EIGHTY-five percent of
travel agents love their job
but only 31% are happy
with the salary they’re earning.
This was one of the key
findings from TNW’s revealing
state-of-the-industry survey,
looking at the challenges the
industry faces when recruiting
and developing young talent.
TNW surveyed 462 travel
agents and 50 corporate
travel buyers. The survey was
split into two groups: Gen Y,
which represents participants
with 10 years or less work
experience, and Gen X, those
with 11 years or more work
experience.
Only a small percentage of
agents said they earned more
than R30 000 a month, before
deductions. The majority of
Gen Y consultants said they
earned between R5 001
and R8 000 a month. The
majority of the more senior
participants said they earned
between R20 001 and
R30 000.
More than half of the
respondents said they loved
their job, although the pay
was poor compared with other
industries (54%). “Right now
the salary structure in the
industry is shameful. You
get people who are qualified
and able to work beyond
expectations but because
the standards are so low and
there is a lack of professional
grading, the salaries are not
representative of this calibre
of consultant,” said one.
Money seems to play a big
factor, with many of the Gen Y
participants saying their future
in travel depended on salary,
as they felt the salaries in
travel were not adequate to
sustain them in the long term.
When it comes to training
and skills, the survey revealed
that there was little focus –
across the board – on sales
skills and the ability to profile
clients. TNW asked both
groups to rate themselves on
what their top five strongest
skills were. The majority of
both groups said their greatest
ability was to work under
pressure and manage stress
(over 70% for both groups).
Travel agents don’t travel.
It’s alarming that only 20% of
respondents said they were
travelling more than once
a year. A significant 33% of
participants said they never
travelled. The majority of
respondents of Gen Y said
educationals were linked to
incentives and rewards, only
23% of Gen X respondents
agreed. The majority of Gen
X respondents said fam trips
were to educate and upskill
staff. For more on the survey,
see the full report on page 7.
ASATA launched its Young
Professionals in Travel
(YPT) programme at the
Asata Conference 2014
– a free programme for
members under the age
of 40. The programme
is open to all travel
trade, whether they are a
consultant or a supplier.
Dorcas Dlamini, Protea
Hotel’s group sales director,
who won the award for
‘Tomorrow’s Leader’ at the
Asata Diners Club Awards
earlier this year, is on the
committee and will lead the
new chapter.
“The aim of this
programme is to give young
professionals a place to
engage and participate
with one another and the
industry at large, including
leaders in the industry who
can mentor them.”
Travel professionals who
would like to get involved in
Asata’s YPT programme can
contact Jacqui McKnight for
more information at
Jacqui@asata.co.za.
