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

Rita M. Perez
  • 4.9 (29)
  • 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. 6d ago

    Ep 273 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

  2. 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

  3. 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

  4. 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

  5. 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

  6. 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

  7. 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

  8. 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

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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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