CEO Wendy Burk defines the most important quality of a travel specialist

Enthusiasm at its best. Photo Credit: Aimee Leon, Director of Leisure Travel Services at Cadence

Wondering what it takes to be a successful travel specialist at a reputable travel company like Cadence? CEO & Founder, Wendy Burk, was recently featured in this Travel Market Report article with other agency executives to discuss what guides their decision making process when acquiring new talent.

If you're currently considering joining a host travel agency, it's safe to assume you are taking your travel career pretty seriously. Below you'll find how today's industry leaders will determine just how serious you are about your success.

1. Asking direct questions about your integrity and business potential that will reveal your passion, history, dedication and knowledge. In some cases, you might even face a background check or in the least, be searched out on social media.

2. Evaluating how prepared you are to sell, based on your personality as well as people and communication skills.

3. Measuring your enthusiasm.

... Wendy Burk is particularly attuned to the passion that potential affiliates bring to their specialty or niche. 

“If they are into spas, then they’re going to love it and they’re going to want to do it, and they can sell it. We look for someone who’s passionate about travel and who wants to help people and be in a service industry.”

Cadence, a member of Virtuoso, works with about 120 “independent affiliates,” who comprise its entire leisure team, said Burk. She is a former independent contractor who opened her own agency in part to help independents succeed. In addition to passion, the firm looks for independents who are “entrepreneurial” and have “a desire to continue to educate themselves,” Burk said.

4. Measuring how serious you are about business, based on your motivation and determination. Do you have or can you build a strong following? What are you willing to invest?

5. Gauging your individual commitment within the business. Host agencies cannot require travel specialists to work full time or track hours, meaning you will have to find a way to show what you're willing to give to the business.

With all the host agencies out there, it's also crucial to find out if we're right for you. Learn more about a career with Cadence by visiting joincadencetravel.com.