A Birthday Trip FOR EVERY AGE
VACATIONS THAT ARE PERFECT FOR MILESTONE GETAWAYS
REMEMBER TO CELEBRATE YOU THE IMPORTANCE OF RECOGNIZING YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS
CELEBRATIONS WORTH TRAVELING FOR FILL YOUR CALENDAR WITH THESE UNIQUE FESTIVITIES
AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
SERENITY & RELAXATION IN AN EXQUISITE SETTING.
TRANQUILITY & REJUVENATION
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>> Departments
7. PRESIDENT’S NOTE
Insights from John Ische, president of Trisept Solutions.
8. EDITOR’S NOTE
For people in the travel industry, celebrating and traveling go hand in hand.
12. TRUE NORTH
This quarter’s most important news for advisors.
16. CONVERSATIONS
We asked: How do you make milestone trips extra special for your clients?
18. BY THE WAY (A PSA)
This tool from Tourism Cares encourages people to reframe the way they vacation.
20. HOW I CARRY ON
The face of travel is changing; learn how Danny Guerrero is helping the industry embrace it.
22. TAKING OFF
Learn how this travel advisor invented the concept of a “Celebra-cation.”
24. THE RIGHT DIRECTION
This charity has a mission to ensure every foster child has their own suitcase to carry their belongings in.
26. TECH TO KNOW
Fresh, easy-to-customize content is only a couple of clicks away with Canva.
82. BREAKOUT SESSION
Travel professionals share their predictions for the industry in 2025.
84. DESTINATION NEXT
A blossoming destination full of surprises, discover this European city’s unique past and eclectic present.
86. YESTERDAY’S NEWS
Advisors share lessons from the CrowdStrike crash.
88. ASK MAXWELL
Our beloved flippered friend answers your VAX questions.
89. CROSSWORD
How much do you know about these jovial places?
90. ONE FOR THE ROAD
Wisdom to take with you till next time.
28. CELEBRATIONS WORTH TRAVELING FOR
Fill your calendar with these unique festivities across the globe.
36. TRAVELING AS A MANUAL WHEELCHAIR USER: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
Accessibility isn’t a preference, and Kristy Durso wants the industry to stop treating it like one.
40. REMEMBER TO CELEBRATE YOU
Here’s how advisors can recognize their business success, as an individual and a brand.
44. THE SECRET ART OF ATTRACTING NEW CLIENTS
How to maintain a constant flow of new clients and turn every interaction into a potential booking.
48. THE INSIDER’S GUIDE TO PLANNING AN INDIAN DESTINATION WEDDING
Learn how these celebrations give advisors the chance to earn big while delivering dream experiences.
58. A BIRTHDAY TRIP FOR EVERY AGE
Whether they’re turning eight or 80, these ideas are bound to make the milestone one your clients will remember.
68. GROWTH THROUGH MENTORSHIP
Developing a strong mentorship relationship is essential to getting ahead — no matter where you are in your career.
72. VAX VACATIONACCESS: THE PAST, THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE
The marketplace is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2025.
President and Publisher
John Ische
Editorial
Editor in Chief – Sarah Kneisler
Managing Editor – Codie Liermann
Senior Editor – Jenna Buege
Contributing Writers – Samantha Anderson, Leslie Lang, Rossilynne
Skena Culgan, Joni Sweet
Advertising
Vice President – Joe Shomperlen
External Account Managers – Carey Driscoll, Melissa
Haskin, Pam Lowe, Sue Ulickey
Marketing Operations
Director, Operations and Marketing – Sarah Kneisler
Advertising Product Specialist – Kati Kohler
Advertising Coordinators – Rowanna Bailey, Hannah Ulickey
Manager, Digital Marketing – Ashley Perego
Advertising Producers – Joseph Enslin, Kyle Krause
Brand Ambassador – Vonda Keeler
PUBLISHER
Steve Strickbine
Published by Firebrand Media A division of Times Media Group
DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
Nadine Johnson
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Nick Oliveri
DIRECTOR OF CUSTOM PUBLISHING
Steve Zepezauer
GROUP EDITOR
Justine Amodeo
CREATIVE & MARKETING DIRECTOR
Tracy Powell
PRODUCTION MANAGER
Tina Leydecker
Being a travel advisor has never been a walk in the park, but lately it seems to be becoming even more complex. The number of rules and regulations advisors need to keep up with is nearly impossible.
Remember what advisors had to deal with during the COVID-19 pandemic — every country had its own entry requirements that advisors had to know in order to relay that information to their clients. Now advisors seem to be constantly bombarded. Lately there’s the need to disclose the ever-changing fees associated with checked bags and assigned seats and reveal any in-destination fees travelers will have to pay during the booking process and on travel documents. You also have to ensure travelers have a Real ID when the deadline approaches and learn about the new requirements for ETIAS European travel starting in May 2025, and I’m sure more will be on its way soon.
This constant stream of evolving regulations, cyber security risks and data privacy rules has an impact on travel advisors’ services and makes your lives more complicated. How are you supposed to keep up with everything?
We know what you go through each day, and VAX is always right there supporting you. We are continually investing in providing you with the right technology
John Ische PRESIDENT, TRISEPT SOLUTIONS
John’s industry tenure spans more than three decades.
and educational content to navigate all this complexity. We are committed to enabling you to have the right tools and resources to manage this ever-changing landscape.
Behind the scenes, VAX has a team that is continually tracking these regulations, and we invest in the VAX platform to make sure we are compliant. We are committed to staying up to date with all the new rules and regulations to help make advisors’ lives easier. We are making this investment, so you are knowledgeable and have the tools to protect your customers. Make sure you sell brands you can trust and who are making the continued investment to protect your business and your customers’ travels.
We know what you go through each day, and VAX is always right there supporting you.
I can usually find something to celebrate in any season, but I have an extra special reason right now as my niece was adopted at the end of 2024. She was in the foster care of my sister for six months and has officially become part of the family. What did I get her as a gift? A passport of course!
For people in the travel industry, celebrating and traveling pretty much go hand in hand. It’s ingrained in our thinking at this point, especially for travel advisors. You’ve helped your clients celebrate their honeymoons, bachelorettes, birthdays, anniversaries, promotions and more over the years.
If you couldn’t tell already, this issue of The Compass magazine is all about celebration travel, and we have a lot to celebrate here at VAX as we’ve entered the 25th year of the platform’s existence. Have any of you been here since the very beginning? Whether you’ve been around since then or have joined us more recently, we’re so happy you’re here.
You can hear from cofounders John Ische and Bill La Macchia and read all about the history of VAX on page 72. In addition to this story, you’ll find birthday inspiration for every age group, a calendar of festivals to put on your radar and
Codie Liermann MANAGING EDITOR
Codie aims to deliver valuable content to travel advisors.
ideas for how to celebrate yourself and your business milestones.
Other important topics include finding a mentor and tips for planning Indian destination weddings, and you’ll meet Denise Canon, a travel advisor who created the Pivot & Prosper Retreat and coined the term “Celebra-cation.”
Enter at your own risk: you might find yourself planning a celebratory vacation after getting lost in the pages of this issue. Don’t tell us you weren’t warned.
As for me? I’ll be focusing on celebrating my new niece and getting her booked on her first big adventure with that shiny new passport.
For people in the travel industry, celebrating and traveling pretty much go hand in hand.
CONTRIBUTORS
SAMANTHA ANDERSON
Samantha Anderson is the editorial intern for VAX VacationAccess. A communications and journalism major at Carroll University, Anderson can always be found on the soccer field or with her nose in the latest book. New to the industry, she’s excited to write travel content and is looking forward to the next big adventure that awaits!
LESLIE LANG
Leslie Lang is a Hawai’i-based writer who writes about technology as well as the Hawaiian Islands. Her latest book, “What Would Our Kupuna Do?: And What We Can do For Future Generations” is co-written with Richard Ha and available on Amazon.
JENNA BUEGE
Senior editor for VAX VacationAccess and world explorer, Jenna Buege loves writing about all things travel. When she’s not busy creating content, she spends her time exploring the great outdoors, cuddling with her two black cats and researching her next big (sometimes strange) adventure.
