Finishing Strong: How Travel Advisors Are Closing 2025 to Crush 2026
As 2025 winds down, travel advisors are actively wrapping up the year and revving up for a strong start to 2026. That reflect-and-refocus effort includes everything from goal setting to strategic client touchpoints, from policy reviews to tech upgrades.
We spoke with travel advisors to uncover the key end-of-year strategies they’re using now to ensure that next year is their most profitable yet.
Q4 Actions
The types of actions that advisors are taking in Q4 to set up their businesses for success in 2026 tend to focus on various aspects of marketing, client outreach, partnerships, and training.
Cori Mattes, travel advisor, World Travel Service, says: “Our main focus is on laying a strong foundation for 2026 through marketing on social media and vendor partnerships. With marketing and client outreach, we are using these platforms to share travel inspiration and showcase the service that sets our agency apart. The goal is to stay top of mind for our current travelers and attract new clients who are already planning their 2026 adventures. Connecting with partners through industry conferences, training classes, and collaboration allows us to expand our promotions.”
For Shana O’Mara, co-owner & all-inclusive specialist, The Pixie Planner, training and system upgrades are the top priorities. She explains: “Our team is focusing on training, and ensuring we have the system in place to handle the demand of the upcoming wave season. The 2025 wave season was very demanding, with almost double our normal demand, so we want our team to be prepared to handle that influx.”
Year-End Client Outreach
Another Q4 initiative that most advisors would agree is worthwhile, is using year-end client engagement—like holiday greetings and wrap-up communications or year-end rewards/benefits/incentives—to boost bookings or loyalty heading into 2026.
“Our goal is to show our expertise and get people excited about future travel,” explains Mattes. “We are going to do this by creating a 2025 travel highlights social media post that will include memorable travel moments, top destinations, and possibly emerging 2026 destinations to watch. Asking them, ‘Where will 2026 take you?’”
O’Mara’s agency is tapping into the holiday fervor. She reports that they have a strong social media presence, so they promote a yearly 12 Days of Christmas giveaway across their social media channels as a compelling way to create increased client engagement.
Tech & System Upgrades
End of year is also the ideal moment to evaluate tools and processes used in everyday travel planning and fulfillment. Advisors should set aside the time and funds now to invest in refining systems that will improve efficiency and profitability in the new year.
“We are working to improve our guest intake process to make it more efficient. With better information from our customers, we can curate better travel experiences,” reports O’Mara.
Mattes has actually been focused on this aspect of business operations all year long. She explains: “Over the past year, we’ve made a big step forward by digitizing nearly every part of the agency’s workflow, where allowed. As a small family-run travel agency, we realized that to continue providing the level of personal attention our clients expect, we also needed to be more efficient behind the scenes.
“For our clients, we hope it translates into convenience and peace of mind. Ultimately, these changes are about working smarter, not harder—combining technology with personal service so that heading into 2026, we are ready to serve our clients more efficiently and thoughtfully than before.”
Lean Into Travel Insurance
While planning travel recommendations for the new year, including travel insurance in every package is a no-brainer. With the constantly shifting state of global travel, most clients will accept and even welcome the need for protection, if the option is properly presented.
“We believe strongly that travel insurance is important,” reports O’Mara. “Travel Protection Plus (TPP) is one of our favorite tools because it is a low-cost option that protects our customers before and during travel. If our guests don’t choose TPP, we always highly encourage insurance through our other partners like Trawick, especially on international travel. Issues can come up that no one prepared for, and we want them to be protected.”
Mattes agrees, noting that “TPP is a wonderful tool, not just for our clients, but for us as advisors, as well. TPP has come in handy for our clients with the reassurance, flexibility, and ease if someone may get sick, injured, date change, or mother nature. We stay organized with a document that will show who has TPP and who may have travel credits to use in the future or who has a travel claim active.”
Maintaining Balance
Now that marketing, technology, systems, and operations have been addressed, there’s one more key area that needs attention. And that is how travel advisors can protect their time and maintain balance, which are both so critical to avoid burnout.
Mattes advises: “One thing that I have to continuously remind myself of is that our clients value advisors who are grounded, available, and inspired—not overextended. Protecting our time is an important goal, and allows us to serve clients better and stay creative. One of the ways we plan to do this is by defining and communicating our response time policy (we respond to all inquiries within 24 hours M-F). Using auto replies during off hours or travel so it sets expectations and builds trust while still protecting our time.”
Along the same lines, O’Mara describes: “We encourage our team to set office hours and boundaries. Of course, we need to be available for urgent travel issues, but that is much easier to do when you aren’t working 24/7. Our team travels extensively, with the motto of ‘We know because we go,’ because we believe that firsthand knowledge is best for our guests. With that, we encourage the team to set up strong processes and work together to support each other, so that those trips aren’t more stressful when they return.”
A Time to Dream
Lastly, end of year is an auspicious time to dream, and perhaps to dream bigger. To sit quietly and ask questions like, “What would I like to see happen in the travel industry in 2026?” and “What do I most want for my travel agency business in 2026?” and “What would I be so happy to hear from my clients in 2026?”
For instance, O’Mara has a specific goal: “In our business, we like to call ourselves ‘small but mighty.’ Rather than having an agency with hundreds of agents selling a little, we would love to see our small team all selling over one million in travel a year. This will come from support, mentoring, and our fantastic social media presence (thanks to our travel-focused marketing manager at The Social Passport).”
Regarding client desires, she says, “We are also seeing families branch out from their normal vacations, and they are ready for bigger and better experiences. We are excited to help make that happen.”
For Mattes, “2026 will be an exciting year for multigenerational travel and once-in-a-lifetime trips. We are thrilled to see families getting to explore and travel the world! Learning and culture experiences will be some of the biggest highlights!”
She also notes that, “2026 will bring European travel and cruise travel for our agency, and we are hoping to see an ease with all the new Visa requirements and updates to applications for our clients, for easier access and transition while traveling and before they depart.”
As the year draws to a close, it’s a good time for travel advisors to pause, reflect, and prepare for what’s next. Whether it’s refining systems, strengthening client relationships, or setting new goals, thoughtful planning now lays the groundwork for a successful and fulfilling 2026. By staying focused and intentional through this final stretch of the year, advisors can position themselves—and their clients—for even greater opportunities in the year ahead.
FROM THE SPONSOR:
At ALG Vacations®, we know that success doesn’t just happen—it’s built through preparation, partnership, and purpose. As the year winds down and a new one comes into view, ALGV is here to help turn those goals into growth. With dedicated BDMs offering personalized guidance, exclusive educational opportunities through ALGVPro, and ongoing access to marketing tools and booking resources, we make it easier for advisors to stay ahead of trends and focused on what matters most—their clients. From comprehensive training to award-winning support, ALG Vacations stands beside you every step of the way, ensuring that the year ahead is not only strong, but extraordinary. Follow along on social media to stay updated on all things ALGV next year.
