Strategic Travel Entrepreneur: Business Tips for Travel Agents/Advisors, Travel Agency Owners, and Travel Business Owners

Rita M. Perez
  • 4.9 (28)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Biweekly

Each week I share, along with featured guests, tangible and practical business strategies for travel entrepreneurs.We discuss foundations, marketing, sales, client experience, systems, supplier relations, and everything in between to empower you to run an effective and profitable travel business, and not just another travel hobby.For travel agents, travel advisors, travel suppliers, tour operators, tourism professionals, travel coaches, travel creators, travel business owners, travel agency owners, host agency owners, and travel industry support partners.

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 271 Why Every Travel Advisor Needs Their Own E&O Insurance Policy with Miguel Campos (Prep for Wave Week Replay)

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Save your spot at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Sell the ships you haven't sailed on, like you have: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 Insurance might be one of the most boring topics in the travel industry, and it's also the one that can wipe out your business if you get it wrong.  I brought Miguel Campos of Berkshire Hathaway Travel Protection back on to walk through what your host's E&O policy actually covers, and why the answer is probably less than you've been told.  We get into the real difference between E&O and travel insurance, the cyber scams draining small travel businesses right now, and the wire fraud costing advisors five and six figures.  Learn how to protect your travel business with coverage that holds up before you ever have to file a claim.  Questions this episode answers: Does a travel advisor need their own E&O insurance if they work under a host agency?What is the difference between errors and omissions insurance and professional liability?Can a host agency's E&O policy run out of coverage before it protects you?What is the difference between general liability and professional liability for a travel business?Do travel advisors need general liability insurance for bridal shows, Christmas markets, and vendor events?How much does cyber insurance cost for a home-based travel agent?What proactive steps reduce the risk of wire transfer fraud and social engineering?Can a travel advisor be sued if a client is injured or killed on a trip?Does a signed insurance decline waiver protect a travel advisor from a lawsuit?Why do legal defense costs matter more when they're covered outside your limit of liability? Email Miguel at miguel.campos@bhspecialty.com  Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  2. Sep 4

    Ep 270 How to Audit Your Client Experience as a Travel Advisor (Prep for Wave Week Replay)

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Save your spot at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Sell the ships you haven't sailed on, like you have: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 One of my favorite places in Orlando has some of the best hospitality I've ever experienced. I turned that customer service, as well as how I audit my own client experience, into a full breakdown of how you can audit your own client experience. This includes your website and inquiry form all the way through to how you follow up after someone gets home.  I get into the pre-trip, during-trip, and post-trip touchpoints that make clients feel seen, plus the four things people actually want when they work with a professional.  I also walk through how to run a real audit on yourself, from feedback forms and focus groups to one-on-one interviews and quick social media polls, including the exact starter questions I've used.  Learn how to create a magical client experience that will have your travelers raving. Questions this episode answers: What touchpoints make up a client experience in a travel business?How do you make travel clients feel seen, heard, and cared for?How can travel advisors compete against AI, OTAs, and big-box booking sites?What should a client experience self-audit include?How do you check if your website is hurting your client experience?What questions should you ask on a client feedback form?When is the right time of year to run a feedback form or focus group?How do you run a focus group or one-on-one interview for client feedback?How do you use client feedback to improve your marketing copy and SEO?How should you thank clients who give you feedback? Get the Marketing Scorecard: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1187247 Watch Rita's Original Presentation: https://youtu.be/8QSxkBD7MCE Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  3. Aug 28

    Ep 269 What Travel Advisors Can and Cannot Legally Do With AI with Tom Carpenter

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Save your spot at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 AI is everywhere in the travel industry right now, and a lot of advisors are grabbing the shiny new tool before stopping to ask whether we're actually allowed to use it in certain ways.  I sat down with travel attorney and agency owner Tom Carpenter to sort out what's safe, what's risky, and what could even get you sued.  We talk about why uploading legal documents or client info into open source AI can eliminate your attorney-client privilege and expose sensitive data, the difference between open and closed source tools, and the one court case that proves you're on the hook for whatever your chatbot tells a client.  If you're using AI in your business and you want to keep your booty protected, give this one a listen.  Questions this episode answers: Can travel advisors legally use AI to draft their own terms and conditions or contracts?Is it legal to upload a document you didn't write into an AI tool?Why can free AI end up costing you more than a paid closed source toolShould travel agents add the AI tools they use to their data privacy policy?Can recording an AI chat on your website violate Florida wiretapping laws?Should you trust a host agency whose support answers come from ChatGPT?What is the difference between privileged and confidential client information?Does putting a copyright on your itinerary stop clients from booking without you? Connect with Tom on FB: https://www.instagram.com/travelprotheory/ Tom's Email Address: tcarpenter@carpenterlawgrouppc.com  Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  4. Aug 21

