Why Connections Matter for Travel Advisors

As travel advisors, we often juggle a great deal—supporting clients, managing details, and balancing both professional and personal responsibilities. With so many moving parts, stress can easily become part of the job. While there are many ways to manage it, one of the most important for me has always been building and maintaining meaningful connections.

Connections can take many forms. In this context, I’m referring to people you genuinely connect with—those you can reach out to for support, guidance, or simply a listening ear. During my 14 years in the travel industry, I’ve built a wide range of connections. Some are professional relationships I rely on for supplier recommendations, a second set of eyes, or expert advice.
Others are people I turn to when I feel overwhelmed or need support navigating a challenge.

Equally important are the personal connections that grow alongside our professional lives. These include friends who are always there, people who can recommend trusted resources, companions to travel with, or simply those you can spend time with—whether in person or virtually. These relationships enrich not only our work but our lives as a whole.

One of the most wonderful things about the travel industry is that, despite its size, it often feels like a small community. Many connections overlap, share mutual acquaintances, or have crossed paths at industry events, and often, friends will reach out to me to tell me they’ve met someone I know at an event, in a group, or while traveling.  

Over time, some professional relationships will even naturally evolve into friendships, offering support both personally and professionally. Then there are those rare connections that feel like family—the people you can call no matter what, knowing they will be there for you. I’ve met friends through the industry who were when my youngest daughter was born, during hard times when I was going through health issues, and who supported me in times of hardship and loss. Those are truly the most valuable connections of all.  

No matter where you are in your journey—new to the industry or a seasoned professional, on the advisor side or the supplier side—connections matter. I’ve often been told that I’m a “connector,” someone who brings people together, and it’s a role I’m proud to embrace. After all, why not help others connect? We’re all in this together.

As Maya Angelou beautifully said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."