When all the information in the world is seemingly at our fingertips, a lot of people out there have the mindset that they don’t need experts anymore. From fixing their leaky sink using a Youtube video to planning their family vacation on Expedia, consumers can give you reason after reason that they’d rather just do…
With school back in full swing, now is a good time to start thinking about a family vacation for everyone to look forward to. While a trip to an exotic beach or foreign country may not be plausible for families with young children, there are plenty of cities in the U.S. that kids (and parents)…
We’ve written before about the importance of blogging as a marketing tool for independent travel agents. However, between communicating with clients, calling airlines and hotels and your many other responsibilities, it’s easy for your blog to fall to the wayside. While the weather begins to cool down and the pumpkin spice flavors begin to appear,…
If you search for “travel agent” online, you’ll come up with almost 60 million results. How can you, as one independent travel agent, stand out in this mass of information? The answer is simple: find a specialized travel niche. It may seem counterintuitive, but narrowing the scope of travel services you market can actually increase…
With approximately 15,000 airports in the United States alone, there’s a broad spectrum between the best and worst airports to travel through. It’s important to know which offer the best transportation, amenities and layover-killing entertainment options (and avoid the ones that don’t have much of either). From on-time departures to restaurant selections, here are our…
To some travel agents, working with a large group of people to plan a single trip may sound challenging, but there are tons of benefits to booking group travel, from working with new potential clients to earning more money. From new to seasoned travel agents, here are four crucial tips for planning a harmonious and…
Any travel agent knows that no two travelers are exactly alike. Every client that comes to them has their own personality and set of preferences that carry over into their vacation planning. So how does a travel agent become an expert at pairing their clients with their perfect trip? The trick is asking the right…
Traveling to a new country is an exciting opportunity that you’ll look forward to for months ahead of time. However, before your international adventures can get started, you must first board a long flight across the world. Being unprepared for these long-haul flights can negatively impact your entire vacation. Start your trip off right by…
Vacations are a time to relax, unwind and enjoy yourself. However, sometimes things don’t always go according to plan, and your dream vacation has become a nightmare. Here are 5 situations where you’ll find yourself wishing you’d let a professional handle all the details of your trip planning: You realize you won’t get your new…
As members of the hospitality industry, travel agents bread and butter comes from the relationships they have with their clients. However, between attracting new clients and retaining old ones, it’s easy to slip into a sales-only mindset and neglect building real connections with your customers. If this struggle sounds all too familiar, take a look…
-- Janice Gilliard