    Ep 268 Creative Ways Travel Advisors Can Use AI to Save Time in Their Business with Kate Thomas

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Join us at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 Kate from Travel Pro Theory is here to nerd out with me about all the creative ways travel advisors can use AI.  We walked through the whole lay of the land, from chatting with AI to setting up projects, building skills, and letting Cowork run scheduled tasks that do the tedious work for you.  Kate shares how she uses connectors to analyze her email data, target her most engaged people, and pull destination research automatically every single week.  We got into building branded lead magnets, sales pages, and quizzes without heavy tech skills, and why judgment is the one skill you need to use AI well.  This conversation will show you just how much time you can get back while keeping the human parts of your business fully human. Questions this episode answers: What are the different ways travel advisors can use AI in their business?What is the difference between AI chat, projects, skills, and Cowork?What are AI connectors and MCPs, and how do travel advisors use them?How do you build a skill in AI, and what should the instructions include?How do you use AI without making your content sound AI-generated?Which Claude AI models are best for different business tasks? Connect with Kate on IG: https://www.instagram.com/travelprotheory/ 35 things you didn't know AI could do in your travel biz: https://travelprotheory.kit.com/35-things-ai Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  5. Aug 14

    Ep 267 How Travel Agents Can Tell Better Stories on Social Media with Bianca Alba

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Join us at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Fill out Rita's 2026 Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/3zuchVKZ817RvGyk9 Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 Storytelling is where so many travel advisors get stuck, especially when marketing doesn't come naturally.  So I brought on my friend Bianca, founder of This Latina Travels, to break down the exact framework she uses to create Reels that actually connect with her audience and grew her following to 10,000+.  We get into how to write hooks that stop the scroll, why an imperfect story beats perfect content every time, and how to figure out the "what's in it for me" that keeps people watching.  She also shares her repurposing process for stretching one Reel across platforms, and unrelated, a beautiful way you and your clients can pay it forward while visiting Puerto Rico.  If your content has been feeling a little flat, you're going to walk away with real ideas you can use today.  Questions this episode answers: How can travel agents tell better stories on social media?What should you do when you have great footage but no story to tell?How do you edit a voiceover Reel from start to finish?Why shouldn't travel agents rely on social media as their only marketing toolHow can travel advisors and their clients volunteer with the Flight Angels program in Puerto Rico? Connect with Bianca on IG: https://www.instagram.com/thislatinatravels/ Get 20% off Bianca's merch with code podcast: https://www.thislatinatravels.com/shop/ Learn more about helping get pets to their forever homes from Puerto Rico: https://flightangels.org/ Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  6. Aug 7

    Ep 266 Are You Using AI Legally In Your Travel Business?

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Join us at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Fill out Rita's 2026 Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/3zuchVKZ817RvGyk9 Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 I don't know about you, but AI has been big on my brain this summer. Coincidentally, The Legal Paige just came out with a reel talking about using AI legally. I'm sharing the four big things Paige mentioned, and translating them to how they would affect travel advisors like you. Things like why you can't just upload other people's work into AI to who actually owns the content AI creates for you.  I'll share what I've been rethinking about my own courses and content, plus some GPT ideas I'm excited about for helping you get the most out of what you've already got.  I'm not a lawyer, but Paige is, and I've been following her long enough to know that she knows her stuff and then some. Come think through these topics with me, as we're all figuring this out this new world together. Questions this episode answers: Is it legal to upload client itineraries into AI tools or a CRM's AI?Can you copyright a blog post or website that AI wrote?Is it a copyright violation to upload someone else's course or digital product into AI?Should travel advisors use AI to write their contracts?What should you never paste into AI?Do you need an AI clause in your travel agency terms and conditions?Can a client legally run your itinerary through AI and use it themselves?How can travel advisors use AI and GPTs to get more out of the content they already own? The Legal Paige Reel: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DbqlAc_yw8o/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== The Legal Paige Templates *affiliate link*: https://thelegalpaige.com?aff=847 Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  7. Jul 31

