How to Plan for Seasonal and Specialty Trips as a Travel Advisor

Many travel advisors find themselves busier during certain months than others, often wondering if there is a secret to those who maintain steady sales year-round. Consistent success in travel sales often comes down to the difference between being active and being proactive. 

While an active advisor pursues their business through standard methods, a proactive advisor creates and controls their own sales opportunities rather than waiting for them to surface. By making things happen instead of waiting for them to occur, successful advisors can close sales now that they began strategically planning months ago. 

Here are some examples:

Family Reunion Groups

Family reunions are often the result of planning that began as early as last November or December of the previous year. When families gather for the holidays, they frequently discuss potential group trips for the following summer or early fall. Advisors who don’t introduce this topic in their prospective September newsletters should take the opportunity now to offer help with family reunion ideas. By planting the seed for a group trip next summer, advisors can watch the interest grow while promoting their value in handling complex group logistics. 

Fall Foliage Cruises and Land Tours

Because fall sailings and tours are seasonal, they book up early. While clients might find space for the current year, availability will be scarce. Advisors should determine if this is on a client’s “bucket list” and offer to watch for promotions to get them confirmed on the perfect leaf-peeper trip. Final payments for Canada/New England cruises and Classic Fall Foliage tours for 2026 are due around May or June. Therefore, it is a good idea for advisors to target cruise customers and retirees with ideas for these trips starting around December. 

Ski Vacations

For travel professionals with clients who ski annually, now is the time to advise them that popular resorts sell out during Christmas and New Year. If a travel advisor lacks ski clients, it may be due to clients being unaware that these customized trips can be booked for them.

Past Customers

Here is one more thought: go through all trips from the past year and contact those customers about six months past their last trip date. Tell them it was a joy to help plan a fun and memorable vacation and that it would be a pleasure to do so again. Stay on their radar!

New travel advisors lacking a customer base can build their business by focusing on preferred partners and their promoted trips. By researching these, utilizing free supplier marketing kits, and mastering destination timing, advisors can proactively market to new leads via social media and newsletters, driving engagement through informed, timely content. 

Key Strategies for New Advisors:
•    Analyze Partner Promotions: Research current and future promotions from preferred, strategic travel partners.
•    Leverage Free Resources: Utilize free marketing kits provided by suppliers to save time.
•    Master Destination Knowledge: Understand optimal travel times, booking windows, and payment schedules to guide clients effectively.
•    Take Proactive Action: Choose one strategy and post it on social media this week to start building momentum. 

By implementing these, advisors gain the knowledge needed to market effectively and turn prospects into clients.