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

Rita M. Perez
  • 4.9 (29)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • 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. 2d ago

    Ep 278 What to Do When Your Travel Agency Marketing Isn’t Bringing In Clients

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Join the Waitlist for my NEW Group Marketing Program: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/offers/view/1198580 Get this year's Black Friday Updates! https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/offers/view/1198582 Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ If 2026 didn’t turn out the way you hoped, you can change that for 2027 by doing things differently.  I share how I went from only talking to people who already knew me to almost not getting out of my car at a networking event, and how that one decision built the network that carried my business even now.  We’ll look at whether your investments line up with your core focus, why content without relationships leaves a HUGE gap in your travel agency marketing, and how fear of failing and fear of success can both keep you stuck.  Learn how to audit this year’s actions and commit to the sales, marketing, and relationship-building moves that give you a different 2027 :)  FAQ: How long should a travel advisor try a marketing strategy before changing it? If you’ve only been at it a few weeks or a couple of months, give it more time. If you’ve been consistent for 6 months to a year and still aren’t seeing traction, that’s the point to do something differently or bring in an expert to diagnose what isn’t working. Should I invest in systems or lead generation first? Start with what your business is lacking right now. If you need more clients, polishing your systems is a misalignment, because a perfect system isn't going to bring the clients in. If you’ve had an influx of clients and things are getting messy, that’s when systems deserve the focus. What should travel advisors focus on to make 2027 different? Two things: a concrete sales and marketing plan you can come back to when life gets busy, and building relationships with potential clients and referral partners. Commit to it, set 3-month timelines for your actions, and repeat them until they become habits. 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. Oct 23

    Ep 277 How Travel Advisors Keep Their Marketing Running When They Get Busy

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Register for the Plan Your Year Workshop: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1196435 Join the Waitlist for my NEW Group Marketing Program: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/offers/view/1198580 Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Busy season feels amazing right up until you realize your marketing stopped the day your clients’ trips took over.  Whether you’re buried in client work, counting on referrals, or waiting until you feel ready to put yourself out there, I’m sharing why your marketing engine has to keep running.  I’m also telling the story of an advisor who was procrastiplanning her launch until I asked her one simple question, plus why batching your content now means future you is going to love you :)  Learn how to set a marketing minimum you’ll actually stick to, so you’re not launching to crickets or riding out a drought when things get busy. FAQ: What should a travel advisor’s bare minimum marketing be? Choose the one or two things that go out every week no matter how busy you get. For me, that’s a podcast episode and an email. For you, it could be one weekly blog post that you repurpose into Facebook group posts and social media. Should travel advisors wait until they’re ready to start marketing? Get the legal pieces done first, like your EIN, local business license, and signing with your host or franchise. After that, start warming people up before your systems are perfect. If you wait until everything is in place, you’ll launch to crickets because you haven’t built any leads. Are auto-posting tools worth it for travel agents? I don’t recommend them. They know nothing about you, your agency, or your clients, so the posts have zero personality, and they usually market the supplier instead of your business. Content calendars from Krystle Straub or Kyla Daisy, or even the resources in my cruise content library, will do more for you.  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. Oct 16

    Ep 276 When Should Travel Advisors Start Planning for the New Year

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Register for the Plan Your Year Workshop: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1196435 Join the Waitlist for my NEW Group Marketing Program: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/offers/view/1198580 Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Every big business you love, from theme parks to your favorite fast food chain, plans months before you ever see the results.  If you’re waiting until January, or until you finally feel “ready,” to market your travel business, you’re probably going to be too late.  I’m sharing what I learned during budget season as a senior labor analyst, why the business you build now is the one you’ll see in the next 3 to 6 months, and how to plan ahead so you can take the holidays off guilt free :)  Learn how to build your marketing runway now so you walk into 2027 with clarity, confidence, and people who already trust you with their trips.  FAQ: When should travel advisors start planning for the new year? Travel advisors should start planning in October. Use October to set your goals, your numbers, what you're selling, and your marketing priorities. In November, build what you'll need, like lead magnets, email sequences, and promotions. December then becomes your time to batch and schedule content, since holiday distractions make it a hard month to start from scratch. Why isn't anyone booking with me after I opened my travel agency? Most people don't book because they don't know you or trust you yet. Many people just found out you work in travel, and before they spend thousands of dollars, they need time to warm up to you. The business you're building now is the business you'll see in the next 3 to 6 months, so start building that runway early. Should travel advisors wait until they're ready to start marketing? No. You'll never feel fully ready, and if you wait until your systems and processes are all built, you'll be too late. You don't have to market on a wide scale while you're setting things up, but you still need to market so people get to know you before you need their bookings. 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. Oct 9

    Ep 275 Stop Fearing your Numbers and Make Smarter Business Decisions for your Travel Agency

