A person who is attracted to a career in the travel industry is surely an adventurer; naturally inquisitive, they want to travel as much as possible, even vicariously through others.

And yet, this also means that they are intrinsically free-spirited – a wonderful trait, but one that may see them change jobs quite often.

Hot on the heels of our WITNext Summercamp, we asked David Brett, President, Amadeus Asia Pacific to share his views on how travel companies can attract and retain talent.

Travel employers face a significant challenge in attracting and retaining talent. Whenever I meet with travel agency owners I repeatedly hear them say that talent retention is among their top five challenges, and with good reason.

As competition in the industry intensifies, it becomes clear that "People Power" is a travel company's best asset. Travel employers should consider four golden rules to ensure their business is a magnet for talent.

1. Recruit candidates with full passports

Typically, travel professionals are young, energetic, and drawn to work in travel because of their love of exploration and desire to travel. But in the past, that hasn't necessarily meant that they needed to be experienced travellers. Clients went to them for a reservation service, rather than expert advice.

But that is now changing, due to the evolution of online travel. Travellers have an easily accessible channel to book point-to-point travel online, and when they turn to a travel agent, they are looking for the kind of expert advice that can't be found on a website.

Travel employers will need to recruit team members who are not only passionate about travel, but people who have a passport filled with stamps and travel experiences.

2. Hire people who understand technology and are open to change

A day in the life of a travel professional today involves a heavy element of administration. Calls to confirm fares with airlines, looking up customer information in hard-copy files, and telephone calls to clients to confirm details or make changes to a reservation. But all that is changing, with travel agencies realising that it makes sense to embrace new technology to free up consultant time for customer service.

As a leader in not only distribution technology, but also IT development, Amadeus is working with travel professionals across Asia Pacific to update technology systems and automate manual processes, so they can focus on their customers. Travel employers should seek to hire individuals who are comfortable with technology, and embrace the critical need for change.

Full story:

www.webintravel.com//blog/people-power-how-to-be-a-talent-magnet-in-the-travel-industry_3245