NEW YORK — Ahead of the upcoming National Travel & Tourism Week, as the tourism industry looks to expand understanding that travel is more than just a great vacation, modern travel agency Fora unveiled its latest training program, Book Better. This ongoing advocacy-focused series is designed for Fora’s community of travel advisors and prioritizes planning trips that make a difference — with inclusivity, sustainability and accessibility at the forefront.
Led by a team of Fora’s industry partners, including thought leaders, community experts and in-house specialists, each Book Better session also has a core emphasis on business — the content arms Fora Advisors with the tools and knowledge they need to grow their business through inclusive, ethical and sustainable travel.
“We’re launching Book Better with the goal of having meaningful conversations — and taking action — around these important topics,” Fora’s Co-Founder Henley Vazquez said. “The vision is to promote actionable dialogue and improve together. As a seasoned travel advisor myself, it’s important to me that we’re embracing a lifelong learning mindset. The Book Better program helps us to continuously improve the recommendations and resources we offer to the travelers who book with Fora.”
With its modern, tech-forward and inclusive approach, Fora was built to empower anyone to transform their passion for travel into a full- or part-time career as a travel advisor. With a diverse community of advisors based around the world, Fora’s approach is rooted in community and tech. The training program was developed by Fora’s Head of Training & Development, Ross Thomason.
“Fora offers its community of advisors a best-in-class training program to level up your business, whether you’re a seasoned pro or new to the industry,” Thomason said. “The Book Better program is designed to go beyond industry standard training and dive deep into meaningful topics focused on how we can book travel that’s better for the world.”
The Book Better program kicked off on April 27 with the first topic: accessible travel. The workshop for Fora Advisors highlighted business case for accessible travel, led by Fora Advisors Judy Tudor and Karen Morales.
There is a three-pronged approach to Tudor and Morales’ session, tethered to a focus of advocacy through business development. Following Tudor and Morales’ initial session with advisors, Fora will host roundtable discussions with its suppliers and partners and share data that showcases the growing demographic of travelers who prioritize accessible choices. Finally, Fora will bring these conversations full circle, returning to its advisors to share insights from suppliers.
“Judy and Karen’s collective experience is an incredible asset to our community,” Vazquez said. “They provide important insights on advocacy through business development, including how accessible travel can boost sales and benefit the industry as a whole.”
Following accessibility, Fora will continue the Book Better series with additional topics:
- Wildlife-friendly travel with World Animal Protection
- LGTBQ+ inclusive travel with the International LGBTQ+ Travel Association
- Sustainable & eco-friendly travel led by Kelley Louise, Fora’s Head of Marketing and Impact Travel Social Club Co-Founder
Book Better is just one example of Fora’s ongoing efforts to build a strong community of knowledgeable advisors.
“It’s important to me that we empower our advisors with best-in-class knowledge on all facets of travel,” Thomason said. “Focusing on key topics like inclusivity and sustainability – and tying them back to building a book of business – is how we can improve the world through booking decisions that are better for people, planet and profit. The Book Better program embodies this approach.”
About Fora
Launched in 2021, Fora is a new kind of travel agency, with a modern, tech-forward and inclusive approach. Built for the next generation of side hustlers and entrepreneurs, Fora empowers anyone with a passion for travel to earn flexible income booking trips – with expert training and marketing tools, an intuitive technology platform and global community hub. By overhauling industry pain points and removing barriers to entry, Fora is redefining and revitalizing the travel agent industry (one awesome trip at a time). Fora has been named one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies of 2023, one of PhocusWire’s Hot 25 Travel Startups for 2023 and one of Condé Nast Traveler’s “Bright Ideas in Travel” for 2022. Learn more at www.foratravel.com.