Modern Travel Agent Podcast

In this episode of Around the Block where I take you with me on my walk and answer travel agent questions, I discuss the importance of us focusing on what we can control, ways to become better at sales, and the importance of asking for the things that we want (the sale, the review, and the referral). Ready to take your travel agency to the next level? Transform the way you work with Trazel - the C...

In this Wednesday Rant, I argue that value must be demonstrated rather than asserted. It's not enough to tell people they should use a travel agent. You have to show them why they should use an agent. Ready to take your travel agency to the next level? Transform the way you work with Trazel - the CRM custom-tailored for travel advisors. Visit Trazel.com to learn more!

This is the first episode of Wednesday Rant where I go on a lighthearted rant about what's on my mind in the travel agent world. If you ever find yourself complaining that your clients don't read, then this episode is for you. Ready to take your travel agency to the next level? Transform the way you work with Trazel - the CRM custom-tailored for travel advisors. Visit Trazel.com to learn more!

This is a new segment called Around The Block where I take you with me on my walk and answer travel agent questions. On this episode, I cover how to deal with imposter syndrome early on before you know everything you need to know. I give my top two pieces of advice for new travel agents, and I explain a few ways you can reduce the likelihood of your clients ghosting you. This episode is sponsored...

Here are the top 4 reasons why you should send your clients to the 454 suite, adult-only, Forbes recommended 5-star TRS Yucatan Hotel. 4. The TRS Yucatan Hotel is a great resort option for travelers looking for a luxury, adult-only jungle paradise in the Mexican Riviera Maya. This isn’t a Miami style high-rise resort like you’ll find in the Cancun hotel zone. This is a gorgeous property divided by...

Being a travel agent often feels like trying to do an infinite number of things in a finite amount of time. Between building relationships with your clients and partners, answering calls, replying to emails, creating quotes, servicing bookings, training yourself on product, traveling on FAM trips, and actively selling travel packages, many agents also have to market themselves, track commissions a...

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, we speak with Stefany Jones, Director of Retail Affairs for Palladium Hotel Group. Stefany has 18 years of experience at prominent travel providers with a focus on account management, marketing and business development. We discuss the unique selling points for each different Palladium Hotel Group brand and resort including the Rafa Nadal Tennis C...

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent podcast, I cover some of the latest and most relevant travel news from the past few weeks which includes: -Record numbers of arrivals in the Dominican Republic.   -Some temporary and more long-term closures and renovations due to Hurricane Fiona. -The removal of Covid testing in some major Caribbean Islands. -A delayed opening for a brand new resort in Pl...

In order to have a successful travel agency business, you have to be able to open, close, and scale. You have to open the opportunity, typically with a pitch explaining how you can solve your client’s problem. You have to close the sale, because the longer you wait, the more likely they’re going to fall off and take their business elsewhere; and you have to scale, because you can’t run your busine...

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, I sit down with Daniela Ocampo Morales and Stefany Jones of Palladium Hotel Group. Daniela is Regional Weddings Sr Manager América, and she has 15 years of experience in the wedding industry. Stefany is the Director of Retail Affairs, and she has 18 years of experience at prominent travel providers with a focus on account management, marketing an...

We can all be set in our ways, but when it comes to business, being rigid can mean losing customers and money. In this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, I discuss some of the most common ways I was leaving money on the table by being stubborn, but more importantly, I share how I started to make more money in less time by realizing my mistakes, changing my mindset, and adopting a more fle...

The first thing I tell every travel agent starting in this industry is, “It’s all about relationships.” It’s about our relationships with our clients, because they have other options to book travel. They have to choose us. It’s about our relationships with other agents, because travel agents, more than any industry I’ve seen, are about community over competition with an understanding that there’s...

The most common challenge for travel agents and travel agency owners is getting new clients, and while there are a million different ways you can market your travel agency, the most consistent and proven method I’ve found is word of mouth. It’s all about giving your clients a great experience, and then having them refer their friends and family to you. In this episode, I’m going to share a three s...

