In everyday life we have to make decisions that always don’t seem logical. We have to steer our business down the correct path and for the most part nothing is crystal clear or guaranteed. We have disruptions that make us think twice, and we must navigate back on track.
Hurricane Sandy recently affected many members of my family and a number of friends. At first you look astoundedly at the power and destruction of the storm and don’t even know where to start. Once the shock passes, you think about one thing and that is getting your life back to normal. Our office in New York City was closed for the week and we all had to work remotely. My car became my office with my iPhone and iPad as I had no electricity in my home and my car battery was my only source of power. We adjusted and helped each other out to make sure we had no disruption in our communications to you. Others that took a direct hit will be rebuilding for years.
In the aftermath of Sandy, another storm hit and that was the announcement of Protravel selling to Travel Leaders. As with the first storm, the phone calls and e-mails started coming in with questions. What does this mean for the future of travel advisors, wholesalers, consortia? What is being built? The ultimate consortia made up of Protravel, Tzell, Vacation.com, Nexion and Travel Leaders? If it all comes together, will this affect my business? From experience I can tell you that this storm is not over as more alignment of distribution channels will consolidate. The great news is that this is a strong forecast for our industry. Capital doesn’t come into the market if the future isn’t bright. More than ever you need to be aligned now with a partner that can bring a distinct advantage to your services.
The sun did come out after Sandy, and families in its path are rebuilding. I headed out to Signature Travel Network Sales Meeting & Trade Show in Las Vegas where I found travel advisors communicating with one another and gearing up for 2013. The theme of the conference was “Ahead of the Curve, Behind Every Member” and the team at Signature had a clear vision on what is needed to make every member successful. I am confident that Alex Sharpe, COO of Signature Travel Network (shown here with me) and his team will help navigate ahead of any storm that might come in 2013 and beyond.
Enjoy the holidays!