Shifts in the Travel Industry and Where Travel Coaches Fit in

The travel industry is shifting and who knows that more than active travelers who see and experience it for themselves?

After graduating from university I had no clue what career I wanted to have, despite having a degree in hospitality and tourism.  That’s why I decided to pack a bag and travel the world.  I wanted to learn more about myself, about life, about the world, and figure out what my purpose and passions are.

I traveled on and off for over 10 years but was struggling to figure out what my ideal career was.  I knew of the types of careers that existed and I knew of the popular jobs that travelers liked such as being a travel agent or advisor, blogger, free lancer, VA, or working for a company that just “pays to travel”.  I wanted more. I wanted to do more, be more, create more, and make even more money.

I knew that my travel experiences and my story were unique to me and I had a lot of specific knowledge.  I had people reaching out to me throughout the years asking me about my traveling lifestyle and how I made it happen.  I loved sharing and writing about everything I knew and loved about travel. I just didn’t know how to turn all of my experience and knowledge into a career.

I always had an entrepreneurial spirit but had no idea on what, when, or how to get started.

After years of immersing myself in travel, I began studying as much as I could about the travel industry and how to start a business online. I came across countless amount of information about the shifts in the travel industry such as how travel brands and companies are trying to build deeper connections with travelers and new strategies to provide ultimate transformative experiences. The way people travel is changing, the way travel brands are marketing is different, the way people value travel is shifting, the travel incentives that companies are offering employees are growing, and there’s a massive boom in digital nomad and remote work. 

The majority of my travels were during the prime time of the travel industry change.  I went from a traveler who used a flip phone and paid to use computers wherever I could and carried around a paper map to a current traveler that has access to all of the travel apps, technology, and websites that are now available.

So I totally get it. I experienced and saw the travel trends, problems, voids, and desires.  I knew what travelers wanted, how people reacted to travel brands, what was popular to travelers, why people traveled, how everyone’s story was special, and so much more.  I knew that my unique travel experience, knowledge, and story fit perfectly in the shift of the travel industry. 

As a traveler, we experience transformations, we learn why we travel, we know the power that travel can have, we know what travelers want, need, and dislike, we know about the world of digital nomads and what people want from employers, we know the freedom people seek, and we know what travel brand messaging resonates best with us. 

That’s when I decided to take action and start my dream career as a Travel Coach.  I knew that as a travel coach I could use my personal transformation, story, experiences, and expertise to help others who wanted to learn how to incorporate more travel into their lifestyles.  I knew that my experience as a traveler can help others design their dream lifestyle, experience the power of travel on their own life, find out why they travel so they can have the transformative experiences they crave, empower them to be able to plan and book their travels on their own time and budget, and so much more.  Travel coaches base their expertise on their authentic travel experiences, their unique travel-related skills and knowledge, and their true passion for travel.

As the shift in the travel industry continues to head towards personalization, customization, and transformative experiences, the need for travel coaches grows.  From the wellness programs that companies integrate to the simple fact that people want to learn how to be more in control over their travel plans, travel coaching can be applied in so many aspects of the travel industry.

 

Want to learn more about coaching travel? Visit The Travel Coach Network