Where Should They Go Next? Helping Clients Find Their Next Great Trip

A client’s favorite vacation can tell a travel advisor a great deal about where they should go next. The key is finding out exactly what made that trip so memorable. 

Was it the food? The history? The scenery? The pace? The freedom to explore independently, or the convenience of having each day planned? Delving into those details can reveal preferences that translate across multiple journeys, giving advisors the insights they need to recommend another vacation that feels both fresh and familiar for the traveler. 

We asked travel advisors how they turn what they already know about their clients into inspiration for the next unforgettable trip. And here are their best strategies. 

1. Ask the Right Questions 

Thoughtful questions can uncover what clients truly valued about past vacations and provide important hints that advisors can use to recommend what comes next. 

“Ask open-ended questions and get your clients talking. Then really pay attention for those clues,” says Teresa Shields, co-owner, Engage Vacations. “Keep in mind the context of the trip. Were children with them? Were they celebrating something? Was it a dream destination? Were they traveling during low season versus a destination’s high season? All of that information matters.  

“Right after talking to them, spend just a few minutes thinking about what they said and make notes to keep in their file so you can refer back to it when planning their next trip. When they come back to you, you can use that to help recommend something just right from the start. You can say you remember they liked <x> about their last trip, so you’re recommending they do <y> on this trip. It shows your client they are heard, and you aren’t just throwing out recommendations without any thought.” 

2. Dig Into Your Clients’ Travel History 

Looking beyond a client’s favorite vacation to their broader travel history can reveal patterns in the destinations, experiences, and travel styles they enjoy most. 

Sara Purdy, owner and travel advisor, Purdy’s Journeys explains: “As travel advisors, we look for patterns. Maybe a client always talks about the food, or loves history but doesn’t enjoy museums, or prefers to rent a car wherever they go to explore at their own pace. These details become so valuable over time.  

“When you remember their preferences and use them to guide your recommendations, you can suggest destinations and experiences that allow clients to recreate the parts of travel they enjoy most, while still giving them something new. Ultimately, it’s about combining what you’ve learned about your client with your own destination knowledge to curate their perfect vacation experience.” 

3. Consider What They Didn’t Like, Too 

Knowing what clients didn’t enjoy on previous trips can be just as valuable as understanding what they loved when narrowing down their next destination. 

“It’s very useful to ask what they liked and disliked about their previous travels,” says Purdy. “Knowing which destinations they have visited is important, but understanding how they traveled is very valuable.  

“I want to know things like if they prefer large resorts or boutique hotels, private guides or small group tours, and what balance of activities and leisure time they enjoy. I also pay attention to what they disliked. For example, if a client enjoyed a tour but felt it was too fast paced because they were moving to a new hotel every two nights, I may recommend a more in-depth discovery tour with fewer hotel changes, or a river cruise where they unpack once and wake up in a new destination every day. Those details help me recommend not just a destination they’ll enjoy, but a style of travel that better suits them.” 

4. Watch Out for Clues  

Clients often reveal their travel preferences in casual comments and conversations, giving attentive advisors valuable indications about where to send them next. 

Purdy gives this example: “I have clients who prefer not to be around large crowds when they travel. They wanted to experience Alaska by sea, so rather than putting them on a large cruise ship, I recommended a much smaller, more intimate ship experience that better matched their travel style. They absolutely loved it, and that more personal and immersive travel style by boat opened their mind to trying a river cruise for their next trip to Europe.” 

And Shields describes: “I have a client that always says she wants ultra luxury cruises, but when she does it, she comes back and says she loved the food and service but was incredibly bored. Given that, I started recommending suites on more premium cruise lines. It gives her all the activities and fun she is looking for with the exclusive amenities and service that she wants for her family. We now know this is the sweet spot for her.” 

5. Introduce Similar But Different Destinations, Travel Types 

Using a favorite trip as a starting point can help advisors introduce destinations and travel styles that offer familiar appeal while delivering something new. 

Purdy explains her approach: “I really enjoy suggesting different types of trips to my repeat clients who I have gotten to know well over the years. The more I understand what they value about travel, the easier it is to introduce something new that I think will be a great fit.  

“I always explain the why behind my recommendation by connecting it back to something they loved about a past trip. If they loved the food and wine in Italy, I may suggest Portugal because it offers a similar combination of incredible cuisine, wine, culture, and beautiful scenery, while still feeling like a new experience. If they loved seeing the wildlife on their U.S. national parks tour, I might suggest a safari in Africa for their next big vacation.”  

Clients are more open to trying something new when you can connect the experience to what they already know and love about travel. 

6. Balance Independence and Structure 

Understanding how much freedom and structure clients prefer can help advisors recommend a travel style for their next trip that gives them the right balance of both. 

“You can experience the same destination in two completely different ways” says Purdy. “Some clients want to be on their own, with their airport transfers and hotels arranged, and perhaps a few half-day tours or experiences sprinkled throughout the trip. Others want a full structured itinerary with a guide, transportation, and activities organized for them from start to finish.  

“I also consider the destination itself. A client who is normally an independent traveler may still benefit from more structure in a destination where there is a language barrier, complicated transportation, or many logistics involved. In those cases, a guided tour can make the experience more enjoyable. My goal is to find the right balance between giving clients the freedom they enjoy and providing the level of support and structure that will allow them to enjoy the destination.”   

7. Get to Know Them 

The better advisors know their clients—their interests, personalities, priorities, and travel preferences—the easier it becomes to suggest trips that genuinely resonate. 

Shields suggests: “Create relationships with your clients that go beyond the quote and booking. Get to know them, ask about their families, share a little about yours, and show genuine interest in who they are.  

“Those personal connections not only make what we do more meaningful, but help us better understand our client’s travel style so we can make more thoughtful recommendations from the start. When we do this, we have happier clients, we spend less time finding the perfect fit, receive more referrals, and often create wonderful friendships along the way.” 

FROM THE SPONSOR: 

One Partner, Unlimited Possibilities. 

The Globus family of brands gives travel advisors nearly 750 vacations across 80 countries and six continents, offering unmatched choice to match every client with their perfect trip and more opportunities to grow sales. With Globus guided tours, Cosmos value vacations, and Avalon Waterways river cruises, advisors can recommend the destinations, experiences, pace, and travel style that best fit each client. 

The support goes beyond the vacation portfolio. The award-winning Travel Advisor Portal puts product information, sales and marketing tools, and resources at advisors’ fingertips. Through GFOB U, advisors can access educational content covering consultative selling, target markets, destination recommendations, and more. 

Backed by 100% trade-focused BDMs, professionally designed marketing materials, and dedicated advisor support, the Globus family of brands helps turn what advisors already know about their clients into stronger recommendations for where to go next.