10 Pieces of Advice from Fellow Travel Advisors

There may be a lull in business, so now’s the best time for travel advisors to regroup and prepare for when the eventual rebound happens. Take this downtime and figure out how you can implement new ways to improve yourself and your business in the future.

Here’s 10 pieces of advice from fellow advisors on how to enhance business.

1. Have a plan.
“Make a business plan. There is nothing that you can’t do. Don’t be afraid to educate yourself and do your homework. Use tourist boards, embassies, peers to get the information that you need.”
-Donna Flanigan, Donna Flanigan’s Travel by TPI in Cornwall, Ontario

2. Utilize fam trips to improve sales.
“Travel as much as possible…the best advice that you give comes from your own experience…you can best guide someone else when you have previously experienced it yourself.”
- Anna Mills, AAA Travel in Defiance, Ohio

3. Don’t be passive. 
“Stay positive and stay innovative! We work in the best industry, and we have the opportunity to make it better!”
Ashley Lancer, Valerie Wilson Travel in New York, New York

4. Reevaluate your business model. 
“Don’t sell yourself short…you offer a valuable service, don’t be afraid to charge a fee!”
-Toni Lanotte-Day, Toni Tours Inc. in Levittown, New York

5. Foster client relationships. 
“Treat every client as if they are your friend. You want them to have the best experience, so put yourself in their position and be conscious of details and conveniences.”
-Cathy Bell, Seabee Cruises and Travel in Oviedo, Florida

6. Promote future bookings.
“Deliver an experience that you yourself would be wowed by. Word of mouth is best way to get new clients…treat them as you would your family regardless of the dollar value of their trip. Send a hand written thank you with their travel documents.”
- Rachelle Settle, Wanderlove Travel in Fort Mill, South Carolina

7. Protect trips with travel insurance.
“Make sure that you are offering travel insurance to all of your clients and be educated on insurance policies and what is included.”
-Lisa French, Distant Travel in Baytown, Texas

8. Don’t be afraid to charge for the value you bring.
“I’ve updated my terms and conditions – I’m now charging an upfront fee. I know how much value I bring and what I’m going to have to do if there’s a travel ban and I need to cover my time.”
- Lauren Doyle, The Travel Mechanic in Aiken, Sout Carolina

9. Always be willing to learn.
“I have attended every conference, the conferences and weekend retreats focusing on sales and products. Every aspect of every meeting has a really good educational product part to it.”
- Philip Beck, Personal Travel Management in Vancouver, British Columbia

10. Accept that with travel, you have to be open to change.
“Be flexible…not everything always works perfectly or according to schedule.”
-Rachel Digirolamo, Classic Travel Connection in Baton Rouge, Louisiana