When the federal government prohibited flights from South Africa in response to Omicron, Kerwin Dougan took calls at odd hours to help his clients navigate a patchwork of travel bans and COVID-19 testing requirements.Since then, he says, the situation for travel agents like himself has only gotten worse."Right now, we're…
In an era where technology reigns supreme and do-it-yourself travel booking platforms abound, the question often arises: Is the Travel Agent still relevant? Despite the proliferation of online travel agencies and booking engines, the answer is a resounding yes. The expertise, personalized service, and intricate knowledge that a Travel Agent…
By Izzy Angeli and Virginia Van Zandt When the pandemic docked cruise ships and all but emptied airports, one Miami-based travel agent found a way to boost his bookings and earn four times the national average of travel-agent commissions this past year. Based on the past six-months of bookings, he…
A support package for travel agents will keep them afloat so they can recover the costs of canceled holidays, a tourism business boss says. Photo: RNZ / Matt Chatterton Flight Center NZ managing director David Coombes said the $47.6 million travel reimbursement scheme announced today was good news for the…
ACTA ACTA is commemorating Travel Agent Day this year with a series of events that will help travel advisors de-stress and recover from the pressures of the pandemic. Noting how many advisors have had to put personal finances on the line and work overtime over the past three years, the…
While Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seemed very positive on promoting the tourism sector, not everyone was pleased. The Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) has expressed the tourism industry's concern that the Budget statement could have covered more direct support measures for the industry. "While we are…
A travel agent who lied about having cancer while scamming hundreds of holidaymakers in a £2.6m con has been jailed.Lyne Barlow carried out one of the biggest frauds ever investigated by Durham Police - and told people she had a terminal illness while she committed her crimes. She initially targeted…
Lynda Phillippi has ridden the ups and downs of travel many times during her 18-year career as a travel agent, and seen her profession go through just as many wrenching changes. Then along came Covid. In a job that has been redefined countless times, through the rise of online travel…
