and that over time we will gain the same experience and confidence as our more senior colleagues.
In the meantime, keep doing your best, take it in stride, and kill them with kindness. Once your clients are on their holiday, they’ll wonder why they ever doubted you in the first place.
And finally, to that customer: Everyone has to start somewhere. Young professionals need experience to become experts, but how can they gain that experience if people like you don’t trust them? You may think you’re being reasonable, but when an agent loses confidence, becomes upset or starts second-guessing themselves because of you, you are part of the problem.
You may see us as young and inexperienced, but from what I’ve observed we have more to lose. Because of this we go over every intricate detail with extra care.
Everyone makes mistakes, whether they’re 20, 60, or somewhere in between. But when a mature consultant makes one, it’s just a mistake. When a young consultant makes one, suddenly, they “can’t do their job.”
Please, have some understanding. Be kind. Trust us, and we’ll do everything in our power to give you the holiday of your dreams.
Without trust, this relationship is doomed from the start.
Yasemin is a 25 year old British travel consultant, now based in Queanbeyan, who specialises in personalised itineraries, ranging from budget trips, to luxury getaways.
