Travel Advisor, Agency Owner and Industry Advocate

Travel Agent Achievers Podcast

Going out on your own as a travel business owner, just before the world shut down, was not something that could be predicted.

Belle Goldie had worked in the industry for over 20years and had decided towards the end of 2019 that she wanted to make a change. To go out as a work from home Travel Agent. And what a change that was. From the hustle of an office to the quiet of a home environment.

As COVID-19 hit Australian shores and the borders closed, Belle worked around the clock like all travel advisors to bring her clients home, repatriate them to their home ports and consolidate hundreds of credits and refunds for her clients, just like you!

Not eligible for any government support, as she hadn’t been in business long enough to ‘qualify’ Belle was determined not to give up. Taking on a second job to help support the family and riding the roller coaster of emotions day in and out, working on the train for her travel business and travel clients whilst holding down a second job was not what she thought would happen to her dream.

After a fall at work, shoulder reconstruction and being in hospital recovering, it gave Belle the opportunity to come back to her “Why” and she knew that Travel was her life.

The travel bug hit as a 22 year old and having a supportive husband and family, her travel business was her heart. She knew she had to keep going. With family support, Belle poured everything into her travel business and joined “itravel” as a Franchisee - itravel Penrith.

The doors opened, she was thrilled with the response and her clients rebooking travel and then the Omicron variant burst onto the scene. Once again, closures, uncertainty, illness swept the world and Belle was facing another hurdle.

Determined and looking for answers, Belle started a Movement. (ATAG - Aussie Take Action Group for Travel Advisors as a Facebook Group.)

What was to be and had to be cancelled due to the Omicron outbreak were a series of rallies. This however became bigger when a national day of action was confirmed - Tuesday 25th April 2022, whereby travel Advisors from around Australia met with local government offices and members of parliament to get their story across.

With the support of AFTA, CLIA and CATO, the message is clear and travel advisors need support to help come through this time.

Especially as there is currently 8 Billion Dollars worth of Travel Credits from Aussies, sitting with suppliers that the general public will need the professional support from Travel Advisors to utilise and navigate the ever changing travel landscape as we come through this time.

To get involved or read up on what the Travel Industry bodies are also saying in Australia - check out www.travelagentachievers.com/Episode60