Growing a Travel Advisory Business

I joined Michelle Terpstra on Revenue Rascals to break down how I scaled my travel agency business and debunk the myth that this industry is just another MLM.

Is the travel agency business model an MLM?

No, at least not the reputable side of it. Most of us are home-based agents working under large consortiums and host agencies, earning commissions rather than recruiting downlines. My advice: always interview a potential advisor about who they work for and how they got started.

What's the actual difference between a travel agent and a travel advisor?

An agent books what's in front of them. An advisor interviews you, listens between the lines, and figures out what you actually value before ever suggesting a destination. There's no set cost with travel either, I've served clients spending a few hundred dollars and clients spending six figures on a single trip.

How did I get my start in this industry?

I was a high school English teacher taking students to Europe on a shoestring, and my husband's aunt pointed out I could be selling travel to people with money instead. I learned the business by sitting at her kitchen table every summer.

What happened to my business during COVID?

It burned to the ground completely, right after I'd just had my newborn son. I went back to teaching for a year to survive, then rebuilt from scratch once revenge travel hit.

What's the most "rascal" thing I've done in this business?

Building a team model that didn't exist in this industry. I was tired of watching agents burn themselves out saying yes to everything, so I learned to say no to the trips that weren't my superpower (cruises, Disney, Hawaii) and built a team around people whose superpowers they were instead. I more than doubled my personal sales once I started giving those leads away.