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Register for the Plan Your Year Workshop: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1196435 Get your numbers with the Lead Generation Calculator:  https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1138259 Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ If looking at your numbers makes your stomach drop a little, just know that we've all been there.  I'm walking you through why you need to stop "shoulding" on yourself and start making decisions from data instead of drama.  You'll get the 5 core numbers I want every travel advisor tracking, what those numbers might be telling you about your leads, sales, and seasonality, and a simple decision filter to run before you add, change, or quit anything in your business.  Learn how to read your numbers with confidence so you can plan smarter, spot slow months before they hit, and second-guess yourself a whole lot less :)  FAQ: What numbers should travel advisors track in their business? Travel advisors should track five core numbers: bookings and commissions by month, where clients come from, discovery call conversion rate, average commission per booking, and time spent per booking. Together they show your busy and slow seasons, which marketing brings in clients, and which trips are worth your time. How do you calculate your discovery call conversion rate? Divide the number of discovery calls that became paying clients by the total number of discovery calls you had. If 6 out of 10 calls turned into clients, your conversion rate is 60%. A lower rate usually points to a sales or qualifying issue, so recording your calls or practicing with a peer can help. What does it mean if you have lots of leads but few bookings? Lots of leads with few bookings usually means you have a sales or qualifying problem, so more leads won't fix it. The wrong people may be getting on your calls, or something on your call, landing page, or inquiry form isn't helping them take the next step. Add filters before calls and check your messaging for industry jargon. 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. Oct 2

    Ep 274 Why Every Travel Advisor Needs a Written Business Plan

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Register for the Plan Your Year Workshop: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1196435 Get your numbers with the Lead Generation Calculator:  https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1138259 Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ You made a HUGE bet on yourself when you registered your business, chose a host agency, and handed over your credit card, so why are so many travel agents running that business without a written plan?  About 60% of you told me in my Prep for Wave Week survey that your plan lives in your head or doesn't exist yet, and I'm on a mission to change that number.  I'm sharing the 5 reasons I'm so passionate about planning, with a little help from Jack Skellington, Kevin McCallister, and a few stats that surprised even me.  Learn how to build a simple plan you'll actually use, so you can trade busy for strategic and run your travel agency with way more intention :)  FAQ: How much more likely are you to reach your goals with a written business plan? Having a written plan increases your likelihood of reaching your goals by 42%. Sharing your progress on that plan weekly pushes it up to 76%. Businesses with plans also grow 30% faster than businesses without one, which is a general business stat, not one specific to travel agencies. What should a simple travel agency business plan include? A simple plan has three pillars: your numbers, your sales goals, and your marketing plan. Start with the income you need based on your expenses. Next, decide exactly what you'll sell and how many. Then build a marketing plan around those specific trips and clients, using both relationship-building and content marketing. Why do most business plans fail? Most plans fail because people don't act on them. Creating the plan is only the first step. You also need a to-do list and a schedule of activities that put the plan into action. Keep the plan simple, because a complicated plan is much harder to follow through on. 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. Sep 25

    Ep 273 What Questions Should Travel Advisors Ask on a Discovery Call with Whitney Shindelar (Prep for Wave Week Replay)

    Send Rita a text with your thoughts! Register for the Plan Your Year Workshop: https://programs.steeryourmarketing.com/products/courses/view/1196435 Forgot to register for this year's Prep for Wave Week?  https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/prep-for-wave-week/ Join us for the marketing reset your travel agency needs: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/summer-camp-at-sea/ Everyone wants to feel seen and understood, and your sales process is where clients decide whether you're really listening.  I replayed Whitney Shindelar's Sales Day session from last year's Prep for Wave Week because it was such an advisor favorite :)  She shares how she leads with curiosity from the very first inquiry and why she saves the budget question for the end of the discovery call.  She also explains how she frames hotel choices as pros and considerations, and the Loom video and custom Google Map combo she uses to deliver every proposal.  Learn how to ask better questions, talk less, and close sales faster without the endless back and forth.  Questions this episode answers: What should a travel advisor ask when a client doesn't know where they want to go?What single question can reveal how a client likes to spend their time and money?How do you get answers from a client who isn't giving you much in conversation?Why does it matter whether a client is a first-time or repeat visitor to a destination?How should you approach repeat clients when they come back to plan a new trip?How do you help cruise clients decide between focusing on the ship or the itinerary?What should a travel advisor research before a discovery call for an unfamiliar destination?What should a proposal email include to get a client to decide quickly?When should a travel advisor turn down a trip request?How do discovery questions set a travel advisor apart from AI and booking sites? Connect with Whitney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/whitney-shindelar-a5376886/ Learn more about The Hive on the Travel Tech Audio Summit: https://strategictravelentrepreneurpodcast.com/travel-tech-audio-summit/ 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. Sep 18

    Ep 272 How to Market to Luxury Travelers with Belvin Baldwin II (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 Luxury travel is less about a giant bank account and more about how you plan and who you plan with.  I replayed Belvin Baldwin II's session from last year's Prep for Wave Week, where he breaks down what actually separates a luxury trip from an expensive one and why chasing deals repels the exact clients you want.  We get into where busy professionals actually look before they book, how to network without the ick, and why your content needs to work for both Google and AI now.  Learn how to position yourself as the problem solver luxury travelers come looking for, so the booking becomes the easy part.  Questions this episode answers: What are the three criteria that make a vacation truly luxury?What are travel advisors getting wrong when they try to market to luxury clients?Where do luxury travel advisors actually find high end clients?How do you network for travel clients without coming across as salesy?What are the green flags and red flags when choosing a networking event?How often should a travel advisor publish content or get out to network?How do LinkedIn newsletters and YouTube videos help you show up in Google search?How do you optimize your travel content to get found in AI search?How can you tell if someone is a good fit for a luxury vacation?Why do open-ended questions help you uncover a client's real pain points? Connect with Belvin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/belvin-baldwin-ii-6726032a/ 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. Sep 11

    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

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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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