JONI SWEET
Joni Sweet is a freelance writer who’s driven by adventure. Her journalistic pursuits have taken her around the globe — rafting down the Ganges, hiking the rainforests of Borneo, swimming with whale sharks in Mexico and hot air ballooning over Cappadocia. Her work has been published by National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Forbes, TIME, Travel Weekly and many other publications.
ROSSILYNNE SKENA CULGAN
Rossilynne Skena Culgan is a journalist and author whose writing can be found in Saveur Magazine, Atlas Obscura, Thrillist, Google Arts & Culture and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She’s the author of the travel guidebook “100 Things to Do in Pittsburgh Before You Die” and is currently writing a Pittsburgh history book. A Pittsburgh native, she now lives in New York City. No matter where she travels, she’s always keeping her eyes peeled for vintage signage.
Thank you to our talented writers for your creativity, which helps bring The Compass to life each issue.
REQUIRED NOPA SSPO R T FOR U.S. CITIZENS
Stay the course on these big issues.
WORDS / JENNA BUEGE
PACIFIC WALRUS CALF FINDS HOME AT SEAWORLD
An abandoned Pacific walrus calf discovered in Utqiagvik, Alaska has found her forever home at SeaWorld Orlando. Originally under the care of the Alaska SeaLife Center, “Uki” was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando to benefit from the staff’s extensive experience with walrus care. The not-so-tiny tot — Uki weighed 220 pounds at the time of her intake — can now live out her days alongside a surrogate mother and the park’s thriving walrus herd. “We are proud to have been able to quickly respond to the call for help, getting a zoological team with expertise in walrus care to the Alaska SeaLife Center within 24 hours of the calf’s rescue,” said Dr. Claire Erlacher-Reid, senior veterinarian at SeaWorld Orlando. “Uki’s story of survival is a testament to the importance of partnerships and rapid response in wildlife rescue, and we are committed to providing her with the highest level of care as she continues her journey here at SeaWorld Orlando.”
Atlanta’s
Repurposed Subway Cars
The Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA) is taking the idea of “reduce, reuse, recycle” to the next level thanks to an initiative to transform defunct railcars into habitats for native marine life. Since the inception of the project in late 2023, MARTA has worked to repurpose and place two decommissioned railcars off the Georgia coast, transforming the lives of soft coral, game fish and sea turtles 65 feet below the surf. “MARTA is proud to be part of repurposing old railcars in this environmentally responsible way,” said Collie Greenwood, CEO and general manager for MARTA. “It’s exciting to see this type of development on the railcars after only a few months and we hope to provide more retired railcars for reef deployment as we make room for our new trains.”
Uki is a rare Pacific walrus calf from Utqiagvik, Alaska.
A decommissioned railcar acts as a marine habitat in Atlanta.
FOUR SEASONS TO DEBUT PRIVATE JET TRIP
Luxury hospitality brand Four Seasons is taking to the skies with Grand Horizons, the company’s new around-theworld private jet trip expected to launch in 2026. Touching three continents, the 24-day adventure will take travelers to North America, Asia, Europe and back again with exciting stops in coveted destinations like Tokyo, Bangkok, Istanbul, Milan, Lisbon, Napa Valley, Montreal and more. "By working closely with local experts and partners, we create new itineraries that reflect guest feedback and continue to surprise and delight loyal guests,” said Marc Speichert, executive vice president and chief commercial officer for Four Seasons. “Whether introducing a brand-new journey such as Grand Horizons or enhancing favourites … we're always elevating the experience, giving guests something new to look forward to for years to come.”
The luxurious Celebrity Solstice motors out to sea.
CELEBRITY CRUISES’ 110-NIGHT CRUISE
Celebrity Cruises is beginning preparations for Celebrity Solstice’s 110-night Grand Voyage from Canada to Asia. The incredible journey will last from September to December 2026 and will make stops in 55 destinations across 15 countries including Alaska, Hawai’i, French Polynesia, Fiji, New Zealand, Australia, Vanuatu, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Hong Kong. “Our 2026-2027 season offers exciting new and expanded experiences for Celebrity guests to indulge their sense of curiosity across all regions of the world,” said Laura Hodges Bethge, president of Celebrity Cruises. “Our guests’ love of back-toback sailings inspired the 110-night Grand Voyage which traverses 55 destinations … with no repeated ports to provide an unrivaled elevated journey.”
Ultra-popular rideshare company Uber is dipping its toes in the Safari game with “Uber Safari,” a new experience bookable for travelers to South Africa in the Uber app. At just $200 for up to four people, the new feature acts as an affordable option for vacationers hoping to catch a glimpse of The Mother Continent's famous wildlife from the comfort of an Uber Safari-branded vehicle. Uber Safari experiences begin in Cape Town and visit Aquila Private Game Reserve. “Uber Safari allows folks to book and enjoy an unforgettable day at Aquila, where they’ll get to experience the Big 5 in an easy and luxurious way,” said Johan van Schalkwyk, commercial officer for Aquila Collection. “It’s the perfect combination of modern convenience and natural beauty, all while supporting wildlife conservation efforts that are vital to preserving South Africa’s biodiversity.”
Safari-goers ride in an Uber Safari-branded vehicle.
Passengers prepare to board the Four Seasons private jet.
BRIGHTLINE WEST TRAINS TO FEATURE 'PARTY CAR'
COURTESY OF
In alignment with the spirit of Sin City, Brightline, a U.S.-based rail company, plans to unveil a “party-car,” complete with funky lighting and colorful lounge seating, on its soon-to-launch Brightline West train. Expected to wrap just in time for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, the new high-speed rail project will act as a connection between Las Vegas and Southern California, seamlessly shuttling up to 450 passengers from the Sunshine State to The Silver State in just two hours. In addition to pre-gaming in the party car, riders can expect other comforts like fast and reliable Wi-Fi, storage for both carry-on and checked luggage, ADA access between cars and more.
Potential Updates to Harry Reid International Airport
In early October 2024, the Clark County Department of Aviation presented plans to expand and renovate Harry Reid International Airport to include the addition of 26 gates to Terminal 1 and a new, more efficient pier design. In addition to arguing the current satellite gate layout is outdated, the Department of Aviation said the airport is welcoming more travelers than ever, pointing to high passenger traffic in 2023 where it set a record of 57.6 million annual passengers, a 9.4% increase from 2022. With upcoming years destined to trend in the same direction, the group says the addition of ~46,000 square feet is much needed. “Despite all of our best efforts to improve Terminal 1, it's just not moving the needle,” said Bryant Holt, managing director of planning for the Clark County Department of Aviation. “It's not because of anything other than the fact that the buildings are old. It's the age, and it's the design of the facility. They're simply not sustainable for current and future development, future growth.” While the plan isn’t set in stone, the group is expected to continue talks with airport officials.
This rendering shows Brightline West’s stylish party car.
Harry Reid International Airport could undergo major renovations.
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WE
ASKED: HOW DO YOU MAKE MILESTONE TRIPS EXTRA SPECIAL FOR YOUR CLIENTS?
Kendra Carver OWNER OF KENDRA AND COMPANY TRAVEL AGENCY
WEBSITE kendraandcotravel.com
INSTAGRAM Instagram.com/kendraandcotravel
“When we have clients celebrating special occasions, we always like to email the resort itself and let them know our clients arriving are celebrating. We inform them of their travel details, so that the resort itself is aware. We even ask the management staff if it is possible to meet them upon their arrival and give them a hearty welcome. In addition, we like to suggest experiences that will be the highlight of the trip and make it memorable. For an anniversary, we love to recommend and plan a romantic dinner under the stars with butler service, and even a special turndown service. Lots of times, we don’t share with clients that we have asked for a special turndown service and let them be totally surprised on the night of the anniversary. It’s all about letting the clients feel special on their milestone vacation.”
