The Advantage Travel Partnership has launched a campaign and survey to find an alternative name for travel agents to better reflect the breadth of their roles.
The poll has been unveiled on Friday (September 6) – National Travel Agent Day – to gather data from consortium members and the wider industry.
A recent Advantage Business Impact Survey of members found 50% of respondents suggested they were in favour of a name change, putting forward alternatives such as ‘Travel Professional’ and ‘Travel Consultant’.
They also highlighted that a rebrand could do a good job of reaching younger customers.
More: National Travel Agent Day set for September 6
Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive, said: “At Advantage, we have worked incredibly hard over the last few years to raise the profile of the travel agent and truly believe it is a role that is more well-known and more valued than ever before.
“However, we also believe that now is a time for change and to rebrand and modernise the profession to make sure that the title reflects the depth and breadth of the role.
“National Travel Agent Day is the perfect opportunity to relaunch the travel agent as it’s traditionally a day to celebrate the great work that agents do.
“We know from speaking to our members that there is a real appetite to rebrand the travel agent to something akin to Travel Specialist, Travel Consultant or Personal Travel Advisor as they feel that the term travel agent is outdated.
“We are really looking forward to seeing further suggestions through our poll and the evolution that will inevitably come from this campaign.”
Advantage highlighted the role that agents play as experts, professionals and influencers who inspire people to travel, while maintaining a duty of care to their customers.
“Today the profession of the travel agent is an incredibly dynamic one that requires multiple skills,” it said in a statement.
“Modern-day travel agents offer personalised assistance throughout the whole process of planning and booking holidays, business trips and other experiences whilst also providing advice on destinations, transport, accommodation and activities that are tailored to individual traveller preferences.
“Agents also consider budgets, affordability and getting the best deals for their customers.
“Crucially, they are also on hand to provide expert support for when things go wrong. In the ever-changing world of digital activity, travel agents are becoming increasingly tech-savvy, using social media to maximise their profile and taking on the role of travel influencers, inspiring their followers to book their next trip.”
A link to the survey can be found here.