With the spread of Covid-19 virus worldwide three years ago, the tourism industry suffered
the most during this period. Jobs that were purely travel-related, such as travel agencies,
tour operators and tour guides were worst hit because they had no alternative and relied
solely on government assistance to overcome the situation.
At least 7,500 jobs in the travel agency industry were wiped out during the pandemic as
millions of tourists cancelled their trips and had to be refunded. Nearly 50 per cent of
agencies in the country shut down their offices and daily operations and sent home their staff
on unpaid leave.
And even as travel has resumed and things are getting back to normal, challenges are far
from over for the sector. The global economy is facing extreme distress from high fuel prices,
increasing inflation levels, shortage of US dollar, compounded by the drought situation due
to the adversities of climate change.
All these factors threaten the ambitious recovery of travel demand. Consequently, this
affects the travel agents. During the recent Kenya Association of Travel Agents (KATA)
Annual Convention and General Meeting, participants from the travel industry across the
continent gathered to discuss the future of the travel and aviation industry.
Running under the theme New Normal, New Thinking, New Rules, delegates engaged in
thought-provoking discussions, exchanging insights, and exploring innovative approaches to
tackle the challenges facing the travel industry and be more resilient. Tourism Cabinet
Secretary Peninah Malonza recognized the role that collaboration between travel agents and
the airlines have played in tourism recovery.
“As the world gradually opens up, we must harness this renewed interest in travel and
position Kenya as a preferred tourist destination. I applaud the impressive sales
performance by our travel agents, whose commitment and resilience has sustained the
industry and driven its recovery. Their expertise has played a pivotal role in promoting
Kenya’s rich cultural heritage, diverse wildlife, and breath-taking landscapes,” she said.
Adopting technology
“While the ministry develops policies and strategies to attract tourists, it is through our
partnership with travel agents that we can effectively market Kenya and create tailored
tourism packages. By tapping into niche markets, identifying emerging trends, and catering
to different traveller segments, we can enhance the travelers experience and promote
Kenya as a must visit destination,” she continued.
The pandemic shifted how business is done by travel agencies with the changing demands
of travelers who are tech savvy. To remain relevant, most of them have resorted to adoption
of technology for ease of managing travel for their clients.
“Customers are getting access to information a lot more. At the peak of the pandemic, entry
requirements and travel regulations were changing every second and our teams had to learn
to work from wherever they were because they might have a customer on transit who is in
trouble. By using platforms online, such as social media and taking advantage of better
communications, travel agencies widened the ways in which they served clients, transforming a process that before took hours, into an instant thing, boosting productivity,” explained Shazmin Manji, outgoing KATA chairperson.
In Nigeria, travel agents began a training and capacity programme during the lock down to
help travel agents begin to open up to the new realities they were going to face with new
technology.
Close generation gap
“The training programe was conducted virtually with remote exams and supervisor given
out. We realized that it is difficult for people to embrace change. While they thought they
were having fun, I was making them fall in love with technology, and embrace it,” explains
Susan Akporiaye president National Association of Nigerian Travel Agencies (NANTA).
Susan said they invited technology companies with solutions that travel agents in Nigeria
needed to transform their business and by the time the borders were opened, the travel
agents were technologically equipped to embrace their clients.
“They are still using the technology now and that has changed how travel agents do
business. We are also trying to close the generation gap by engaging with Generation Z and
letting them come up with solutions to make the work of travel agents easier and better,” she
shared.
KATA CEO Agnes Mucuha stressed that adapting to the new traveller-centric landscape is
crucial for the continued relevance and survival of Travel Agents.
“There is need for travel agents to embrace digital channels, such as e-commerce stores
and online booking engines, as the primary driving force behind purchases. She explains
that it is important for travel agents to continue offering value for money for their clients, if
they don’t want to lose their influence over the customer for life,” she explains.
“Any travel agent thinking of sticking around for a long time must think of adapting and trying
to push and integrate as much technology as possible. We have a challenge in Africa,
everyone goes online and wants to fly to a country tomorrow, but they don’t have information
about where they are going to. Travel information keeps changing and sometimes there are issues between countries that only a travel agent will know,” explained Shazmin.
Another shift that happened with the travel agents was the change in the sphere of work.
“Travel consultants’ scope of work has been enhanced such that they are now health
advisers on normal travel related matters. Travel agents have changed their working
patterns to offering 24 hours service due to increased demand for the duty of care,” says Dr
Joseph Kithitu, Hemingways Travel Managing Director and KATA Chairperson.
However, with flexible work environments, travel agents note that discipline and
accountability is lacking in the region.
“Our staff are not accustomed to work remotely. We are not conditioned for hybrid working,
which has its good and bad side. While our teams get to spend time with their families, the
downside is that there are a lot of interruptions and lack of discipline. However, we are
adapting, and more travel agents are gearing to this mode of working.
We need to have our systems aligned, so that staff can be able to work both at home and at work and there are tools to enable managers to account for their work,” explains Moustafa Khataw Chairman, Tanzania Society of Travel Agents (TASOTA).
Big versus small agencies
There is also the challenge of having the bigger travel agents getting the larger share of the
cake, while the smaller ones feel left out, something which the travel agency organisations
are trying to change.
“We’ve changed our association to bring on board the small agencies and give them a voice.
They do hold a big chunk of the business whether we like it or not and there is need to bring
them on board, regulate them and teach them best practice and how to build their businesses from a small non-International Air Transport Association (IATA) agency to a go lighter standard and that’s where the growth lies,” says Shazmin.
“I think that those who are saying that the small travel agents will die off, say it from a place
of the fear to adapt and the unwillingness to grow their business to change and adapt to the
changing times and competition. Competition means more business personnel. There is
business for everyone. Key for us is that all the different segments have a voice and are
represented in the association to address their issues with IATA and the airlines.
They will also be given the support they need when it comes to IATA resolutions because these are
the biggest challenges,” she said in conclusion.
