The Travel Institute Schedules Q2 2025 Pep Talks Learning Series
by Dori Saltzman
The Travel Institute has released its 2025 Q2 event calendar with a robust list of complimentary, expert-led PEP Talks. Nearly 70 top trainers, thought leaders, and subject matter experts from both inside and outside the travel industry are included in the roster.
“Agents who take the time and effort to attend PEP Talks clearly have ‘skin in the game’ and are serious about building their businesses,” said Mike Marchev, CTC, MBA and long-time PEP member with expertise in sales and marketing. “As a life-long learner, I take great pleasure in sharing my expertise with eager and proactive travel entrepreneurs.”
“There is absolutely something for every agent at every level on our knowledge-packed Q2 PEP Talk calendar,” added Carla Smith, CTA, director of membership, who oversees the complimentary event calendar for The Travel Institute.
Live PEP Talk attendance is complimentary for all agents while also being archived and available on-demand 24/7 for subscribers of The Travel Institute’s online continued learning library. Starting in 2025, subscribers also benefit from additional “perks” from PEP speakers, including discounts as well as content, such as a recent white paper on how to best select a CRM, provided by Mark McCowan, CTIE, sales for TRES Technologies, North America.
Open to all travel professionals, the 2025 Q2 event schedule includes (all times EDT):
- Grow Your Group Business with These 10 Strategies w/Stuart L. Cohen, MCC (April 10, 11 a.m.)
- Risk Management: Legal Tips for Travel Agents w/attorney Chun T. Wright, PLLC (April 15, 12:30 p.m.)
- The State of Travel Agency Acquisitions in 2025 w/Doug Haugen, senior matchmaker and Bob Sweeney, president Innovative Travel Acquisitions Inc. (May 8, noon)
- Expanding Your Business by Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone w/Stacey Cabell, CTIE founder of Starstuff Travel (May 12, 12:30 p.m.)
- Secrets of Successfully Selling Travel w/Dan Chappelle, founder, The Wealthy Travel Agent Academy and author of “Get Your S.H.I.P. Together” (May 15, 2 p.m.)
- You Hired a New Person: Now What? w/Guida Botelho, CTIE senior director of education at The Travel Institute (May 22, 1 p.m.)
- Rail Travel 101 featuring USA with Amtrak Vacations w/Jim Marini, senior vice president of strategic partnerships for Railbookers (May 28, 1 p.m.)
- DISC Personality Styles and Teamwork w/Victoria Ann Akkerman, CTIE operations manger at ABT (June 5, 2 p.m.)
- Dealing with Difficult Clients w/consultant Paul Pelletier, LL.B., PMP (June 19, noon)
Along with timely, actionable learning, certified graduates of The Travel Institute gain two continuing education units, or CEUs, for attending a PEP Talk. Ten CEUs are required annually to keep certification current.
Advisors can sign up for PEP Talks via The Travel Institute’s full event calendar.
