Although positive public sentiment toward travel advisors has never been higher, Royal Caribbean Senior Vice President Sales & Trade Relations Vicki Freed believes average client base size is the biggest issue facing agents today.
Finding repeat clients is among the toughest jobs in the profession, leaving advisors feeling “all dressed up with nowhere to go”, said Freed in an interview with Cruise Weekly on board Ovation of the Seas in Mexico this week.
The problem is particularly daunting for those new to the role and independent consultants, she added.
“People don’t have a big enough net of prospects, they need more clients,” Freed said.
“The travel advisor today can get the education, they can learn the product, they know the product, they have the passion to be in this industry, they just don’t have enough clients.
“That’s the hardest part [for] somebody who just doesn’t have walk-in business.”
Royal Caribbean works to help its advisors develop a sizable prospect pool, Freed said, particularly as more travellers seek out the expertise of an industry professional post-COVID.
“Groups are one of the ways that they can do it, so they can get affinity for groups and get friends and family, and multigeneration families, they can be a specialist in celebrations.
“You want to ask a simple question: is there anyone else who you can think of who might want to travel with you?
“If you ask that question each and every time you close a sale, you will get one new booking out of four times.”
