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Hot Travel Jobs continues to survey both employers and job seekers visiting our site on their experience with employment. As our industry continues to experience rapid growth in the travel segment, our concerns are mounting regarding the ability to staff these positions in the long-term. As the number of qualified agents continues to shrink, recruiting procedures will need to change in order to keep pace with the increasing demand. As the travel industry’s career resource site, we echo the concerns recently released by Douglas Quinby of PhoCusWright;
Leisure travel agencies are facing an “imminent” recruitment crisis in the search for new agents to replenish a rapidly aging workforce, according to a new PhoCusWright study; “The issue of age is alarming,” said Douglas Quinby, senior director of research and co-author of the study. In 2007, 47% of leisure agents surveyed said they were over 55. By 2011, the figure had risen to 58%. Among leisure storefront agents, only 11% were under 45 in 2011, and just 2% said they were under 35.
As our workforce continues to retire and job growth continues to boom, the question remains; where will the new recruits come as the industry continues to ramp up its staffing demands?
After a recent exchange of information with owners and managers at the 2012 Sabre/TMU conference in Las Vegas June 4-7, similar concerns were raised along with their various methods for obtaining talent.
- Employers need to sell their company to attract talent
- Travel Schools and colleges are now a direct source of talent for employers
- Agencies are creating in-house training programs for new employees
In keeping with the measures described above, companies requiring personnel to fill voids immediately and capitalize on lost revenue will be forced to offer greater compensation and benefits in order to remain competitive.
Doug Walsh, is Director of Sales & Marketing, HotTravelJobs.com
Established in 2007 and operating as a division of “ The Travel Staffing Group, LLC”, HotTravelJobs.com puts travel people in touch with travel people. Our services are utilized by Travel Agents, Meeting & Event Planners, Corporate Travel Department Agents, Airlines Car Rental & Rail Service agents. For more information about HotTravelJobs.com, visit www.HotTravelJobs.com or call 609-758-0201 or by e-mail Doug@HotTravelJobs.com.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