Kathy Barkauskas OWNER AND CONCIERGE FAMILY VACATION PLANNER AT TEDDY BEAR TRAVEL, LLC
WEBSITE myteddybeartravel.com
FACEBOOK facebook.com/KathyBarkauskasTeddyBearTravel
“I love planning special occasion trips for my clients, especially memorable birthday celebrations for kids and family anniversary getaways. For anniversary trips, I ensure there’s at least one meal where everyone can sit together and enjoy each other’s company, with Mom free from cooking or cleaning! This creates a relaxing atmosphere for everyone. For kids, I always include a special activity of their choice, whether it’s a thrilling dolphin adventure or exciting ATV excursion. This not only makes them feel involved but also adds a sense of excitement to the trip. By blending family bonding moments with personalized experiences, these milestone trips become unforgettable celebrations filled with joy and connection!”
Steve Phillips
PRESIDENT AND CEO OF K & E TRAVEL, AN AFFLUENT TRAVELER COLLECTION AFFILIATE
WEBSITE ketravel.us
FACEBOOK facebook.com/kandetravel
“Helping create lasting memories for people is not just a travel advisor’s greatest joy — I believe it is our sacred duty. During initial conversations about a milestone celebration trip, it’s always a good idea to understand what the clients want to accomplish. If a family of Scottish heritage wants to visit Scotland to celebrate their matriarch’s 80th birthday, it’s not enough to have a cake and flowers for her. I would arrange for a bagpiper to play ‘Scotland the Brave’ and ‘Happy Birthday’ for her. The feeling she will have in her heart at that moment will live on as a priceless memory. I would also hire a videographer to record the celebration, so she could relive that happy memory again and again.”
Siera Duiser
TRAVEL ADVISOR AT DESTINATIONS TO EXPLORE
WEBSITE spreadingmagic.com
FACEBOOK facebook.com/SpreadingMagic
“Celebration travel is one of my favorite types of vacations to plan because there are so many opportunities to surprise and delight my guests, creating memories that last a lifetime. This type of travel often focuses on the people you are celebrating with, so I put a lot of effort into crafting unique, shared experiences. From arranging special dinners in picturesque locations and adorning rooms with personalized decorations to orchestrating once-in-a-lifetime activities, my goal is to elevate every moment. Whether it’s a milestone birthday, an anniversary or a family reunion, I love helping my guests celebrate in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Your celebration becomes an extraordinary journey, filled with joy, connection and unforgettable moments.”
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TRAVEL WITH MEANING
This tool from Tourism Cares encourages people to reframe the way they vacation.
WORDS / JENNA BUEGE
For local communities, establishing a healthy relationship with travel and tourism can be tricky business. On one hand, an uptick in visitors means more cash and more eyes on the destination, while on the other, it can mean added stress and new problems for residents. No matter how you slice it, being put on the metaphorical map is often accompanied by growing pains, and it’s not uncommon for denizens to have mixed feelings when those struggles begin to
impact the place they call home.
However, what if we told you there’s a world where the two can co-exist, nay, even thrive, with the help of the global tourism industry? This is what Tourism Cares — a 501(c)(3) non-profit dedicated to advancing the travel industry’s positive social, environmental and economic impact — believes is possible through what it calls “meaningful travel,” travel that directly benefits host communities while simultaneously connecting
guests to destinations in a deeper, more responsible way.
Wondering what that looks like?
According to Tourism Cares, meaningful travel takes many forms. For some, it might mean attending a guided tour to learn more about a place’s people and history while for others, it could be supporting small businesses helmed by underrepresented groups like women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+ or disabled people. Likewise, for adventurous vacationers, meaningful
travel might manifest as getting outdoors with companies that work to conserve the environment or backing initiatives designed to protect, respect and conserve cultural heritage.
“The way we package travel needs to evolve in order to tackle increasing global challenges and rising consumer demand for more authentic, sustainable travel experiences,” said Tourism Cares on its website. “In order for travel to be a force for good, it should be designed to empower communities, protect the environment and make the best places to visit, the best places to live.”
The concept is different for everyone, and, as trusted experts, travel advisors are uniquely qualified to help their clients make choices that will enable them to explore more meaningfully. If you’re thinking that sounds like a lot of pressure, don’t worry, Tourism Cares has a tool to help.
THE MEANINGFUL TRAVEL MAP
Allow us to introduce you to the Meaningful Travel Map, a one-of-a-kind resource designed to showcase sustainable, community-led organizations, products, services, accommodations and tours from around the world. Always evolving, the map features vetted experiences and attractions advisors can trust, and you can even filter it by categories like “Community Tourism,” “Shopping,” “Meals & Food,” “Touring - Adventure Eco Tour,”
“Touring - Urban Walking,” “Indigenous Tourism,” “Animal/Nature Experiences,” “Accommodations” and more to find exactly what your clients are looking for.
“The Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Map is a B2B tool that helps the travel trade, including tour operators and travel advisors, easily find organizations making positive social and environmental impact in the destinations they sell,” said Tourism Cares on its website. “This interactive global map directly connects travel professionals to impact experiences, products, services and tours that are bookable and ready to explore.”
In addition to categories, you can narrow your search results even further by filtering by a specific destination or even hours to get a better idea of what’s open and when. Once you see an experience that catches your eye, simply click the corresponding “pin” to learn more about the organization’s impact, any applicable group offers and contact information to connect directly with the map partner.
While firsthand experience is invaluable, the Meaningful Travel Map is a powerful tool for advisors looking to recommend activities they know they can feel good about to their clients. From shops and restaurants dedicated to supporting a good cause like training at-risk youth to tours led by providers who prioritize accessibility and inclusion, each offering on the map has Tourism Cares’ meaningful seal of approval.
CHECK IT OUT
To access the Meaningful Travel Map visit Tourism Cares’ website: www.tourismcares.org/ meaningful-map
Tourism Cares supports small businesses doing incredible things, like Eagle Wing Tours in Victoria, BC, by helping to expand their impact by connecting them to the travel trade through its Meaningful Travel Map.
Tourism Cares supported non-profits and social enterprises in Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, granting organizations like World Central Kitchen and CMTAS Yauco with grants to enhance food security across the island.
A group of Tourism Cares Meaningful Travel Summit attendees explore small businesses, social enterprises and historic sites in Jordan.
CULTIVATE CULTURAL JOY
The face of travel is changing; learn how Danny Guerrero, founder and CEO of The Culturist Group, is helping the industry embrace it.
WORDS / JENNA BUEGE / PHOTOS COURTESY OF DANNY GUERRERO
Traditionally, travel and tourism has portrayed a certain image. An image of leisure, of luxury, of privilege. It catered to a demographic of high earners, people who fit into a certain bucket and looked a certain way. However, according to Danny Guerrero, CEO and founder of The Culturist Group, the face of travel is changing.
Hailing from sunny San Diego, Guerrero always knew he’d fall into the travel industry. He worked his first jobs at SeaWorld San Diego and the San Diego Zoo before holding various roles with tourism authorities, DMOs, ad agencies and more. He fell in love with the people and perks of travel. However, he encountered some uncomfortable truths along the way.
“I was different than other people in the way that I crossed different cultures,” he said. “I always felt like I didn’t really acknowledge and wasn’t comfortable bringing my identity to work.” As a self-described gay, brown, first generation, socio-economically not very privileged person, Guerrero’s lived experience varied from those the industry sought to attract. “I started to question it,” he said. “I started to say, wait a minute, I see I’m different in that I grew up in the industry and was lucky enough to travel the world to amazing places. I don’t see very many people like me in those places. I don’t think there are many people like me in these rooms, in these seats, deciding how these campaigns should look.”
This observation led Guerrero to consult his peers, with a big “ah-ha” moment coming in the form of the Diversity in Travel Scorecard,
Danny Guerrero in Macchu Picchu
a project led by Martinique Lewis, president of Black Travel Alliance, that ranked mostly Ds and Fs. “I was like, this is a thing,” he said. “And the way I’m feeling about this is validated by people like her who are noticing it.”
Interestingly, while travel struggled to become more inclusive, the advertising world at large was adapting. “I started looking at other industries — entertainment, consumer, automotive, finance — who had been doing a lot of work around multiculturalism and inclusivity,” he said. “When companies like Procter & Gamble started realizing the face of America was changing, they started creating products and messages that spoke to people the way they wanted to be spoken to. And I was like, that’s never been travel; travel’s been like one voice, one general approach.”
