Growing into a leadership role isn't always the most pleasant experience. Though it comes with a sense of accomplishment, a high level of responsibility is necessary, and it can oftentimes be a lonely place. Faced with a lack of community for leaders in the travel world, Jennifer Doncsecz, President of VIP Vacations Inc, created The Travel A.L.L.I.E.S. Society.
"In the height of Covid, I felt very supported by the women who made up the Female Leaders in Travel Conclave. These women made the dark days of covid a little brighter. I realized that this small collective of women could be expanded (among both men and women) and serve as a means of creating a community for leaders in travel," Doncsecz shared.
With a strong belief that growing the leader will elevate the industry, the network aims to align leaders within the travel industry who inspire, educate and support each other.
"Our focus is on leadership development because we believe that growing the leader in turn grows the business! What I discovered once this society was launched is how truly needed and wanted this was! We have received over 300 requests for an invitation to join," said Doncsecz.
The society successfully hosted three events in 2021, including Female Leaders in Travel Conclave in Cancun, Young Leaders in Travel Council in Jamaica and most recently ELEVATE Leaders in Travel Symposium in Riviera Maya.
The events are not geared towards selling travel or learning to sell a specific destination or brand but rather are focused on inspiring travel advisors who hold leadership roles to rise up and become even better.
The in-person events provided an energy that had been missing during the long dark months of the pandemic.
"Travel A.L.L.I.E.S. opened my heart when I thought I was alone facing fears that weren't accepted in our profession. It enabled me to talk freely without criticism but with understanding. It empowered me to come back to my desk and have the strength to rebuild my goals and passion," Donna Carlin, Owner of Stepping Out Travels, shared.
In addition to travel advisors, the society has several industry partners including Playa Hotels & Resorts, Globus family of brands and ALG Vacations, among others. Playa hosted an elaborate White Night at Hilton Playa del Carmen during the ELEVATE Leaders in Travel Symposium.
Andrea Wright, Vice President of Travel Industry Sales, Playa Hotels & Resorts, has been a supporter of A.L.L.I.E.S. from the start and was recently awarded 2021 Vendor Individual Partner of the Year.
"This group was exactly what our industry needed, we needed to come together, put the competition aside and army up to compete against the negative series of unfortunate events coming our way. It was a time to work with suppliers and travel advisors to make our industry stronger. I did not hesitate, I asked, where do I sign?" Wright said.
In attendance at the symposium were industry icons such as Zane Kerby, President/CEO, ASTA; Vicki Freed, Senior Vice President, Royal Caribbean International; and Paula Hayes, Vice President Sales, Globus Family of Brands.
Many of the travel advisors at the events this year left with incredible takeaways and newfound energy they were missing for months during the pandemic.
"In all my years in business, I have not seen anything like the open, heartfelt communication with so many successful, high level people sharing their insights, successes and failures. All in the spirit of collective leadership improvement," said Robert Deobil who serves as the treasurer on the A.L.L.I.E.S. executive board.
John Long, Vice President Sales at Iberostar Resorts, also had a positive experience at the event: "Being a part of the A.L.L.I.E.S. Elevate helped me bond further with the industry leaders that I knew as well as helped me develop a bond with industry leaders that I had never met. This leadership event exceeded my expectations. Interacting with the leaders of A.L.L.I.E.S was an extremely rewarding experience."
A.L.L.I.E.S. is in a position to grow significantly over the next year with more events already in the works. The society plans to vet 100 members before the end of the year and continue adding members into 2022; however, members are carefully selected through a tight vetting process.
To join The Travel A.L.L.I.E.S. Society, members must have at least five years of experience in the travel industry and at least three ICs or employees reporting to them and be in good standing with all travel brands.
"We want to grow our community but stay true to our values which means we are taking baby steps. We are planning to have a Female Leaders Conclave in June 2022, a Young Leaders in Travel event in September 2022 and our symposium in October," Doncsecz shared, adding that there may be additional events and that the society is also focusing on expanding a mentorship program for younger agents.
"Grow the Leader, Elevate the Industry" is a big step in the right direction for building momentum in the travel industry.
To learn more about The Travel A.L.L.I.E.S. Society, click here.
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