Where Great Travel Experiences Begin

I joined Gary Marra on Your Customer Success to talk about what actually creates a great client experience in the travel industry, and how I built systems and a team to deliver it at scale.

What are clients really buying when they book a trip with an advisor?

It's not the booking itself, anyone can do that online. They're buying my ability to manage expectations, advise honestly, and eliminate options that won't actually make them happy, even if it means telling them their dream destination isn't quite what they imagine.

How much of the client experience happens before the trip even starts?

About 90%. I call myself my clients' ultimate hype girl, since so much of my job is easing the anxiety travel naturally creates before anyone ever boards a plane. One client told me she could finally breathe after our consult call, and that's the whole goal.

How do I deliver high-touch service without burning out on every single trip?

Automation is everything. I can't personally remember every hotel deadline or timed-entry ticket release, so I let systems handle the logistics, then go back in and add small personal touches before anything goes out, like a specific line in a welcome-home email referencing their actual trip.

Why did I build a team instead of trying to be an expert in everything?

I'm genuinely terrible at selling ocean cruises, I get seasick, so I brought someone onto my team who specializes in it. Between all of us, we can service the entire globe, which keeps clients coming back even for trips outside my own specialty.

What's an underrated destination people should consider?

Croatia. It's like Italy's cousin, with the food, wine, history, and UNESCO sites, but it usually comes in well under budget compared to other European destinations. My agency is even running a small yacht trip along the coast later this year.