Having earned the trust of global brands and destinations, Guerrero felt pressure to step up. “I started to raise my hand, raise my voice, (I was) very nervous about it,” he said. However, with the aid of modern psychographics and demographics, Guerrero pointed to the data to paint a clearer picture for his clients. He encouraged them to diversify their panels and ask questions like “do you feel welcome,” “do you feel safe,” to more diverse groups.
“When I would ask, ‘why aren’t we targeting Black (or) Hispanic people?’ they’d say, ‘well, they don’t travel as much,’ ‘they don’t spend as much money’ or ‘they just go here’ … And I (was like) we’re not a monolithic group, we need to do better until we can actually get the insights we need to affect change, affect the way campaigns are developed, the way travel products are sold and operated and built.”
Guerrero continued asking “why,” and in 2022, he founded The Culturist Group, the first multicultural and inclusive marketing practice created for travel brands. However, while we’ve talked a lot about brands and destinations, Guerrero says there are things travel advisors can do to support a more inclusive industry too. “It’s really about removing barriers. How do we make travel
more prosperous for everybody?” he said. “For travel advisors, how can they remove misconceptions or misconceived notions about who wants what, or where a traveler belongs?”
To do this, advisors need to understand clients on a deeper level, something Guerrero says works toward cultivating “cultural joy.”
“One of the biggest things we found in surveying the emotions of intersectional, diverse customers was this notion of cultural joy and the joy we feel when we overcome anxiety, stresses or fears about going somewhere new or different because we may feel we’re not welcomed or we aren’t safe, to the point where you’re actually being your true self and enjoying the experience,” he said.
That’s what’s important. And while the future of travel looks different, Guerrero wants advisors to know they don’t need to abandon its roots. “There’s still a place for luxury travel,” he said. “This approach to travel marketing only creates more avenues for more business.”
WHAT’S IN DANNY’S CARRY-ON?
“There’s a really interesting app I’ve been using called Positive Intelligence. It talks about inner territories and the aspects of the way I’m wired that sometimes prevent me from fulfilling what I want to fulfill … That’s one thing lately that I’ve been leaning into and using my time on flights to not necessarily knock out emails or proposals or watch movies, but really work on removing my own barriers when it comes to my business and my potential.”
Guerrero walks in front of a colorful mural in Los Angeles.
CELEBRATION AND TRAVEL, THE ULTIMATE PAIR
Learn how this travel advisor invented the concept of a “Celebra-cation.”
WORDS / CODIE LIERMANN / PHOTOS COURTESY OF DENISE CANON
With more than 40 years in the industry, the President and CEO of Travel Concepts, Inc., Denise Canon, has come to realize the importance of celebrating, and how vacations and celebrations go hand in hand. Her love of travel began in her teens when she traveled on student passes to Colorado and Southern California. She entered the travel industry as a flight attendant, and from there went on to work for a meeting planning company, several retail travel agencies and as an independent contractor before founding Travel Concepts in 1996.
“Over my 40 years in the industry, I’ve always been driven by a deep passion for
helping others explore the world, and that passion continues to fuel me today,” Canon said. “As the President and CEO of Travel Concepts, Inc., I’ve enjoyed watching the industry evolve and am proud of the unforgettable experiences we’ve helped create for our clients.”
CELEBRATING MILESTONES
To Canon, travel is more than just a vacation. She’s realized travel is about “celebrating life’s milestones, achievements and special moments.” From birthdays and anniversaries to promotions and other successes, traveling can allow people to celebrate in unique ways. Capturing that combination of celebration and vacation
was a notion she enjoyed so much that she created a special word for it.
“I wanted to encapsulate that blend of celebration and vacation, and thus the term ‘Celebra-cation’ was born,” Canon said.
“It’s about elevating a trip to something much more personal and meaningful — an opportunity to honor life’s milestones in a truly unforgettable way. I loved the concept so much, I trademarked the word!”
It’s important to ensure clients have amazing experiences, but at times, travel advisors are so busy taking extra special care of their clients that they forget to spend time celebrating their own achievements and milestones. Canon points out the importance of taking time to recognize these things.
Left: Canon with some of her team members; Canon on the beach
passion for the industry, focus on personal and professional growth and learn how to pivot in new directions when needed,” Canon said. “It’s a space for reflection, strategy and community where we can share knowledge, uplift one another and find ways to adapt and thrive in this ever-changing landscape.”
Canon’s Pivot & Prosper Retreat and overall mentorship have been key elements in the success of several travel advisors’ businesses in the industry. Over the years, she’s offered herself as a mentor to advisors both starting out in their careers and making a big change.
“It’s important for travel advisors to celebrate themselves throughout their careers because our work can be incredibly demanding, yet profoundly impactful,” Canon said. “Celebrating those small and big victories keeps us motivated and reminds us why we fell in love with the industry in the first place.”
PIVOT & PROSPER
It’s not uncommon for a travel advisor to see
a gap in the industry and fill it, and Canon did just this with her annual Pivot & Prosper Retreat. Reflecting on her own experiences and challenges and recognizing “many advisors lacked the knowledge or business tools to operate a truly profitable business,” she created a retreat to help advisors discover the knowledge and tools they need to reach their business goals.
“The retreat was designed to address these gaps and help advisors reconnect with their
“My advice to new travel advisors is simple: stay curious, stay passionate, and never stop learning,” she said. “The travel industry is dynamic, and there’s always something new to discover, whether it’s a destination, a client need or an innovative way to serve your clients better. Build strong relationships, listen closely to what your clients truly want, and focus on creating experiences that go beyond their expectations. And most importantly, remember that every trip you plan is a chance to change someone’s life.”
Above: The Travel Concepts, Inc. team; Bottom: Canon with a group of 30 of her family members on an ancestral family heritage trip to Italy and Croatia
Canon about to take off on a trip
IT’S MY BAG: SUITCASES FOR FOSTER CHILDREN
This charity has a mission to ensure every foster child has their own suitcase to carry their belongings in.
WORDS / CODIE LIERMANN / PHOTOS COURTESY OF TAMMY LEVENT
What started as a visit to a foster care facility in the Tampa Bay area soon turned into a national movement to help get every child in foster care their very own bag.
Tammy Levent, president of Elite Travel Group and founder of It’s My Bag, was having the walls of a foster care facility painted with murals so they weren’t so plain. During a visit, she noticed garbage bags in the rooms and later learned that this is how
the children store their belongings when there isn’t enough dresser drawer space. “I cannot tell you how my heart sank and that’s when I had to make a change just like I did for the murals on the walls that took almost 2 years to paint,” Levent said.
The charity It’s My Bag, or ItsMyBag.cool (the original website), was then breathed into existence. “Since its inception in 2014, when we began collecting just a few bags to support children in foster care facilities, we never imagined the tremendous support we would
Donated bags for It’s My Bag
receive,” Levent said.
When deciding on the name, Levent asked the children what they would call it, and they came up with It’s My Bag. She then wanted to create the website with .com or .net, but everything seemed to be taken. Go Daddy had a new .cool available at the time, and she said, “how great and appropriate is that.”
“Officially forming as a charity in 2019, It’s My Bag has now grown beyond our expectations. With incredible help from people across the country and partnerships
Tammy Levent (right) was awarded the Dottie Berger MacKinnon Wings of Inspiration Award.
with suitcase manufacturers, we’ve collected over 17,000 suitcases across the United States. The outpouring of generosity has been overwhelming and continues to inspire us to do more for these children.”
As It’s My Bag grows, Levent would like to see the charity partner with airlines. She said Southwest Airlines would be her first choice since the company already has strong philanthropic initiatives. She’d also like to see a partnership with airports, as they sometimes auction off unclaimed suitcases that she’d
rather see donated to the cause.
“I want them to donate these unclaimed suitcases to us in cities across the United States,” Levent said. “By doing so, we can have travel agents act as distributors, helping to deliver these suitcases directly to foster care facilities or women’s shelters. This would recycle these bags and make a profound difference in the lives of needy children and women.”
