Not Just Travel launches online community hub for entire industry

Not Just Travel and its sister recruitment company, The Travel Franchise, have launched an online community hub for everyone who works in the travel industry.

The Travel Nation is aiming to bring everyone together for mutual support and promises a daily programme of interviews, podcasts, webinars and other content.

Content will be curated by travel industry experts, but also sourced from outside the sector, from business entrepreneurs, motivational speakers and coaches. 

"At this time of crisis we want to do our bit to help the entire industry; to unite us; to create a platform on which we can support each other, share information and pool our knowledge," said The Travel Nation co-founder Steve Witt.  

"Initially we set about putting together a training programme for our own consultants here at Not Just Travel, but then it soon became apparent that this information should be shared with the entire industry at a time when it needs it most. It seemed wrong to keep it to ourselves. 

"We can’t help the nation in the same way that the NHS staff are (and they are doing an amazing job), but we can help business owners, entrepreneurs and people in travel – so that’s what we decided to do. We’re all in this crisis together, and it’s important that we get through it together." 

Witt is keen to stress that the platform is open to the entire industry, including rival homeworking companies. 

"This is not a money-making idea or a promotion for Not Just Travel or The Travel Franchise – that’s why we have launched this completely separate brand: The Travel Nation," said Witt. "We hope that every single member of the travel industry will come together on this free-to-join platform to share their skills and knowledge and support their fellow workers and colleagues."

Tourist boards and suppliers have already agreed to take part in webinars and Facebook Live sessions in order to educate members about their specific products and share their thoughts and advice. 

Content on The Travel Nation will also touch on business and entrepreneurial skills. Money management; how to market their business; telephone and sales techniques; social media and customer retention will also be covered and be delivered by relevant professionals from outside the travel sector, it said.

"Many people within the travel industry work for themselves. Particularly at this time of uncertainty they are extremely worried about their businesses – we’ll be advising them on how they can best ride this storm and, beyond, manage their businesses and give them the chance to up skill," said Witt.

Aspects of personal and mental development will also be touched upon. Within the first few days of launch one of the inaugural guests was a body and mind coach giving tips on how to manage anxiety. "This is an incredibly stressful time for everyone and The Travel Nation will continuously be looking at any of the issues that are affecting our members and the travel industry."

The hub’s aim it be a positive platform. "This is an opportunity to create some good out of what is a very unsettling time for us all. It’s not a community for rants and moans and negativity – it’s for the good of the industry, to make us stronger, more educated, to share our knowledge and come together. If we can come out of this not only better educated, more confident entrepreneurs and mentally stronger then it’s a source of good. Yet, beyond Covid-19, we hope The Travel Nation will remain a strong, supportive, inspirational platform in which the whole industry belongs and unites," added Wit.

To become part of community, search for The Travel Nation on Facebook to request free membership.