I recently attended two consumer events: a food and wine show and an African-themed evening. And while I’ve been in this business a long time, I’m pleased (and a little embarrassed) to tell you how much I learned.

Not learned about the business, or about what we offer. But about how little the consumer knows and understands exactly what we do.

Have you ever heard “Travel agents?  They still exist?” I hear it a lot, and yes it drives me crazy, but it also shows how we have fallen behind in educating the travelling public. Too many consumers are under the mistaken impression that the Internet has replaced us. Why would you need an agent when there’s all that info out there? For free? Wrong, wrong, wrong!

We all owe it to ourselves to get out there and constantly beat the drum about what we do, how we can save clients countless hours, lots of money and perhaps even heartbreak (which can happen when a consumer books direct with a dodgy supplier overseas).

So that’s my New Year’s resolution. I’m going to polish my elevator speech – that 90-second ‘What I Do For A Living’ self-introduction. I am going to participate in more consumer events. I’ll be happy to educate consumers about what the team of independent advisors at Vision can do for them. And I’m going to shout it out.

And, of course, I’m going to wish each and every Sphere reader a happy, healthy and prosperous 2017!