There are many people and organizations throughout the travel industry who give
back to communities around the world. For example, they’ll pack a suitcase full of essentials to donate to the destination they’re traveling to. While giving back to the destinations we visit is incredibly important to do, supporting our local communities is just as necessary.
“It’s important for travel advisors to give back, not just within the travel industry, but also in their local communities, because we have the reach and the ability to make a real impact,” Levent said. “We’re not asking for money; it’s about dedicating a bit of time and effort to help these kids. In return, it’s incredibly rewarding, and it gives advisors the opportunity to be seen as a positive force in their community. Most agents don’t have a storefront, so this involvement provides exposure for their agency and builds a reputation for making a difference. It also brings much-needed awareness to a crisis happening right here in our country. Travel, suitcases and this charity — it’s a natural fit.”
This is something every travel advisor can do, and while the act of kindness might feel small, to a foster child, it could make a world of difference.
“Many of these children have had everything stripped away when removed from their homes,” Levent said. “Having their own suitcase gives them a sense of control over their belongings and helps restore a bit of their dignity.”
WHAT IS IT’S MY BAG?
It’s My Bag is a 501c3 charity that provides foster children with their own suitcases to carry their belongings in.
HOW CAN ADVISORS GET INVOLVED?
Advisors can donate new or gently used bags to one of the locations already collecting them, or they can start their own collection locally. The bags need to be in working order and have wheels. They can also choose to send a check and have someone from the charity purchase the luggage. To learn more, call Elite Travel at (727) 726-9090.
A large donation of luggage for foster children from Monos
Luggage collected for Elite Travel Group to donate to foster children
ELEVATE YOUR BUSINESS CREATIVITY WITH CANVA
Fresh, easy-to-customize content is only a couple of clicks away.
Learning the ins and outs of marketing and creating visually appealing content is an important part of the travel business, though advisors know better than anyone that these responsibilities can sometimes fall to the wayside. Whether it’s a temporary lapse in creativity or not enough hours in a day to design, here’s how Canva
can help take away some of those pressures.
SOCIAL MEDIA TOOLS AND MARKETING RESOURCES
No matter what type of content advisors are creating, a couple of Canva’s features are universal. Arguably the most important, the site is a gold mine for templates — from logo creators, flyers and presentations to
social media posts, there’s plenty of pre-made content. To access, users can navigate to “templates” on the left side of the website and type in specifics in the top search bar. Most of the details on the templates can be copied, edited and adjusted, and elements can even be moved across multiple designs to merge the best aspects of each, helping to meet any advisor’s specific brand needs.
WORDS / SAMANTHA ANDERSON
Additionally, advisors can add personalized details to their designs. The “uploads” section is a great resource should advisors have images, logos or other content they want to add. When an image is uploaded, Canva will pull a main color palette from the photo, allowing users to incorporate those exact shades into the design; this feature is especially ideal for adding brand colors into business content. Similar to Microsoft Word, font types and sizes, colors, effects, paragraph alignment and filters are also available for customization.
With all these functions, creating content for social media is easier than ever, especially with the appropriately sized templates customized to each platform’s dimensions. Instagram stories and posts, Facebook cover photos and ads and LinkedIn background banners are some of the carefully curated options available to users, ensuring that each
design fits perfectly when shared.
Plenty of travel-specific marketing resources can be found too. Advisors who send customized itineraries to their clients can benefit from the hundreds of templates on the site, ranging from short weekend trips to extended vacations. Canva also offers email newsletters and flyers for travel packages, allowing advisors to compile their brand information into creative and enticing formats.
HELPFUL TIPS AND QUICK KEYS
If a dotted pink link appears over the design, this means the page elements are lined up with one another, while a solid pink line means the design is centered on the page. Users can move and adjust multiple elements at once by holding down the “shift” button while selecting each individual detail. This trick maintains the design’s original spacing so that while the elements are rotated or resized,
the ratios are maintained. To add a text box, simply click “t” on the keyboard, and to zoom in and out of the design, hold “Ctrl” and “+” or “-.” For precise alignment, click the arrow keys on the keyboard to move an element up, down or side to side one pixel at a time.
TRAVEL INSPO TOOL KIT
The Travel Inspo Tool Kit on VAX VacationAccess is dedicated to helping advisors connect with their clients via social media. For readymade shareable travel content created with Canva, head to the Resources tab on VAX’s navigation menu and click Travel Inspo Tool Kit.
CELEBRATIONS WORTH TRAVELING FOR
Are you looking for something to celebrate? A feel-good festivity no matter the time of year? Holidays, events and festivals make for particularly exciting reasons for travelers to pack their bags, especially when they’re invited to get in on the fun. To help you start planning, we’ve compiled 12 of the world’s most intriguing annual celebrations, many of which we hope you haven’t heard of yet. So, what are you waiting for? Grab your calendar and your carry-on and get ready to party.
WHAT NAADAM WHERE MONGOLIA
OCTOBER
WHAT SURSTRÖMMING FESTIVAL WHERE ALFTA, SWEDEN
NOVEMBER
WHAT NAHA GREAT TUG-OF-WAR FESTIVAL WHERE OKINAWA, JAPAN
WHAT PIRATES WEEK WHERE CAYMAN ISLANDS
WHAT HERMANUS WHALE FESTIVAL WHERE SOUTH AFRICA
DECEMBER
WHAT NOCHE DE RÁBANOS WHERE OAXACA, MEXICO
Those looking to start their year with a blaze can head to the tiny town of Lerwick to attend Up Helly Aa, Scotland’s largest annual fire festival, featuring fanciful, Viking-inspired garb, flaming torches and hearty singing. During this unique festival, hundreds of costume-clad attendees take to the streets by day to honor their Norse heritage and raise the spirits of locals before gathering in the evening for a torch-lit procession leading to the thrilling climax of it all: the burning of a replica dragon ship.
Beckoned by the call of the moai, each February visitors flock to Easter Island to attend the country’s annual Tapati Festival. A fascinating display of Rapa Nui culture, the celebrations feature an array of friendly competitions — we’re talking singing, dancing, swimming, canoeing, horse racing, running and more — where locals battle it out for points to determine which group will win the symbolic right to rule the island for the remainder of the year. They even crown a queen! For natives, the Tapati Festival plays an important role in maintaining and promoting age-old customs and traditions and acts as a way for older generations to share their heritage with children.
AN UP HELLY AA PARTICIPANT RIDES IN ON A REPLICA DRAGON SHIP.
BOATING DURING THE ANNUAL TAPATI FESTIVAL ON EASTER ISLAND
WHAT: TAPATI FESTIVAL
WHERE: EASTER
ISLAND
A quirky amalgam of tradition, satire and art, during Spain’s Fallas of Valencia, hundreds of carefully crafted monuments (sometimes towering as high as 100 feet) fill the city streets before meeting a fiery demise. During this five-day festival, countless talented sculptors and artists work to create elaborately themed “Fallas” by the morning of March 16, where they undergo judging to determine the winners and which lucky statue will be spared from the burning. Then, on the evening of March 19, comes “Noche de la Cremà,” the moment the remaining statues are thrown into the flames.
COLORFUL FALLAS LINE THE STREETS DURING SPAIN’S FALLAS OF VALENCIA.
WHERE: VALENCIA, SPAIN
Translating to “passage of the sun,” Thailand’s Songkran festival welcomes the Thai New Year with a splash, as water fights and time-held traditions take center stage in the name of cleansing, reverence and good fortune. Practiced throughout the country, Songkran begins April 13 and lasts for three days, during which water takes on a major role, symbolically washing away the previous year in preparation for the next. Songkran is a time for families to come together to clean their spaces, visit temples and make offerings. Sprinkling water over statues of Buddha is believed to bring good fortune, while younger people pour water on the hands of elderly adults as a sign of respect. Outside the home, Songkran can get pretty wild as the streets fill with partiers ready to partake in spirited water fights.
