Bill Coyle has become an essential travel industry resource with over 30 years of experience leading his own brick and mortar travel agency, serving on several agent advisory boards, and advocating for travel advisors on a national level with the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA). His experience empowers and educates KHM Travel Group’s agents as the Vice President of Agent Engagement. As KHM Travel Group’s first-ever Limelight Award recipient for going above and beyond, Bill brings a spirited passion for travel in all his professional endeavors and continues to book travel for his longtime clients.
Travel Research Online (TRO): Hi, Bill. How are you today? Things seem to be quite busy over at KHM Travel Group.
Bill Coyle (BC): Hello! Yes, we’re always busy here supporting our advisors, but especially this time of year. We have so many exciting plans in the works for the remainder of this year and for our 20th anniversary in 2025.
TRO: You’ve been in the travel industry for 28 years, when you started Encompass the World Travel as an Agent/Owner in 1996. In this time, being a Travel Advisor has changed in many ways. What do you think are the most important changes that have happened since then?
BC: It’s incredible to think of selling travel now vs. back in the ‘90s. So much has changed with the products we’re selling and the sheer number of options out there for travelers looking for new and different vacation experiences. On the business side, technology has completely changed how advisors work. I don’t think I could have imagined what we’re seeing with social media, automation, and AI back when booking travel online wasn’t even a thought. Travel advisors today need to have an entirely new skill set to work with technology, but also the same drive and passion for helping people that’s always been a part of selling travel.
TRO: KHM has been in the business of helping Advisors stay in the know about current compliance standards since 2017. But recently they have introduced new ways for Advisors to stay up to date. One of these is a new hub at My Travel Agent Portal aimed at keeping Advisors informed. How does the portal accomplish this?
BC: Our Agent Portal is the main location where we share industry news, announcements about our host agency, and information agents need to run their businesses. We update it daily! Our Hubs are a new feature we’ve launched this year. Most recently, we released our Compliance Hub, which contains all the compliance information an advisor should be aware of. MyTravelAgentPortal is the one place for information, resources, and guides for both new and experienced agents.
TRO: The portal also includes information on the $2 million insurance policy for Errors & Omission, which is included in the membership for all members. Can you give me a bit of clarification on how this policy works?
BC: Errors & Omissions (E&O) insurance protects our advisors from claims if a client sues for negligent acts, errors, or omissions that result in a financial loss to the advisor. All KHM Travel Group Agents in good standing are covered under our E&O policy as an added value at no extra cost to them. We walk each advisor through the steps of submitting a claim if appropriate. Mistakes happen and the liability can be overwhelming. This protects the advisor and their business with some added peace of mind.
TRO: In the same news, KHM announced new roles and team members to help grow the support in Compliance & Resolution. Can you tell us anything about these new roles?
BC: We’ve had a Compliance & Resolutions Specialist on the team for many years, but this topic has become such an important part of running a business that we found the need to grow this department. With the recent promotion of our new Compliance & Resolution Manager, we now have an entire team working to support our advisors. We always tell advisors that our Compliance Team should be their first phone call if any issues arise with clients or bookings. The experience of this team is second-to-none, and our advisors are grateful to have them during these often stressful situations.
TRO: How many in-person events does KHM host per year, and are there any upcoming events Advisors should know about?
BC: I’m so proud to say that in 2024, we’re on track to host over 40 events this year! This includes our educational events in Ohio where we’re located, plus events across the U.S., exclusive FAMs, and Seminars at Seas. It’s amazing how much in-person learning and networking have grown. It’s proven to be such a game-changer. The biggest event on our radar for 2025 is our annual Crystal Conference in Orlando in March. It’s going to be an awesome experience with our entire team and hundreds of advisors in attendance. In 2025, we’ll also be hosting multiple Boot Camps, The Luxury Symposium, On the Concourse, and a very special new take on one of our cornerstone events next summer.
TRO: What are the primary differences between the live events Boot Camp 1.0 and Boot Camp 2.0?
BC: Boot Camp 1.0 is all about the foundation—travel basics, along with industry information and expectations. It’s usually the first of our events an agent attends so it’s a chance for them to meet the team, get hands-on practice, and develop friendships with other advisors.
Boot Camp 2.0 takes it to the next level with more advanced topics like financial management, marketing techniques, and business best practices. This event is for a more experienced agent who is looking for ways to grow and work smarter. While the content of each is different, they both include the same welcoming KHM Travel Group experience.
TRO: Regulations within the travel industry seem to be consistently shifting. Within the current industry, what is a recent regulation change that you think Advisors should be prepared for?
BC: The big topic we’re seeing right now is California’s Honest Pricing Law. We’ve seen our suppliers make adjustments to their advertising to remain compliant. We have a large group of California advisors and we’re preparing for this to expand to even more states. It’s an important change that all advisors across the country who charge service fees need to be aware of.
TRO: How does KHM Travel Group work with Advisors in the area of Resolution Support?
BC: Like I said, we like to be the first phone call when our advisors find themselves in a situation that needs attention. We’re here to gather the details and offer advice based on the policies in our Independent Contractor Agreement and those of our supplier partners. We work to escalate to the appropriate supplier contacts we have and will follow-up until there is an acceptable resolution for the advisor and their client. We also educate advisors to prevent problems from arising. We have resources for fraud prevention and understanding regulations.
TRO: Bill, thank you for taking time out of your schedule to inform Advisors about KHM Travel Group.
BC: Thank you so much for this opportunity. As a host agency, we appreciate all that Travel Research Online does to help advisors keep a pulse on what’s happening in the industry. If anyone wants to learn more about KHM Travel Group, they can visit https://khmtravel.com or give our team a call.