You Need to Know!

By Peter Coloyan, MCC

I cannot emphasize how important a good knowledge of geography is to the success of any individual travel consultant. Many years ago, when I was hiring for positions within my retail travel agencies, I would insist upon either travel school graduation or two years’ practical agency experience as a prerequisite for hire. I quickly learned that both those “qualified” employees lacked one very important “tool of the trade” — an acceptable knowledge of geography.
It was very clear one day when an “experienced” agent was dealing with the pastor of a local church who was looking to purchase 16 tickets to Libreville, Gabon to assist a foreign mission. The agent immediately asked the pastor, “How do you spell that?” which he did. After searching for the code in our CRS, and checking through our preferred consolidators’ destination guides for five or so minutes, the agent came and asked me privately, “Where is Gabon?” He had thought it was in South America and was searching through Latin America consolidators and was “not having any luck.”
Although Libreville, Gabon may not be a very popular destination, and is certainly an extreme example of a lack of knowledge of world geography, I felt then, as I do today, that travel agents who consider themselves “experienced” in this profession must have a thorough command of the “layout” of our global travel market.
STUDY AND TEST YOURSELF!
From that time on, I required that all new employees be able to pass an introductory geography test that I had developed with 80% correct, and that all existing employees must participate in ongoing geography training, and must pass the subsequent, and increasingly more difficult and specialized, tests with a 90% or better proficiency in order to receive raises and bonuses.
I have had six former employees who have gone on to own their own travel agency and each one has utilized this practice to make themselves and their front line agents more knowledgeable and efficient.
The “introductory” test included questions on 20 U.S. state capitals, and 10 basic international destinations that anyone who is even considering working in travel must know, such as; (where are) London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Moscow, Tokyo, Sydney, Acapulco, Toronto, Rio de Janeiro? If even an entry level agent cannot get at least 80% correct, then there is significant work to be done!
Ongoing training and tests became more specialized, focusing on Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada, Africa and Asia/South Pacific.
The point I am trying to make is that, in this current environment where Home Based agents must effectively educate themselves on all facets of our industry, many tend to let geography become an “as needed” part of our profession. But, you should not discount the value of an expert knowledge of geography. And you should constantly extend that knowledge to include not just capital cities and major cities, but landmarks, natural and man made, as well.
You never know when Waldo will ask you to find him a trip that will allow him to visit Ayers Rock, the Great Barrier Reef, the Great Wall, the Taj Mahal, the Himalayas and cruise the Yangtze river — all during one long vacation!
Clients expect you to know where everything is, and if you study and test yourself constantly, you will learn — a little at a time. The truth is that you will never know everything, but you’ll know enough to be sure not to try and send good old Waldo to South America.

Peter Coloyan is president of SmartTraveler.com, Inc., dba HomeBased TravelAgents.com