A PLAYFUL WATER FIGHT DURING THAILAND’S SONGKRAN FESTIVAL
WHAT: SONGKRAN
WHERE: THAILAND
WHAT: FALLAS OF VALENCIA
A ceremony that, according to the event’s website, is dedicated to “offering gratitude to all spirits, all forms of life, that have supported our existence since the beginning of time,” Shinnyo Lantern Floating Hawai’i is an annual service hosted at Ala Moana Beach every Memorial Day. Open to all, the multi-step cultural ceremony encourages participants to express their love for, and take time to remember, anyone they miss. The process is intimate and emotional, and what begins as a moment of introspection is transformed into a touching collective experience, as guests are instructed to place their individual lanterns on the water in a unified wish for peace, love and happiness for everything that was and what will come to be.
PARTICIPANTS TAKE TURNS PLACING THEIR LANTERNS.
WHERE:
Established in 1430 AD, Inti Raymi is an ancient Incan ceremony marking the arrival of the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere and the beginning of the Inca New Year. The festival is named for Inti, the Incan sun god, and each year on June 24, thousands of Peruvians flock to the historic center of Cusco to visit historical sites like Qorikancha, Plaza Mayor de Cusco and Sacsayhuamán Archaeological Park. At these sites, attendees look on as hundreds of actors, dancers and musicians dressed in traditional clothing take attendees back in time through a series of dances, performances and praises designed to honor the Inca legacy.
PARTICIPANTS DRESSED IN TRADITIONAL CLOTHES HEAD TO INTI RAYMI.
WHAT: INTI RAYMI
WHERE: PERU
WHAT: SHINNYO LANTERN FLOATING HAWAI’I
HONOLULU, HAWAI’I
A national festival across Mongolia, with the largest celebrations taking place in Ulaanbaatar, Naadam shines a light on “Eriin Gurvan Naadam,” aka the “Three Manly Games”: horse racing, wrestling and archery. Dating to the early 13th century, the trio of pastimes offer locals a direct link to the lifestyles and living conditions of the ancient Mongols and their infamous leader, Genghis Khan. In addition to being an intriguing display of sport, Naadam acts as a time for locals to embrace their heritage through oral traditions, national cuisine, craftsmanship, performing arts and more.
Come the third Thursday of August, something smelly is brewing across Sweden as locals crack open perfectly fermented cans of Surströmming, a small Baltic herring best enjoyed atop a slice of buttered flatbread paired with diced onions and sliced almond potatoes. While wildly pungent — this stuff seriously stinks — locals swear the taste is unmatched, sweeping those brave enough to try it into a state of untainted umami bliss. While the flavorful fish is enjoyed throughout the nation, the world’s largest Surströmming festival is celebrated in Alfta, a tiny town in Sweden’s Hälsingland province, where attendees dance alongside a live orchestra before digging into the divisively delicious main course.
AN ARCHER RIDES ATOP A HORSE DURING THE NAADAM GAMES.
WHERE: MONGOLIA
SURSTRÖMMING IS A SMELLY FERMENTED FISH ENJOYED ACROSS SWEDEN.
WHAT: SURSTRÖMMING FESTIVAL
WHERE: ALFTA, SWEDEN
WHAT: NAADAM
Promising attendees a weekend jam-packed with fun, entertainment and admiration for some of Earth’s most majestic creatures, as the world’s only eco-marine festival, South Africa’s Hermanus Whale Festival is a must for wildlife-lovers of all ages. Occurring at the end of September, this unique event coincides with the migration of southern right whales whose numbers peak in Hermanus’ coastal waters in the late summer. In addition to getting up-close-and-personal with the magnificent gentle giants, festivalgoers will have the chance to learn about marine conservation efforts as well as opportunities for shopping, dining and live entertainment — all in support of a whale-y good cause.
The classic game of tug-of-war is taken to an entirely different level each fall in Okinawa where tens of thousands of participants grab onto a 200-meter, 43-ton rope in hopes of grunting their team to victory. A trademark of traditional Okinawan festivals, large-scale tug-ofwar events act as a sort of ritual, bestowing onto players a bountiful harvest, good health and fertility. Naha’s Great Tug-of-War dates to 1450, and the celebrations have only grown more extreme after the event was cited in the Guinness World Records in 1995 for having the “largest rice-straw rope used in a tug-of-war.”
SOUTHERN RIGHT WHALES IN SOUTH AFRICA
PREPARING THE ROPE DURING NAHA’S GREAT TUG-OF-WAR FESTIVAL
WHAT: NAHA GREAT TUG-OF-WAR FESTIVAL
WHERE: OKINAWA, JAPAN
WHAT: HERMANUS WHALE FESTIVAL
WHERE: SOUTH AFRICA
Perhaps the only time “eye patch” and “stuffed parrot” will make the packing list, Cayman Islands’ annual Pirates Week is a swashbuckling good time filled with mock pirate attacks, fanciful costumes and a treasure trove of fun and entertainment. Founded in 1977, each year locals embrace the region’s history of fearsome pirate invasions with themed celebrations across the destination’s three islands — Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman. From happy hours and dancing to fireworks and parades, all the festivities come to a head on Grand Cayman, where thousands of attendees watch as two ships dock at George Town Harbor and pirates unload to “capture” the governor.
FIGHTING OFF PIRATES IN GEORGE TOWN HARBOR DURING PIRATES WEEK
WHAT: PIRATES WEEK
WHERE: CAYMAN ISLANDS
The result of a prolific 18th-century radish crop, Oaxaca’s Noche de Rábanos (The Night of the Radishes) is an unlikely holiday tradition where artists transform oversized radishes into detailed sculptures. From landmarks and paintings to creatures and people, the displays run the gamut, and thousands of onlookers congregate each year to marvel at the handcrafted veggie creations. As for the agenda, Noche de Rábanos kicks off in the early afternoon when visitors pour into the main square and the radishes undergo strict judging. Come 9 p.m., the winners are announced, and the tables are dismantled, but the party doesn’t stop. Instead, music, fireworks and dancing keep the fiesta going as attendees enjoy the jovial atmosphere.
AN ATTENDEE OBSERVES A DISPLAY AT NOCHE DE RÁBANOS.
WHAT: NOCHE DE RÁBANOS
WHERE: OAXACA, MEXICO
Traveling as a Manual Wheelchair User: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY
ACCESSIBILITY ISN’T A PREFERENCE, AND KRISTY DURSO WANTS THE INDUSTRY TO STOP TREATING IT LIKE ONE.
WORDS / JENNA BUEGE
Did you know the honeymoon industry is worth $15 billion a year? This is how Kristy Durso, owner of Incredible Memories Travel, founder of the Accessible Travel Network, speaker and manual wheelchair user, set the stage for a whammy of a statistic. “Now, what about accessible travel?” she asked. How much do people with disabilities spend on travel each
year? If you guessed at least twice as much as honeymooners, you’d be correct. Durso said a recent study from Open Doors Organization, a non-profit fighting for better accessibility, revealed people with disabilities spend an estimated $58.7 billion on travel on a bi-annual basis.
This begs the question, with such massive earning potential, why do we know so much about the honeymoon and romance niche, but so little about accessible travel? According to Durso, the answer comes down to the many myths surrounding accessibility and disability. Beginning with the way, or lack thereof, we talk about it.
“One (myth is) ‘disability’ is a bad word, and we shouldn’t say it,” said Durso. “Let’s just knock that out of the park, you can say the word ‘disability.’” Diving deeper, Durso recalled more common misconceptions. “When you talk about disabilities, the assumptions are we’re all low income, we’re all sedentary, we’re all comfortable just staying home. Well, this is far from the truth.”
“One of my friends has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro twice. Corey Lee has visited all seven continents, and he’s a power wheelchair user who can’t independently transfer,” she said. “(As an advisor,) I had a mom with ALS who wanted to go to her son’s destination wedding. The assumption immediately was, ‘well the son should have been more considerate and just gotten married at home.’ Why? What if she’s the one who wanted a destination wedding?”
Add to this the fact anyone can become disabled, and the slow crawl to inclusivity becomes even more of a head scratcher. “We span every demographic, and nobody is safe or immune from disability,” said Durso. “There shouldn’t be a limit (as to what we assume people can do). And just like we shouldn’t, as travel professionals, book somebody out of our own pocketbook, we shouldn’t book anybody based on a preconceived notion of what they ‘should’ or ‘should not’ be able to do.”
