How one agent is helping new clients overcome their travel fears
A Holiday Village homeworker has joined forces with a hypnotherapist to offer free workshops that help prospective customers deal with travel-related stressors
A Sheffield-based homeworker has struck an innovative new partnership with a hypnotherapist, running Travel Anxiety Workshops online. The collaboration aims to equip participants with invaluable tools to overcome travel-related stress and anxiety – and help widen the reach of both businesses.
Emma Andrews, Personal Travel Consultant with The Holiday Village, met Esther Barnes, founder of North Star Hypnotherapy, through a local business networking group. “Esther offers a fear of flying programme,” explains Emma. “I had a really nervous traveller recently, so we got talking about that, and Esther had the idea that we could pool our resources.”
They advertised their free sessions on local Facebook groups in the Sheffield area, and Emma combed her database for those who had not made an enquiry yet with her.
They held their first workshop on Zoom, which was attended by three people, and they already have six signed up for the next one, in February.
Emma explains how they split the sessions across two dates, with the first focusing more on general, practical tips to help make the travel experience more enjoyable and the follow-up offering more tailored advice, combined with Esther’s hypnotherapy techniques.
“I had one lady who was very bothered by the planning and organising, and whether she was picking the right hotel. Another lady didn’t like flying – being on an aeroplane made her feel trapped – and her anxiety spread to the airport, which made the idea of going on holiday feel more challenging. None of them had booked with me yet – they were all prospective new clients.”
Growing impact of anxiety
Emma thinks holiday anxiety is becoming more prevalent, or perhaps people are just more willing to share their worries about travelling.
“We talk about mental health a lot more freely these days – it’s more acceptable to admit you’re feeling anxious and clients will share those feelings with me. Covid had a big impact on nervousness. I do think some people are more wary now of travelling.”
“We believe that addressing these concerns head-on can enhance overall travel experiences and contribute to a more relaxed and enjoyable journey.”
The feedback after the first workshop was really positive, says Emma, and she’s confident that bookings will come given time. “I’ve been working with the lady who was very nervous about planning, she’s got to know me now, and we’ve been going through every stage of the process.”
She adds: “As a homeworker, you tend to do a bit more hand holding anyway, but a lot of people don’t understand how much we do, so it’s nice to get close to these people and explain how I can help.”
Esther agreed, remarking: "We are thrilled with the positive response from participants. Our collaboration was born out of a shared commitment to making travel a stress-free and enjoyable experience for everyone."
Both hope their partnership can flourish, offering more help and support to nervous travellers. They plan to introduce in-person sessions as well as run the workshops online, but Emma says they will keep the groups small: “We want to be able to make the workshops quite personal and be able to discuss people’s individual triggers, so they have something to take away – that customisation is really important.”
Emma’s practical tips for nervous customers
- Plan ahead, but don’t over plan. Make sure there’s an element of flexibility within the itinerary.
- A full package often comes with a rep in resort, which is a useful back-up.
- Encourage fearful flyers to practice mindful techniques and use hypnotherapy recordings on the plane.
- Create check lists for customers to follow.
- For clients embarking with trepidation on a long-haul trip – perhaps they are desperate to reunite with family members living overseas – a successful shorter trip can help build their confidence. Pick a destination that’s easy to get to, safe, and familiar with hosting British tourists.
Recommended For You
Most read features
Competitions
Upcoming events
Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
