RateHawk survey highlights top challenges and tech needs for North American travel pros

A new survey from RateHawk shows that while 92% of travel professionals say they’re happy in their jobs, many continue to face operational hurdles such as intense competition, rising client expectations and the time-consuming task of finding the best deals.

A quarter of global respondents cited competition as their top challenge, with higher pressure in fast-growing regions such as the GCC and Asia. 

For North America, nearly four in 10 respondents said searching for competitive travel offers is their most time-consuming task.

Maintaining income also remains a concern, with 15% identifying it as a challenge and one-third saying higher commissions are the most desired change. 

“The travel industry is known for its low margins, and, with constantly rising travel costs, every opportunity to earn additional commission is crucial,” said Astid Kastberg, managing director at RateHawk.

To manage these challenges, 27% of North American respondents said they would like to integrate more technology into their work.

The most in-demand solutions are automation tools (61%) and AI-powered personalization tools (45%).

“Finding the right option in such a complex and fragmented market is a real challenge, which is why we’re constantly expanding our supply and introducing advanced filters to make things easier for agents,” Kastberg noted.

About one-third of respondents expressed interest in improved mobile booking capabilities, with higher demand among early-career agents compared to industry veterans. 

Interest in AI tools and advanced analytics was also strong, particularly in North America, Asia, and Latin America.

“Travel professionals believe that, with smart tools, they will more effectively cope with administrative work and various time-consuming tasks,” said Kastberg. 

“In a rapidly changing market, innovations help them stay competitive and deliver greater results to their clients, that’s why it’s so important to support them in technology adoption.”

The findings are part of RateHawk’s “What Supercharges Travel Professionals” report, which surveyed more than 1,300 travel professionals across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the GCC.

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