This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast covers 10 experiences that you can recommend to your clients visiting Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. We all have clients who visit a destination but never step foot off the resort, and ultimately, it’s their vacation and their choice; but as a travel advisor, if you’re not pushing your clients to get out and experience what the destination has to of...

For those of you who struggle to set boundaries with your clients, I’m going to share some tips that will make this process much easier. This isn’t an episode on mindset where I tell you to fake it ‘til you make it. That type of assertiveness training can work, but it takes much longer to implement. I’m going to share some simple ways for you to frame your boundaries to your clients, which will ma...

Communication is everything, and using the “Show & Tell” Method of Communication is a great way to insure your clients can envision your product and service in a tangible way and understand why each component is relevant specifically to them. I discuss the “Show & Tell” Method of Communication and how you can use it to help grow your business on Episode 15 of the Modern Travel Agent Podcas...

This episode is all about streamlining the process for how you and your team reply to emails and inquiries. Whether you're answering questions about passport requirements, safety while traveling internationally or you're explaining the value of your services, you’re probably answering many of the same questions over and over again.  This is why I recommend that you create an FAQ document of freque...

If you’re interested in a simple system that will help you improve your process and save you time, then this is going to be a great episode for you. Every agent wants more time, but when you’re in the whirlwind of replying to emails, returning calls, making reservations, and dealing with travel emergencies, it’s hard to set aside the time needed to look at your process and figure out ways to impro...

One of the most challenging parts of being a travel agent is de-escalating negative situations with unhappy clients. After 12 years in the industry, I’ve interacted with a lot of clients, some of which were unhappy, to put it mildly, and I feel like I’ve learned a ton throughout this process on what works and what doesn’t work, so on this episode, I’m going to share with you some of the tips I lea...

If you’re sick of getting ghosted by your clients, then this episode is for you. I’m going to share a six step process I implemented that made a huge difference in increasing my closing percentage and reducing the number of my clients who disappeared throughout the travel planning process. Every travel agent knows that there’s nothing more frustrating than spending weeks or months making recommend...

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, I cover antigen Covid testing policies for the major resort brands that we book in Mexico and the Caribbean including Palladium, Posadas, Blue Diamond, AIC, AMR Collection, Sandos, Karisma, Playa, and Atelier. I cover two primary questions for each resort brand.   1. Is the Covid-19 antigen test included at no cost by the resort? If not, what is...

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, I sit down with Erika Almaraz who is a Regional Senior Weddings Manager for Palladium Hotel Group in America. Erika has 15 year of experience in the Destination Wedding industry, working in destinations like Mexico, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic. She has a hotel management degree and is a true believer in Simon Sinek’s theory of starting wi...

Originally published November 21, 2021: The ALGV Ascend Conference returned to Cancun, Mexico in a big way this past October with over 400 travel agents, 200 representatives from over 100 partner companies, and 65 ALGV staff to make sure everything ran smoothly. It was such a great experience to see so many familiar faces and to be surrounded by so much positivity and gratitude. There was a lot of...

On this episode, we speak with Nuit Hernandez who is a Director of Sales with Marival Resorts. Marival Resorts owns three properties on the Pacific coast of Mexico; in Nuevo Vallarta, they have two properties, Marival Emotions & Marival Distinct, and they have their new luxury hotel in Punta de Mita, Marival Armony. On the destination side, we discuss Puerto Vallarta, Nuevo Vallarta, and all t...

On this episode of The Modern Travel Agent Podcast, we speak with Todd Kirlik who is a Senior Director with Sunwing Travel Group. Sunwing Travel Group is a 17,000 employee vertically integrated travel company with brands at the level of tour operator, airline, hotel, destination management, and retail.    We do a lot of business with Sunwing, but the majority of it is done through their resort bra...