Co-Founders Discuss the Launch of Association of Black Travel Professionals Travel Host Agency

Two of the travel industry’s most experienced and influential advisors have extended their organization, the Association of Black Travel Professionals (ABTP), to encompass a ground-breaking host agency.

ABTP Travel is the brainchild of ABTP founders Veranda Adkins and Shawnta Harrison, who aim for no less than an upheaval in the advisor-host agency relationship.

The retail travel landscape is populated by a multitude of host agencies, including programs offered by some of the largest and most prominent retail travel networks. There are even websites dedicated to finding host agencies.

Still, Adkins and Harrison identified a need for a responsive host agency partner dedicated to empowering travel professionals with critical industry knowledge, tools and resources. Recognizing that many host agencies were not performing effectively for their members, the pair teamed up to create ABTP Travel in January.

Led by another seasoned travel professional, Brittany Shuford, the group’s director of agency development, ABTP Travel offers comprehensive education and training programs designed to cultivate expertise, foster innovation and support agency growth.

TravelPulse spoke recently with Adkins and Harrison to discuss the factors that led them to create their host agency.

TP: How did the idea of forming a host agency originate?

SH: [Advisors] felt like they didn't want to be a number. They didn't want to be a part of host agencies who could not pick up the phone and have conversations with them.

Veranda and I were both doing a lot of what host agencies are supposed to be doing, so we said since we’re already doing it, you know, why not? So that's where ABTP host agency came to fruition. We saw the need.

TP: Is there a type of advisor that’s particularly suited for ABTP Travel?

VA: ABTP Travel is really for those agents that are new to the industry, who want to come in and learn how to sell travel. This is not tied to recruiting other people or doing something like that.  We have developed a training program and we have ABTP’s professional development organization, so it's not just them learning from myself and Shawnta they’re also learning from the people running the host agency side.

TP: Why do advisors need the support of an effective host agency?

VA: I think one of the biggest things is that people get into the industry and it gets lonely because you're at home by yourself, working. I’ve always said all [an advisor] needs is someone to clear things up and answer questions.

TP: There are already a lot of travel host agencies. What makes you believe there’s a need for another?

SH: We have some members who are currently with host agencies, and the conversations and phone calls we’ve received let us know we don't want any more [host agencies] like these! I feel like I should be able to reach out to my host to ask questions.

The [advisors] Veranda and I spoke with don't feel like they can ask their host agency questions. Something is wrong if you have a host agency where you can't pick up the phone or send an e-mail and get a response within a certain amount of time. To me that screams a problem and that's one of the issues that we are trying to address.

TP: What has been your approach when addressing advisors who are already ABTP members?

SH: We sent the message out to the ABTP members to say, ‘Hey, if you are with a host [agency] and you love it, stay with ABTP the professional development organization. You do not have to being a part of ABTP the host agency, because that is totally separate. So it's not a matter of us trying to take any business from any other host agencies or anything like that. We’re literally just trying to feel a need because we've seen it in the community we work within.

TP: So you are not requiring ABTP members to join the host agency?

VA: I think that’s one of the great things about ABTP, is that we've [operated] the professional development organization since 2020.  We want to help everybody, so you can be a part of another host agency, or you can be independent and be a part of ABTP.

TP: What is your initial messaging to new travel advisors?

VA: There is no such thing as free travel. Suppliers are sending you on fams because they see the potential of what you've already done or what you're already selling. I was in my office trying to get groups together and do all this stuff way before somebody ever called me and said, ‘Do you want to go on this trip?’

SH: [ABTP Travel members] can't sign up today and start booking travel tomorrow. They have to demonstrate that they have the skill set to be able to sell travel. It's a process. They will have to complete the training program before they can step out and sell vacations.

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