Charting The Course

Legato
  • 5.0 (3)
  • Entrepreneurship

Charting the Course is a travel-industry podcast creating space for honest conversations about where our industry has been, where it is now, and where we go from here. Through conversations with travel agents, suppliers, partners, technology leaders, Legato team members, and other industry voices, the podcast will explore what it means to build a stronger travel profession and a healthier industry.

Episodes

  1. 5d ago

    Travel Agents: Bigger Bookings Start With Better Questions

    Increasing your average booking value starts with understanding what your clients want from their trip. A room upgrade, a longer itinerary, or a thoughtfully chosen excursion should connect to something they’ve told you matters. In this episode of Charting the Course, Jonathan Morris and Kelli Hayes Smith continue the profitability conversation with practical ways travel agents can grow business with their existing clients. They discuss personalized recommendations, loyalty marketing, and the questions that help you understand the experience behind a client’s request. In This EpisodePractical ways to increase average booking value with existing clientsHow to recommend upgrades that fit the client’s priorities and budgetWhy add-ons deserve a conversation before clients arrive at their destinationIncluding travel protection in the planning conversationWhere automation helps and where personal follow-up mattersUsing past trips and client preferences to make future marketing more relevantWhy a client’s job title doesn’t tell you their travel budgetWhat to ask beyond “Where do you want to go?”How questions about past vacations, daily preferences, and beach time can reveal what clients valueBuilding relationships that give clients a reason to returnQuestions Worth AskingWhat did you love about your last trip? What would you change? How do you want to feel when you come home? And how do you actually use the beach? The answers help you explain why you’re recommending a particular room, resort, itinerary, or experience. That’s where your knowledge becomes valuable to the person planning the trip. Join the ConversationWhat question helps you understand your clients better? Share it with us on Instagram. Legato® agents can also join the conversation in the Activity Stream. Resources and LinksDownload the Foundation for a Successful Travel Business Guide Visit the Legato Website Book a Call With Our Team Connect With the HostsJonathan Morris on LinkedIn Kelli Hayes Smith on Instagram Follow Legato®Instagram Facebook YouTube LinkedIn Travel insurance benefits, exclusions, eligibility, and coverage vary by policy. Consult the insurance provider for details.

  2. Oct 28

    Before You Sell More Travel, Look at What You’re Keeping

    Selling more travel is only part of building a more profitable business. Before you set a bigger sales goal for 2027, take a closer look at what it costs to run your agency and how much of that revenue you actually keep. In this episode of Charting the Course, Jonathan Morris, President and Co Owner of Legato®, and Kelli Hayes Smith, Marketing Manager, talk through the business decisions behind profitability. From overlapping subscriptions and time-consuming tasks to commission splits and paying yourself, they discuss what travel agents should review before planning for another year of growth. In This EpisodeHow to start reviewing your travel business expenses before 2027Where overlapping subscriptions may be costing you moneyWhy a cheaper tool can cost more when you factor in your timeHow to prioritize business tools without buying everything at onceWhy paying yourself belongs in your business planHow delayed commission payments affect planning and cash flowWhat commission splits and host fees mean for the money you keepWhy going fully independent requires a look at costs, time, and supportYour sales goal should connect to what you want your business to provide. Start with the numbers, identify what needs to change, and build your plan from there. The discussion includes questions to take to your CPA about business expenses, business structure, and owner compensation. Decisions should be reviewed with a professional who understands your business. Resources and LinksDownload the Foundation for a Successful Travel Business Guide Legato Website Book a Call Jonathan Morris on LinkedIn Kelli Hayes Smith on Instagram Legato on Instagram Legato on Facebook Legato on LinkedIn Join the ConversationHow are you paying yourself, and what helped you reach that point? Send us a message on Instagram. Legato agents can also share in the Activity Stream.

  3. Oct 21

    Beyond Convenience: Why Travelers Still Need Travel Agents

    Are travel agents competing with AI, or is AI revealing why real travel professionals matter? In this episode of Charting the Course, Jonathan Morris and Kelli Hayes Smith look at three recent travel headlines involving AI planning errors, alleged travel fraud, and increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled scams. The conversation goes beyond whether AI gets travel information right or wrong. Jonathan and Kelli explore what happens when travel agents allow technology to replace their judgment, relationships, and responsibility to their clients. In This Episode• What AI travel-planning mistakes reveal about the value of travel agents • Why having access to information is not the same as knowing how to use it • The difference between convenience and professional discernment • Where AI should never replace the travel professional • Why agents need to be visible, transparent, and easy to verify • How a professional online presence helps establish trust • Why agents should explain their payment and booking processes • How professional systems help protect client information • How empathy, active listening, and judgment separate professionals from machines • Why travel professionals must be willing to tell a client no • What it truly means to protect a client’s travel investment The Bigger QuestionIf anyone can access travel information, what makes someone a travel professional? Information is everywhere. The real value of a travel professional is knowing which information matters, understanding the person behind the trip, asking better questions, recognizing what is not being said, and protecting the client’s investment. AI can support the work. It should not replace the person responsible for doing it. Article DiscussedAI Is Making Travel Fraud Harder to DetectAI Vacation Planning Disasters Are Fueling a Boom in Pricey IRL Travel Agents nypost.comCamden Police Arrest Woman Who Allegedly Posed as a Travel AgentResources and LinksBuild a Stronger Travel Business Download the Foundations for a Successful Travel Business GuideSchedule a Call to Learn More About Legato®Visit the Legato® Host Agency WebsiteConnect With the Hosts Connect with Jonathan Morris on LinkedInFollow Kelli Hayes Smith on InstagramFollow Legato® InstagramFacebookLinkedInListen to Charting the Course Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTubeNew episodes of Charting the Course drop every Wednesday.