Curious to learn more about her experience traveling as a manual wheelchair user, we asked Durso to share her insights on what the industry is doing right and how it can improve — by air, at sea and on land.
BY AIR
When it comes to flying, Durso says broken equipment is the biggest concern among people with disabilities. And for good reason as, according to the DOT’s 2020 Air Travel Consumer Report, airlines break an average of 29 wheelchairs a day. That’s a lot of damage, and while companies “make it right” by providing replacement chairs, Durso says the process can be long and dangerous. “You don’t pick up a custom wheelchair at the store; it has to be designed for the user,” she said. “It’s not like losing a suitcase, it’s not like having a few hours delay. It’s actually life threatening for some wheelchair users.”
Instead of defaulting to checking chairs at the gate, Durso wants people to know that, according to the Air Carriers Access Act (ACAA), manual wheelchairs can be stored in the cabin. According to Durso, this is an area where airlines can improve as she says it’s not uncommon for even airline staff to be unaware of the rule. “If I ask, they’re like ‘yes, of course we can do that.’ Well, why didn’t you offer that to me first instead of creating a gate tag for my chair?” she said. “The first
thing should be that it should go in the cabin, not the last resort.”
In addition to making sure their equipment arrives safely, Durso says it’s important for wheelchair users to know their rights. Likewise, it’s essential for travel advisors to know how to advocate for their disabled clients, the first step to which is understanding the difference between the ACAA and ADA, as the two operate under different rules and regulations with the ACAA governing flights that take off and land on U.S. soil.
AT SEA
The question “is that accessible?” ultimately comes down to the needs of the individual, which is why, with their various room categories, Durso loves cruises. “(The mass market cruises) have a few different kinds of accessible cabins,” she said. “They have ambulatory wheelchair accessible cabins … Then they have their one-side accessible and their dual-side accessible cabins. So the fact they have that broken up into multiple cabin types makes it a whole lot easier to
Durso smiles in front of the Brandenburg Gate.
book.” Another shining moment for cabins is the bathrooms, which Durso says typically include grab bars in the shower and on both sides of the toilet.
However, there are some hurdles the ships have yet to master, including doors, which Durso says can be difficult for wheelchair users to open, and bed height. “A good exercise to find out why (bed height) matters so much is to pull a chair up next to your bed, lift your feet off the ground and get into the bed, if it’s too high, you’ll find it’s pretty much impossible,” she said. “Again, that doesn’t apply to every wheelchair user. Some need it higher because they have bad knees and still use their legs, others need it the height of the bed, some need room to slide a Hoyer lift under it which the cruise lines do a really good job with because they usually leave room for suitcases under the bed.”
Speaking of lifts, a day at the pool looks different for wheelchair users. “A family might be able to go to a pool at any time … (Wheelchair users) have to call, we have to find the right person, ask them to bring the
pool lift to the pool, wait for that person to get there (if they can find it, sometimes they have trouble locating it), and then they have to operate it,” said Durso. “So that means we don’t get into the pool until somebody’s ready to help us, and we can’t get out until somebody helps us.” Luckily, this is changing among some brands with Durso giving kudos to Holland America who recently installed permanent lifts in many of its pools, including spa therapy pools.
ON LAND
When it comes to hotels, Durso says the biggest hurdle is finding consistency across brand portfolios. To illustrate this, she shared that although one of her favorite hotels in Southeast Florida is in line with the ADA and has excellent accessible rooms, she has yet to see more properties from the brand that meet the same standards. Similarly, Durso says it’s not uncommon for disabled travelers to find themselves in the wrong type of accessible room, something she says can be fixed by qualifying travelers better. “We’ve had people
who have said, ‘well, I asked for an accessible room and they gave me a hearing accessible room,’” she recalled.
To avoid this, Durso recommends asking for pictures. “(One time) a hotel sent me a picture of the accessible shower so I could see the grab bars in it,” she said. “It looked great, roll-in, zero-entry, fantastic. But there wasn’t a shower bench or chair so I asked them about it, and they said, ‘we don’t provide that, but you can rent it from this place over here.’”
This was a red flag. “I said ‘ok, thank you, but we will never book with you again because it’s not really fair for me to be charged for a shower when nobody else is.’ A shower is a basic requirement of a hotel room.”
A similar issue is prevalent throughout Mexico and the Caribbean where travelers are asked to rent beach wheelchairs when hotels don’t provide them. “Don’t charge me more if everybody else is able to walk on the beach,” Durso said. To combat this, she encourages hotels to invest in beach wheelchairs for guests, stating if people aren’t spending money on rentals, they’ll have more to spend at the
resort. “It’s a one-time investment and now you’ve opened up the doors to so many more possibilities,” she said. The same goes for lifts and beach wheelchair ramps, which Durso noted hotels need to do better with too. “We have a complete lack of ability to get in the water,” she said. “You may make the room accessible, but you’re not making the resort accessible, and if everyone else can get in the pool, I should be able to get in the pool.”
Of course, it’s not all bad; Durso says hotel
brands like Beaches and Disney are doing accessibility right, something she credits to their clear communication and abundance of categories. “When we list out expectations ahead of time, we’re able to manage it better and people get what they want,” she said. “If (hotels) aren’t going to guarantee I’m getting an accessible room, I’m moving on.”
“This isn’t like wanting an ocean view versus a tropical view. This is the difference between being able to get in the bed, take
a shower, see your face in the mirror and anything else a wheelchair user is going to need. It’s not a preference. It shouldn’t be treated like a preference,” said Durso. “We have a preference when we request things like ‘I wanna be close to the gym’ or … ‘I wanna be in this building.’ Those are preferences. Those are things you can live without if you don’t get them. They’re not guaranteed. That’s fine, but an accessible room should be guaranteed every single time.”
Remember To CELEBRATE YOU
HERE’S HOW ADVISORS CAN RECOGNIZE THEIR BUSINESS SUCCESS, BOTH AS AN INDIVIDUAL AND A BRAND.
WORDS / SAMANTHA ANDERSON
Celebrating success is a concept that comes up often in life, and while some of us are admittedly better at recognizing our accomplishments than others, acknowledging business and career growth seems to come up short for many individuals. Whatever the reason is for not appropriately honoring
business success, in a self-paced industry like travel, taking a moment to rejoice in the wins gives purpose to the work that advisors do and serves as motivation for the future. From tips for navigating the path to success to personal reward inspiration and best business practices, here are some of the ways to celebrate you.
TIPS FOR THE JOURNEY TO SUCCESS
As with anything, before you can celebrate a win, there must be guidelines defining what, exactly, the accomplishment is. For some, strategies such as SMART goals — a framework to help define specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound criteria
— might do the trick for keeping them on track. For others, a method like this can feel too rigid without room for adjustment or simply doesn’t feel effective.
Martin Mussey, a certified business coach with Nexion Travel Group, offers a different perspective for developing goals with a topdown approach. Instead of crafting goals for the immediate future and then working farther out, Mussey advises the opposite. “It’s easier to set mile markers backwards than it is thinking forwards,” Mussey said. “Bringing it to the world of travel, I don’t get on a plane without having a destination in mind. Then it’s, ‘How am I going to get there?’”
Expanding on the goal-setting process, Mussey contributes the idea of beating a personal best. Professionals select three to five categories they’re passionate about, which can range from a personal best booking or highest
sales month recorded to the highest commission earned — whatever motivates the individual to work hard. Advisors set their goals, and once they’ve been met, it’s time to create new ones. This way, instead of feeling pressured to meet industry standards, business professionals are competing solely against themselves.
Regardless of which method advisors use for their goal setting, it’s crucial to remember that it looks different for everyone, and its effectiveness is defined by the individual. If a particular strategy isn’t unfolding as planned, re-evaluating and adjusting goals is a normal part of the business process. Additionally, the most important reminder in this process is to avoid comparisons. Criticizing ourselves against others can contribute to feelings of self-doubt and low self-esteem, turning something that once was a source of joy into an area of frustration.
