Do you dream of a career where your love for travel isn’t just a hobby, but your profession? Many people in the travel industry hear from others who long to travel the world and make a living doing it. For some, it’s a fleeting thought sparked by job dissatisfaction, quickly dismissed as unrealistic. However, for those with genuine passion and determination, this dream can become a reality. One compelling path is to become a Luxury Travel Advisor, a profession attracting individuals from diverse backgrounds, including law, finance, fashion, media, and education. As Oprah Winfrey highlighted, it’s considered one of the “happiest jobs in America”.
The travel and tourism sector is experiencing remarkable growth, outpacing many other industries. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, it boasts a 7.2% growth rate, creating numerous new job opportunities. My attendance at Virtuoso Travel Week, surrounded by leading luxury travel advisors and suppliers, truly opened my eyes to the financial potential of crafting travel experiences for discerning clients. I encountered advisors who, starting from scratch, built businesses generating millions of dollars within just a few years. I also had the pleasure of meeting dynamic young advisors like Kristen Korey Pike and Kate Corey from Currie & Co. Travels, Josh Alexander from ProTravel, Erina Pindar from SmartFlyer, Laura Allen from Century Travel, and Lindsey Epperly from Columbus Travel – individuals whose insights and energy were truly inspiring. I had the opportunity to discuss career paths with Pike, exploring her transition from the corporate world to becoming a successful luxury travel advisor, and excerpts from our conversation are included later in this article.
Embarking on any new career path, especially one as rewarding as this, presents initial challenges. Based on my conversations and observations, here are key tips for aspiring luxury travel advisors. Ultimately, success in this field hinges on the most important product you offer: yourself.
Essential Steps to Becoming a Successful Luxury Travel Advisor
-
Cultivate a Deep Passion for Travel as a Lifestyle: A recurring theme I encountered was the absolute necessity of genuine travel passion. Phrases like “If you don’t travel yourself, you shouldn’t be in this business” and “You must love it, or you’re in the wrong job” underscored this point. To thrive as a luxury travel advisor, a profound love for travel and a desire to share it are crucial to avoid burnout. While aspects of the job can appear glamorous, much of the work, like any profession, involves dedication and effort behind the scenes.
-
Develop Your Network: Your “Little Black Book” of Potential Clients: Before transitioning to a career as a luxury travel advisor, start building a list of initial contacts. These individuals will be your first potential clients, leading to valuable referrals and further bookings. As an advisor, you are essentially a problem solver, helping clients realize their travel dreams and creating seamless, unforgettable experiences.
-
Master the Art of Delivering Exceptional Travel Experiences: Clients who seek out a luxury travel advisor are willing to invest more for premium, personalized service. Your value proposition must be clear and compelling. Your role is to simplify their travel planning, enhance their experiences, and exceed their expectations. At Virtuoso Travel Week, I learned a striking statistic: online booking satisfaction is around 28%, while booking with a travel advisor boasts a 78% satisfaction rate. Matthew Upchurch, Chairman & CEO of Virtuoso, emphasized the importance of understanding your own worth and projecting confidence and competence throughout the client-advisor relationship. This builds trust, ensures client satisfaction, and fosters long-term loyalty.
-
Strategic Partnerships: Aligning with a Travel Consortium and Agency: Numerous networks of agencies and advisors exist, offering various benefits. Choosing the right consortium and agency is crucial and depends on what best serves you and your clients. Beyond perks like hotel upgrades, tour operator benefits, and cruise line advantages, carefully examine commission structures and available education programs. Virtuoso, an invitation-only network specializing in luxury travel with $9.6 billion in annual sales, is highly regarded for its member benefits. Their Hotels & Resorts program offers exclusive amenities, often valued up to $450 per stay, providing tangible value to clients. The Virtuoso Travel Academy is a robust education program, offering extensive training in sales techniques and supplier webinars. Virtuoso also emphasizes community and relationships, providing readily available support and supplier partnerships committed to exceptional client experiences. Annual conferences, such as Virtuoso Travel Week, which gathers 4,000 advisors and luxury suppliers in Las Vegas, are invaluable for networking and building industry connections.
Other prominent consortiums include Signature Travel Network, Ensemble Travel Group, and Travel Leaders Network. When selecting an agency and consortium, clarify lead generation responsibilities. Will leads be provided, or are you solely responsible for generating your own? Consider specializing in a niche, such as cruises, tours, or resorts. Establish support systems for destinations where you lack expertise. For new advisors, mentorship from seasoned professionals within the agency can be invaluable.
-
Stay Informed: Subscribe to Industry-Leading Publications: Staying current with industry trends and news is essential for a luxury travel advisor. Numerous trade resources provide valuable insights, including TRAVELAGE WEST, LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR, TRAVEL AGENT, AGENT AT HOME, VACATION AGENT, and Travel Pulse. VIRTUOSO LIFE magazine is an exclusive resource for Virtuoso network members.
-
Leverage Social Media to Drive Your Business: In today’s digital age, creative and innovative self-marketing is paramount. Stacy Small, President of L.A.-based Elite Travel International, highlighted at Virtuoso Travel Week how social media quadrupled her business in three years. “The time I invest in updating Facebook and Twitter is today’s direct marketing,” she explained. “People I’ve known for 20 years now understand what I do. No more need for mailings or postcards.”
Insights from a Young Luxury Travel Advisor: Kristen Korey Pike
Kristen Korey Pike is a dynamic young luxury travel advisor affiliated with Virtuoso, who transitioned from the corporate world to forge a successful path in travel. She was recognized as one of Travel Agent Magazine’s Top 35 Under 30 Travel Agents and serves on the Saveur Travel Advisory Board, curating epicurean itineraries for the magazine. Pike’s background is ideally suited to this career: she lived in the UAE and England during childhood, studied in Paris and London, and is fluent in French and conversational Arabic. Even planning her own destination weddings in Sea Island, GA, and Beirut, Lebanon, showcased her organizational and travel expertise. “After seamlessly managing travel for 30 guests to Lebanon, I decided to channel my passion into a career. I not only enjoyed every aspect of the planning but found immense fulfillment in creating life-changing experiences for my clients,” she recounts. She is now an independent contractor with Currie & Co. Travels in Atlanta.
What are the keys to success for a luxury travel advisor?
Pike emphasizes, “First and foremost, it’s crucial to effectively communicate our value to clients. Just as clients rely on financial advisors, they need to understand the benefits we provide to build the trust essential for a successful client-advisor relationship.
Today’s luxury traveler is sophisticated and constantly evolving, making it vital to understand their nuanced needs. Last December, I attended the International Luxury Travel Market in Cannes as a buyer to gain insights into the future of luxury travel. I believe in offering clients the ‘extras’ that distinguish authentic travel from mere tourism. Being part of Currie, whose demographic mirrors our clientele, gives us a deep understanding of their desires. My client base is diverse, starting with family and friends and expanding organically across the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
Social media has been instrumental in growing my business. Platforms like Facebook and Twitter provide unique avenues to share experiences and ideas with current and potential clients, often sparking new business opportunities.”
Disclosure: Virtuoso provided accommodation and admission to Virtuoso Travel Week. Annie Fitzsimmons is a freelance travel and hotel writer based in Manhattan.
Read “6 Luxury Travel Trends To Know Now” here.
