WHY IT RATES: The TASK Live event was successfully held in Cancun, Mexico with travel agents eager to grow their businesses. —Codie Liermann, Senior Editor

Tammy Levent, Founder and President of the Travel Agent Success Kit (TASK), held her most recent TASK Live event in Cancun, Mexico. The event took place at Dreams Vista, where Carlos Gonzalez (BDM) spoke on the AMResorts brands as well as what’s new on the horizon. This was Levent’s first event in Mexico since the COVID-19 pandemic. TASK was created with a goal of teaching agents how to grow and maintain their businesses, and Cancun’s event focused on how to handle COVID-19-related travel issues.

A total of 20 travel agents attended. The industry needs agents back, and TASK is the perfect program to keep the momentum for travel agents who want to be the best in the business. Levent hosted TASK events mid-pandemic as she understands the importance of ongoing training. She realized that agents needed to maintain and create new relationships during and after the pandemic to find their success. This latest event taught agents more than ever how to leverage themselves in the industry and build strategic partnerships with vendors.

While agents learned new ways of marketing, new ways of making money, new ways to talk to clients and how to best connect with tour operators, the event was centered on FIT bookings to Europe. Tammy fully understands the industry after owning her own successful travel agency, Elite Travel, for 30 years.

TASK Prep training courses are now offered in tier levels. The first tier helps agents prepare for a brand new career in the travel industry. TASK Live teaches agents how to get bookings, maintain vendor relations and increase profits. TASK Live Elite teaches how to build on travel experiences, how to hire IC’s and how to build a sustainable brand.

Levent says, "Our ambassador program is the next step for those who have gone through TASK Live and TASK Elite. Once agents reach Ambassador level, they get to join any class they want for a smaller fee! It’s really important for all agents to participate in ongoing education, as this is necessary to be successful in our ever changing travel industry.”

Keisha Lawrence, President of Masterpiece Vacations, was excited to attend the event as an ambassador. She states, "As a TASK Ambassador, I am the elite of the elite in training up and coming travel advisors. I continue to attend TASK because success is a continuing evolution and in an industry that is always changing, TASK puts me in front of the best of the best in the industry. Now that I have graduated I become part of the change to make the industry better by helping others."

S. Nikki Giles, Certified Travel Agent with Xquisite Luxury Travel, also attended the Cancun event. She states, “I decided to attend TASK Live because I wanted more for my business. This industry is ever-changing and I felt like that there was so much I was missing out on as an agent to help my clients and business more. This opportunity has been eye-opening as Tammy has a wealth of information to share if you're open and ready to do the work. Connections and partnerships are key to anything and I am glad to be a part of this. To any agents that are new, branching out on their own, or seasoned and looking to grow their business, TASK LIVE is for you!”

Levent also invited guest sponsors to share their industry secrets. The knowledge shared during the event gave agents the tools needed to profitably develop their travel business. Alex Fanoudis, managing director of Inter Alpha Travel, flew in from Greece as a guest speaker to promote Greece. He states, “I am glad to come all the way from Greece to meet the best TASK agents at this most important time of the tourism restart! It is a pleasure to promote Greece to TASK agents, as they can now get access to all of the new products and features that Greece has to offer at this time.”

John Van Den Heuvel, President of GOGO Vacations, was the keynote speaker at the travel training event. "Levent’s TASK has continuously provided travel agents, both veterans and those new to the industry, the tools needed to grow and develop their business. I was proud to be the keynote speaker for this year’s event to not only celebrate the return of leisure travel that our industry is experiencing, but also to celebrate the travel agents who are passionate and driven to be a part of that growth as we drive forward into summer and fall travel."

A second sponsor, David Chait, CEO of Travefy, states “Travefy is sponsoring TASK Live because we recognize this is a critically important time in our industry. After a challenging year, the rebound in travel represents an opportunity for agents to scale their travel businesses in new and amazing ways. Tammy and TASK cultivate the future of our industry and we’re thrilled to work together and help support the next generation of travel agents." Other sponsors included LTP Luxury Travel Partners, who joined in from Italy using Zoom.

The Cancun TASK event helped agents prepare for 2022, a year Levent predicts traveling numbers will double. On working with vendors Levent said, “You should only work with so many vendors. When you do, your leverage is greater and you get to build on the strategic partnerships that can easily last a lifetime.” The success of this most recent TASK Live event has created the need for more training sessions, both domestic and abroad. TASK will also create separate events for small groups and large groups.

Task Live Elite will be held in Greece in October 2022. This will create the hands-on experience these agents need to be able to sell the world and become leaders as well as future educators.

SOURCE: Tammy Levent press release.