Kirsty Tate is the Training Manager at Mobile Travel Agents (MTA). Although she has always loved to travel, she came into the travel industry relatively late in life.
“Every day I am reminded how lucky I am to be working in it. Thank you for the opportunity to share my passion,” Kirsty said.
Travel Monitor caught up with Kirsty to talk all things travel.
What does your job involve?
The development and delivery of the MTA training strategy, which includes induction training for our new advisors, regional training and supplier sessions to support our existing advisors and online training modules to ensure continual professional development. Most recently, the development of an extensive accreditation program – MTA Professional Plus.
What do you enjoy most about your profession?
I get to work in the greatest industry (travel) doing something that I am passionate about – helping our advisors become the best travel industry professionals they can be – whatever that means to them.
What are the biggest challenges for you in your profession?
One of my biggest challenges is recognising the core qualities of our most successful advisors and distilling those down into a teachable form. In our hectic world of client demands and continual change, professional development is usually one of the first things to get put on the standby list. I am always seeking new ways to keep the passion for training and development alive for our busy members.
What do you think are the biggest challenges the industry faces?
For the last few years, the allure of booking your own travel online has led customers to ask themselves “why do I need a travel professional when I can do everything myself”. As the industry continues to evolve in this manner, our members can no longer simply rely on superior product and destination knowledge. How they promote and position themselves is becoming equally important. In other words, they must think like business owners. At MTA, we are committed to the ongoing training and development of every member, because we know that this is integral to their success – helping them to build their own business, whilst offering their clients amazing travel experiences.
What do you think will be the biggest game changer in the travel industry in the next 12 months’?
I’m a firm believer that it’s not what happens to you in life, but how you respond to it that counts. That’s why I’m more focused on helping our agents build a strong foundation, with the capacity to deal with any ‘game changers’ the industry might throw their way.
Who would you invite on your next holiday if you could choose anyone and where would you go?
As cliched as it sounds, I would invite my husband, who is my most favourite travel companion. We share the same craving to visit new destinations and experience different cultures. I would take him to Oman. I get the feeling that travellers to Oman 100 years ago would be seeing and experiencing much the same thing that you would see and experience today. You could say that I’m an old-world traveller!