  4. Oct 14

    All Hustle, No Progress? Rethinking Productivity for Travel Agents

    Are you building your travel business, or are you simply staying busy? In this episode of Charting the Course, Jonathan Morris and Kelli Hayes Smith talk about the work that actually moves a travel business forward and the tasks that keep agents busy without creating meaningful progress. They explore how better workflows, automation, marketing, business planning, and accountability can help travel agents protect their time while delivering a more consistent client experience. In This EpisodeHow to tell the difference between being busy and being productiveWhy your daily work should connect to your larger business goalsHow workflows create consistency and prevent tasks from falling through the cracksWhat client communication can be automatedWhy your CRM should help you spend less time in the weedsHow to keep clients engaged between booking and travelWhy marketing should be connected to the work you already doThe difference between learning and taking actionHow comparison and information overload can steal your timeWhy every travel agent needs clear, achievable goalsHow an accountability partner can help you follow throughThe Question to Ask YourselfAt the end of the day, can you identify what moved your business forward? Some busy work will always be part of running a travel agency. The goal is to create systems that keep those tasks from consuming the time and energy you need for your clients, your marketing, and the future of your business. Resources and LinksBuild a Stronger Travel Business Download the Foundations for a Successful Travel Business Guide Schedule a Call to Learn More About Legato Visit the Legato Host Agency Website Connect With the Hosts Connect with Jonathan Morris on LinkedIn Follow Kelli Hayes Smith on Instagram Follow Legato Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Listen to Charting the Course Listen on Apple Podcasts Listen on Spotify Watch on YouTube

  5. Oct 7

    Travel Agent Business for 2027: Better Systems, Stronger Client Relationships and Sustainable Growth

    Q4 is here, which means it is time to look honestly at what worked in your travel business this year, what did not, and what needs to change before 2027. In the first full episode of Charting the Course, Kelli Hayes Smith and Jonathan Morris look beyond sales numbers to discuss the signs that reveal the real health of a travel business. They talk about repeat business and referrals, client experience, workload, systems, automation, onboarding, boundaries, and why travel agents need to define success for themselves instead of building toward someone else’s expectations. In this episode: Why sales volume is not always the best measure of business healthWhat a quiet season can reveal about your business planWhy a lack of repeat clients and referrals should get your attentionHow agents build trust by showing up when travel does not go as plannedWhy strong travel professionals are not competing with AIWhat should be automated and where agents need to remain personally involvedHow better client onboarding can reduce your workload and improve the client experienceWhy most businesses are not fully using the tools and resources they already haveHow to define success based on the life and business you wantWhy looking ahead makes it easier to recognize the progress you are already makingDownload the Free GuideA strong travel business needs more than travel knowledge. Download The Foundation for a Successful Travel Business to explore the essential pieces that support a healthy, sustainable business. Download The Foundation for a Successful Travel Business Connect With UsConnect with Jonathan Morris on LinkedIn Follow Kelli Hayes Smith on Instagram Visit the Legato website Follow Legato on Instagram Follow Legato on Facebook Follow Legato on LinkedIn Learn More About LegatoSchedule a call to learn more

  6. Oct 1

    Welcome to Charting the Course

    Our Mission Statement here : Charting the Course is a travel-industry podcast creating space for honest conversations about where our industry has been, where it is now, and where we go from here. Through conversations with travel agents, suppliers, partners, technology leaders, Legato team members, and other industry voices, the podcast will explore what it means to build a stronger travel profession and a healthier industry.

  • 6 Episodes

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
3 Ratings

About

Charting the Course is a travel-industry podcast creating space for honest conversations about where our industry has been, where it is now, and where we go from here. Through conversations with travel agents, suppliers, partners, technology leaders, Legato team members, and other industry voices, the podcast will explore what it means to build a stronger travel profession and a healthier industry.

Information

  • Creator
    Legato
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    6
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Legato
  • Show Website
    Charting The Course

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