Travel agents around the world are more likely to be purpose-oriented (71%) compared to a 64% benchmark* in other industries, according to research released by G Adventures today. 
For agents identifying as adventure specialists, this figure rises to 80%, which is significant as being purpose-led and selling purpose-led product has been proven to have tangible, long-term business benefits.
The results from the world’s first global ‘Travel Agent Purpose Survey’ were first revealed by purpose-led small group adventure operator and social enterprise, G Adventures, at the industry’s first global purpose-led conference for travel agents, Change Makers, taking place in Peru from June 2 – 9, 2019, and have today been made public.
More than 100 agents from around the world earned their place in Peru, where they visited a number of G Adventures’ social enterprise projects and attending an inspirational keynote by the company’s founder, Bruce Poon TIp.
David Green, vice president of commercial at G Adventures, says the research is encouraging as the company shifts its focus from ‘trips sold’ to ‘lives changed’. He wants to reinforce to agency partners how powerful purpose can be to motivate employees, and remind them that G Adventures can partner with them to share learnings from their differentiated, purpose-driven sales process.
“We see our role as helping our agents find more purpose, passion and happiness. In 2013 we renamed our sales managers ‘global purpose specialists’ to emphasise the importance of purpose in the selling process, as opposed to just being focussed on profit. We want our agents to remember why they love working in travel, and why it’s rewarding to send their customers on a life-changing G Adventures tour.
“Travel agents have been a part of G Adventures’ lifeblood since our inception, and it is part of our job to ensure they are educated on how the trips we sell give back to the world around them. At G Adventures our purpose is to change lives through travel, and that includes the lives of our travellers, the lives of local people in the places we visit, and the lives of our important travel agency partners,” says Green.
G Adventures’ inaugural Change Makers conference is just one way the small group adventure operator will be harnessing the power of purpose with agents following the encouraging results from the first ‘Travel Agent Purpose Survey’.
Key global findings from the ‘State of Purpose in Travel’ survey include:
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71% of travel agents identify as being purpose-oriented (this was 64% in the LinkedIn survey which crosses industries, so travel is a more purpose-led industry)
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This increases to 80% for agents who identify as adventure specialists
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Travel agents are 34% more likely to be promoters of their employers than those in other industries
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Adventure specialists are more likely to believe that responsible travel can change the world (89% vs. 83% non-adventure specialists)
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Adventure specialists are more committed to their employer (91% vs. 80% non-adventure specialists)
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