Travel Advocacy: What It Means for You and Your Customers

I can hardly believe we are six months into 2024! Coach Martin here again from the Travel Hi Five. Speaking of “Hi Fives,” I had the pleasure of attending the ASTA Travel Advisor Conference in Dallas last week and was inspired to write about this topic based on my experiences. Hi Fives all the way around for the team at ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) for putting on a 1,500 person conference that went smoothly from an attendee perspective. Which is something of a miracle considering the storms that hit Dallas on Monday morning and rendered half of the conference hotel (and the surrounding DFW area) without power until the official start on Wednesday. Also, a big Hi Five on ASTA’s advocacy at work that was a part of American Airlines reversal of the decision to withhold AAdvantage points and miles for agency bookings while recognizing the role travel advisors play in the airline distribution channel. This all got me thinking, do advisors fully understand the power of advocacy and how they can use it to power their business? Let’s dig deeper, shall we?  

In the dynamic world of travel, advocacy serves as a vital force, bridging the gap between customers, service providers and industry regulations. Whether you're a travel advisor, a customer or a member of a trade association, understanding and engaging in advocacy can significantly enhance travel experiences and industry standards. Let’s face it, at one time or another, most of you reading this are both an advisor and at times the customer using the services of travel suppliers. My hope is you are also involved in one of our trade associations, but more on that later.

What Is Advocacy for Starters?

Advocacy involves actively supporting a cause or proposal. In the context of travel, it means representing the interests of travelers and ensuring their needs and rights are met. This can range from lobbying for fair regulations to providing individual support to travelers facing issues. Advocacy ensures travelers have a voice in the policies and practices that affect their journeys. Remember my last Hi Five about sustainable travel? Aligning a supplier and their practices to your customers’ values is a perfect example of advocacy.

How Advocacy Benefits Customers In Travel

• Protecting Consumer Rights: One of the primary roles of advocacy in travel is to protect consumer rights. Advocates work to ensure travelers are treated fairly, whether it's regarding ticket pricing, cancellations or accommodations. They help create a fair and transparent marketplace where customers can confidently make travel arrangements. You alone can’t control all aspects of that but being a willing voice is a start.
• Improving Travel Policies: Advocacy can lead to better travel policies that benefit both consumers and the industry. By working with legislators and industry leaders, advocates can push for regulations that improve safety, accessibility and overall travel experience. This could include policies on airline refund practices, travel insurance standards and more. This does not always need to be grandiose. Sometimes it’s as simple as providing professional and appropriate feedback to your preferred partners about what your clients are saying and experiencing.
• Providing Support During Travel Disruptions: When travel plans go awry due to unforeseen circumstances like natural disasters, strikes or pandemics, advocates step in to assist. They help travelers navigate through cancellations, re-bookings and other challenges, ensuring they have the support they need to continue their journeys with minimal stress. Pre-thinking this for your clients will help put the resources in place. When you get that frantic call at 2 a.m. you have the answers for who they can call for help. Yes, they may have the insurance hotline number, but they may forget and call you first and you are there to help remind them of their resources.

How To Be the Best Advocate You Can Be

• Stay Informed and Educated: The foundation of effective advocacy is knowledge. Stay informed about the latest travel trends, consumer rights and industry regulations. Regularly read industry news, attend seminars and participate in webinars. This knowledge will empower you to advocate effectively for travelers.
• Engage With Trade Associations: Joining trade associations like ASTA or Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) can amplify your advocacy efforts. These organizations provide resources, training and a collective voice that can influence policy at higher levels. ASTA, for instance, plays a crucial role in lobbying for favorable travel legislation and protecting the interests of travel advisors and their clients. By advocating for fair regulations and providing a platform for industry collaboration, our trade associations help ensure a vibrant and customer-centric travel industry.

What Are the Key Takeaways?

This is a question I often ask at the end of my consulting or coaching sessions. As I tell my clients, verbalizing key takeaways helps to identify the things that stood out to you the most. Key takeaways are also the things you will be encouraged to take immediate action on.

So, to wrap up this edition of Travel Hi Five, here are some of my key takeaways from the ASTA Travel Advisor Conference. First, we are a unified industry when it comes to what we want for the traveling public and our abilities to make their travel dreams come true. Second, relationships are key! While this is no revelation, it is affirming to see it on full display. Strong relationships with industry stakeholders are crucial, this includes airlines, hotels, tour operators and government agencies. By fostering connections, we can facilitate smoother resolutions for our clients and stay ahead of industry changes that may affect them.

Finally, educational workshops and “lunch and learns” reminded me that clear and effective communication are key parts of advocacy. I was also struck by the understanding that advocacy often requires patience and persistence. Change can be slow, and you may face setbacks. Stay committed to your cause, continually push for improvements and never give up on your advocacy efforts. Sound familiar? Just like in business, don’t give up on your dreams when it is something you believe in.

My hope dear reader, is that whichever part of the industry you may come from, if you are not already a member of one of our trade associations, get involved as soon as you can. We are all in this together. Until next time … here is to your success!