    Ep 265 Why Your Travel Agency Social Media Posts Aren't Working (And How to Fix Them)

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Join us at Prep for Wave Week this year:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 If your social media posts aren't working, it's probably because every single one is trying to sell.  I learned this the hard way back in my baby travel advisor days, and I saw it happen all over again at a recent workshop where advisors kept turning warm-up posts into sales posts.  So let's talk about why that pushes the right people away, because nobody hands a complete stranger $10,000 to plan their trip, amiright?? I'm walking you through the three jobs your posts should actually be doing, Meet, Connect, and Convert, so you can stop yelling "book with me" into the void and start building the kind of trust that leads to real bookings.  Your feed is a place to build relationships, not a billboard, and once that clicks, everything about your marketing gets easier.  Questions this episode answers: Why isn't my social media selling as a travel advisor?Should every social media post be a sales post?How often should travel advisors post on social media?What types of social media posts should travel advisors make?How do I build trust with clients on social media?What's the best call to action for a social media post?Why do my salesy social media posts push clients away?How do I sell travel on social media without being sleazy? Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

  8. Jul 24

    Ep 264 How Travel Advisors Can Manage Stress and Burnout with Dr. Amanda White

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Get your ticket to Client Callout:   https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/client-callout/ Join us for the ultimate content and marketing camp in 2027: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Stop wasting hours hunting for cruise content: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1166776 You know that feeling when the phone rings and your whole body kind of shudders?  Yeahhhh, that's exactly what Dr. Amanda White and I are unpacking, because burnout in your travel business usually isn't as much a systems problem, as it's a stress response you may not have dealt with yet.  We talk about why your body keeps score long after the busy season ends, what actual boundaries look like when your clients are in three different time zones, and the mindfulness tools that go way beyond bubble baths.  Amanda brings her doctorate in workplace trauma plus her own experience as a travel advisor, so this is research-backed and industry-specific advice.  If you have been wondering how long you can keep going like this, start here. Get Amanda's Catalyst Reset and use code STEER for 15% off (affiliate link): https://ritaventures--adwcatalyststrategies.thrivecart.com/catalyst-reset-travel-advisors/ Visit Amanda's website: https://adwcatalyststrategies.com/ Questions this episode answers: Why do travel advisors burn out?Is burnout a trauma response?Can workplace stress cause physical health problems?How do I set boundaries as a travel advisor?What boundaries should I set with travel clients?How do I stop working 24/7 in my travel business?When is it okay to bend your business boundaries?What are mindfulness techniques for stressed business owners?Should travel advisors refer business to other advisors?How do I know if I'm charging enough as a travel advisor? Enjoy and take action! --------------------------------------------------------------- Rita M. Perez (Host) first began in the travel industry as a travel advisor in 2010. She only fully realized her role as a travel entrepreneur in 2018, and embarked on a mission to support her fellow travel advisors in 2021 when she began the Strategic Travel Entrepreneur Podcast. She now strategizes with travel entrepreneurs, so they too can build sustainable travel agencies and market effectively. She's a maven when it comes to content photography and videography, and as such founded the Cruise Content Library and leads retreats and partners on FAMs where advisors get top notch content and education for their marketing efforts. Website:  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/everything/ Socials: LI: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ritaperez19/ IG: http://www.instagram.com/steeryourmarketing FB: https://www.facebook.com/groups/strategictravelentrepreneurs/ Email: rita@steeryourmarketing.com

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Each week I share, along with featured guests, tangible and practical business strategies for travel entrepreneurs.We discuss foundations, marketing, sales, client experience, systems, supplier relations, and everything in between to empower you to run an effective and profitable travel business, and not just another travel hobby.For travel agents, travel advisors, travel suppliers, tour operators, tourism professionals, travel coaches, travel creators, travel business owners, travel agency owners, host agency owners, and travel industry support partners.

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