Travel agent — past or future?

Summary

The article reflects on the impact of the pandemic on the travel industry, the personal experience of unemployment, and the potential for recovery and reinvention in the field of tourism.

Abstract

The travel industry has been severely affected by the pandemic, leading to widespread unemployment, including the author's experience of being laid off from a travel agency. Despite the challenges, there is optimism for the future of tourism, with an emphasis on the need for resilience and adaptation. The author has turned to writing as a coping mechanism and a way to maintain a connection to the travel industry, suggesting that while the road to recovery will be difficult, there is still a place for travel agents amidst the rise of online booking platforms.

Opinions

The author acknowledges the unexpected and devastating impact of the pandemic on global tourism, an industry previously considered robust and perpetually growing.
There is a sense of personal disappointment and introspection regarding the fragility of the tourism sector and its impact on employment and the global economy.
The author questions the future role of travel agents, considering the rise of online booking engines and potential changes in consumer behavior due to the pandemic.
Despite the setbacks, the author expresses a positive outlook, emphasizing the importance of reinvention and the pursuit of new opportunities within the travel industry.
Writing about personal travel experiences has become a therapeutic outlet for the author, suggesting that even in difficult times, passion and creativity can provide solace and purpose.

Maybe a sequel to The tremendous adventures of a travel agent in times of pandemic.

The who questions…

Who will ever believe that the entire world will have to face this pandemic and millions of people will become unemployed? I can relate that it is very disappointing. Maybe the ones who are getting through this can agree. You choose a career based on your interests, aspirations, even passions and you get to go through that.

Who would have thought the field of tourism is so fragile? Everybody bet that tourism will never die. People have been travelling for years, that’s why this domain is so profitable. But suddenly stopped. The world entered a black hole and we do not have a single clue when this will get back on track. But let’s think positive because it is the perfect time to reinvent and discover new horizons.

Decreasing the tourism industry has affected many employees that work in hotels, travel agencies, airline companies, and small businesses that rely on tourism. By this huge number of people getting unemployed, the world economy leads into a crisis, tourism being 10% of the world’s GBP (Gross Domestic Product), and jobs.

Last month I received a notification from the travel agency where I have been working for almost two years, that they had to dismiss over thirty people and I was one of them. It was shocking news and for two weeks I kept thinking and questioning myself why I was among the chosen ones. Even if the principal reason was the pandemic and the business dropping 70% by the end of the year, this affects your self-esteem and self-confidence more than you think. This breakdown can leave some serious marks in your system.

Skipping this negative aspect, you are asking yourself, is tourism going to recover? Is it worth to keep playing this game? It will be hard? The answer is yes, but it will be a long road ahead with lots of obstacles and only tough people will get through. My mind was focusing on how hard will be to find a job, considering the situation these days. Will people still need travel agents or they will replace them with online booking engines and robots? Maybe some of them will believe that it is safer to use a travel agent, some not. People will travel again, even if there will be restrictions. They will feel that they need to escape from the routine, to discover other places, to meet new people, the activities that involve travel.

It said that to clear your mind out of negative things; Replace it with another one you enjoy. My passion for writing started last year when I wrote about my getaways in Europe and kept them as drafts on my laptop. I didn’t dare to publish them because I was insecure and I did not have much time to deliver stories, but in the last 2 weeks, I focused on things such as travel, tourism, travel agent, sustainability and pollution. I searched in my old folders for my stories and polished them a little before publishing them.

In a very enthusiastic way helps you, even when you are angry and frustrated. You get your mind isolated in the world of writing, to help you get rid of bad thoughts. You are trying to train your brain to repress the negativity and to focus on things that will help you create. This behaviour helps only if you want to achieve an excellent knowledge of writing skills and by this point, I think it is working.

Maybe I chose the wrong field, maybe it is a sign that I need to change my career aspirations or it is just a passing period, I didn’t decide yet, but I mixed my passion and my job, by writing about being a travel agent and where I had the chance to explore by only working in a travel agency. I think it is a plus, even if I lost the other part of the deal, but the memories are still alive.