By Michael Baginski/ With tariffs, sovereignty threats, and fears over border privacy/security, the number of Canadians currently choosing to travel to the U.S. is clearly waning (by how much depends on the source, and mode of travel, i.e. air vs. car), however, one thing is certain according to a panel of top travel agents at a recent Virtuoso gathering in Toronto: travel advisors would be best advised to be like Switzerland and remain politically neutral on the matter when it comes to clients.
Addressing reports that some Canadian agents have been dissing the destination on social media, Susan Lawson, Director of Engagement, Trevello Travel Group, agreed, “You can’t avoid what’s happening, it’s a big elephant in the room. But with that being said, we are actually addressing any advisors that are putting out anything that’s derogatory or negative towards travelling to the U.S. We don’t agree with that, we don’t think that is the role of a professional travel advisor.
“So, we are working with the clients to really understand where their head’s at and to help them to see without giving them advice and without telling them what to do, but opening up their eyes to see other opportunities of what they can do without shutting them right down.”
Karen Marquardt Wyers of TTI Travel simply observed, “This is going to end! We’re all going to come out the other side and our relationships with our partners that are our closest allies really need to stay that way…”
When dealing with Canadian clients (she has American clients as well), Marquardt Wyers said she proudly puts a Canadian flag on her communications, explaining, “I think making people aware (of national pride) in certain situations is a really good idea, but I think eventually we’re coming out the other side and we’re still going to be friends and we’re still going to be neighbours, so let’s be nice!”
Meredith Burbidge, Director, Leisure Client Engagement at Direct Travel, said she is surprised by reports of agents communicating personal enmity towards the States to clients.
“Ultimately, I think most of us know that it’s not really about the people, or the individual hoteliers or product, it’s really this whole other thing. Ultimately, our advisors are allowing the clients to lead – clients who are looking for product that are not U.S.-owned in some cases, for now, because that’s their individual choice; or for other clients, that’s less of an important thing. It’s all over the map, what we’re seeing.”
Zebrano Travel’s Catherine Davis said she would “really hate” to see any travel advisors projecting personal political feelings onto clients, stating, “That is not a part of what we do! This is going away, and this will be in the past…
“I focus on trips and experiences for clients. And sometimes (despite) what’s going on between Canada and the U.S., (or) what’s going in the world, trips take you to a different place. That’s what we do, and I try to stay out of that (political) arena.”
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