Across continents and time zones, travel professionals are showing unwavering dedication to an industry that continues to evolve. More than just a job, travel has become a calling for many entering the profession, driven by human connection, a love for discovery, and a sense of purpose that fuels resilience in even the most complex environments.
These insights have come from UAE-based RateHawk’s latest global study, “What Supercharges Travel Professionals”, which dives into the motivations, challenges, and tech habits of more than 1,300 travel experts across Europe, the Americas, Asia, and the GCC.
Passion, people and purpose
The data paints a compelling picture, where the majority of travel professionals aren’t just passing through. They are in it for the long haul. Globally, 42% have more than 15 years of experience, with European markets like Italy (68%), Germany (64%), and Spain (52%) leading the charge.
Yet, there’s a fresh wave rising. A significant 18% have joined the industry in the past three years, and in the GCC, one in five professionals is relatively new to the scene. This new vibrant mix of seasoned pros and fresh talent is sparking a dynamic, cross-generational workforce with incredible potential.
For the MENA travel and tourism sector, this dual trend is gold. Regional suppliers, tourism boards, and destination marketers have a chance to engage both long-established experts and ambitious newcomers in tailored ways to educate, inspire, and innovate.
An eye-opening 93% of travel professionals work in businesses with fewer than 50 people. Many are in small teams of two to five staff members, especially in Europe and Latin America. The GCC and Asia, however, show much higher concentrations of medium-sized agencies with teams of up to 50 members.
Solo professionals are less common in the GCC, where collaboration and structured teams dominate. This no doubt creates many opportunities for B2B suppliers to support agencies with streamlined solutions that boost efficiency, especially for time-strapped teams.
“Success depends on every team member, which is why RateHawk develops tech-driven tools to help agents excel and deliver outstanding service with less effort,” – Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk
Despite the fast pace, job satisfaction is impressively high: 92% of agents globally are satisfied or very satisfied in their roles. Latin America tops the chart at 95%, with the GCC close behind. Just 1% globally said they were dissatisfied.
What’s driving this positivity? The chance to design unforgettable trips (51%), explore the world (42%), and hear client appreciation (39%) are top motivators. Financial rewards ranked lower (15%), underscoring the industry’s heart-led nature.
In the GCC, the love of travel leads: 45% are most inspired by exploring new destinations — something suppliers in the region should be actively feeding with fam trips, creative itineraries, and immersive content.
To stay inspired and ahead of the curve, agents are leaning into ongoing learning. Nearly half attend industry events and set personal goals, while 31% regularly join webinars and training sessions. Others experiment with AI tools, nurture partnerships, or go on personal trips to craft better client journeys.
This thirst for knowledge is a clear signal to suppliers: now is the time to deliver meaningful, bite-sized, and tech-friendly learning experiences that genuinely support travel agents’ success.
How MENA players can harness these insights
- Build loyalty: Develop loyalty tools that recognise experience, not just sales.
- Train smarter, not longer: Create more engaging micro-learning formats, for example video snippets, gamified quizzes, AI-enabled interactive guides, and the like to deliver product knowledge in easily consumable bite-sized nuggets.
- Better storytelling: Agents are emotionally driven by exploration and client joy, so suppliers should win their hearts with powerful narratives. Use immersive VR previews, ‘storyselling’ content, or personalised reels to showcase local hidden gems.
- Host curated fam trips: Offer short, high-impact familiarisation trips with hands-on experiences that are practical, inspiring, social-media-ready and most of all, memorable and easy to sell.
- Invest in useful tech: Smaller teams need plug-and-play solutions. Integrate tech that simplifies itinerary building, booking processes, and upselling to free agents up to focus on the human side of travel – connection.
- Keep feedback loops alive: Stay engaged with agents regularly to understand the support they need. Learn what tools they wish existed, and how they prefer to engage. In the MENA region especially, where interpersonal relationships are key, personal engagement goes a long way.
There’s no question the travel agents and agencies are evolving, balancing digital transformation with a human-first spirit. For the MENA region, there’s a ripe opportunity to tap into this energy.
“The travel industry has always attracted passionate specialists who love exploring the world themselves and helping others create meaningful experiences. Our mission is to empower both veterans and newcomers with technology-driven solutions that streamline routine tasks and focus their energy on the parts of the job they enjoy most. This report reflects our commitment to supporting the travel professionals’ community and driving the sustainable development of the travel industry in general. We believe that by better understanding the real needs and motivations of travel professionals, stakeholders can create more relevant solutions.” – Kastberg