“It’s very easy to get caught up in the world
of ‘Oh, they’re performing at that level. Why am I not there yet?’ It doesn’t matter,” Mussey said. “Just focus on what you can control against your personal best.”
PERSONAL REWARD INSPIRATION
Once appropriate goals have been established and accomplished, it’s time to celebrate.
Remember, it’s not so much about how advisors reward themselves, but rather that they do. It could be a fancy meal out or a small get-together with loved ones, but the main point is to make sure the milestones don’t go by without acknowledging them in some way.
Big or small, recognizing individual accomplishments is a great way to build confidence, alleviate stress and encourage future motivation. There are a handful of different categories advisors can consider when searching for their next reward, and self-care is an easy one to opt for. Maybe it’s a massage, a mani-pedi at the salon, a facial, a haircut or even a mental health day — whatever selfcare means to you, making a conscious effort to rejuvenate the mind, body and soul is a fantastic way to show yourself some love.
If a day of pampering isn’t enticing, rewards can also be tangible goods. Perhaps it’s buying a special edition book that just released, splurging on some luxury clothing, purchasing a new trinket or gadget for the office, adding a piece of furniture to the house or upgrading a business platform. The point of buying the
object is that it makes the individual happy, so anything that’s been sitting on the wish list for some time is fair game.
Investing in an experience is another route advisors can choose for their reward. Concerts, workout classes and a trip to the movie theater fall under this category, in addition to outdoor activities such as a beach outing or hiking excursion. Personal travel can also be considered an experiential reward. As Mussey noted, sometimes advisors get caught up in their work helping other travelers make plans that they completely forget to book their own vacations. Personal travel doesn’t have to be a big, extravagant trip, but rather simply something that fuels advisors’ love and passion for the industry.
BUSINESS PRACTICES TO IMPLEMENT
Now that advisors have some ideas brewing about how to reward themselves as individuals, it’s also necessary to consider some business practices to honor those accomplishments. From a marketing
standpoint, sharing milestones on social media not only promotes an advisor’s work but also attaches that success to the brand. It’s an advantage advisors can leverage to establish credibility for the business, in addition to contributing new content to keep posts fresh and relevant for the online audience.
Another marketing tactic advisors have at their disposal is showing gratitude. “It’s absolutely your hard work and what you did, but you’re fostering relationships,” Mussey said. “It’s one thing to say it on social media, but also do something as a way to show your appreciation for your clients.”
Mussey suggests hosting a small gathering for loyal customers as a way to give back, but offering exclusive deals and promotions to these individuals is another option too. Both practices are rooted in the expression of gratitude, and making the conscious effort to reward clients goes a long way. Not only does it make them feel valued, but it fosters a twoway relationship that will help to encourage word-of-mouth referrals and solidify future opportunities for success.
BE MORE
MAKE IT SPECIAL. MAKE IT HYATT.
Whether your clients are celebrating a milestone event, a honeymoon or a family reunion, Hyatt is here to make your clients’ trips extra special. With exclusive packages, personalized amenities, and unique destinations, Hyatt hotels and resorts are ready to welcome parties of all shapes and sizes.
ANDAZ MAYAKOBA RESORT RIVIERA MAYA, PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO
GRAND HYATT BAHA MAR, THE BAHAMAS
As a travel advisor, you’re deeply engaged in the joy of crafting extraordinary experiences for your clients. It’s the highlight of your job: the magic of turning travel fantasies into reality. But once those itineraries are set, there’s a perpetually looming question: How do you keep that magic going with a steady stream of new clients?
Just as you rely on savvy strategies to ensure every trip is perfectly tailored, you need innovative approaches to attract fresh clients and stay busy. Here are some of the secret ways seasoned travel advisors stay ahead of the game and keep their client lists growing.
THE SECRET ART OF ATTRACTING NEW
CLIE
HERE’S HOW SUCCESSFUL TRAVEL ADVISORS MAINTAIN A CONSTANT FLOW OF NEW CLIENTS AND TURN EVERY INTERACTION INTO A POTENTIAL BOOKING. WORDS / JONI SWEET
NTS
1. Never Stop Talking
For luxury travel advisor Jonathan Alder, the secret to keeping the client pipeline full over the past 15 years is simple but powerful: “Never stop talking.” As the founder of Jonathan’s Travels, Alder has planned more than 30,000 trips for over 100,000 people. “Mention what you do and talk about it with anyone, anywhere,” he said.
This doesn’t mean you’re constantly selling — it’s about letting people know who you are and sharing valuable travel insights.
Alder recounted a time when he met a young woman at a concert who was already planning a trip to Australia. Alder gave her
a few offhand tips for her trip and handed her a business card, just in case she needed any help.
Two years later, that move paid off big time when the woman’s father was searching for a new travel advisor and called Alder. “He’s now my biggest client in the last nine years. It’s shocking she kept the card for that long,” Alder said.
He recommends sharing your expertise generously, even to those who aren’t paying clients (yet!).
“You never know when you’ll open your mouth to someone who will become your next big client,” he said.
2. Don’t Forget the Power of PR
Speaking of sharing your expertise, another great way for travel advisors to find new clients is by speaking with the press, Alder says. The morning of our interview, he had just received a call from a prospective client who heard about his business in an article in Travel + Leisure. One of his top clients came as a result of a Forbes article he was featured in.
“Get a great PR firm behind you to get your name out there, and have something unique they can work with,” he advised. “The press coverage we’ve gotten since working with PR has helped us grow tremendously.”
Even if you don’t have the budget to work with a PR firm, you can connect with journalists directly by subscribing to their newsletters, following them on social media or introducing yourself via email as a potential source for upcoming stories. You can also use free and low-cost tools like Qwoted and Source of Sources to find out what stories reporters are working on and offer your expertise.
3. Host Group Trips
Tracy Thomas, luxury travel specialist and founder of T. Thomas Group, swears by
the power of group trips to find new leads. Her LGBTQ-centric trips and solo-friendly adventures have become a significant source of referrals and new business.
“I run into a lot of people in the LGBTQ community who aren’t partnered but don’t want to travel by themselves, so group trips are a really great option for them,” Thomas said.
These group trips aren’t about filling a travel calendar — they’re a strategic opportunity for Thomas to showcase her expertise and build trust with people who might be hesitant to travel.
“If people have a great experience on a group trip, next time they want to travel, they’ll call you,” Thomas explained.
By creating memorable and inclusive travel experiences, Thomas not only addresses the needs of travelers in her community but also fosters genuine connections that develop into long-term clients.
4. Experiment With Marketing Approaches
Taking an innovative approach to marketing can help prospective clients learn about your unique expertise and the benefits of working with you. Exactly how you market your services depends on the clientele you’re
trying to reach and your personal strengths.
Eva Grodberg, luxury travel specialist and founder of Epic Experiences, says her consortia is a great source of help for marketing and sourcing leads.
“My best leads come from my consortia’s marketing efforts, which means I have to have a really good profile that attracts the right kind of customers,” she explained.
Grodberg notes that travel advisors should be careful to choose a consortia that focuses on high-quality leads — not just names gathered from forms people fill out at events to win a prize.
“It’s important to have a clear understanding of what a consortium is offering when they say leads are provided,” she said. “What is the level of quality of those leads? Are they filling in a sweepstakes coupon?”
She has built out her profile to showcase her expertise in planning travel to France and St. Barth, including explaining how she lived in France with a local family and has insider knowledge of French customs.
Then, the SEO experts at her consortia worked their magic to help her profile appear high in search results for travelers planning trips to those destinations.
“Advisors need to figure out what
their unique selling point is and use it to differentiate themselves from the competition,” Grodberg said.
Thomas, on the other hand, has decided to buy ads in traditional media. She found that advertising on a TV commercial helped her build brand recognition with a new community after relocating from the Philadelphia area to southern Delaware. She runs ads in local newspapers, too.
And you can’t forget about social media. While it’s not Thomas’ favorite marketing tool, she has found that occasionally sharing photos of her trips drives new business.
“When I’ve posted travel photos on my personal page, people will call me and tell me they want to go there because it looked so pretty,” she said.
Social media has also been one of Alder’s most effective marketing tools for finding new clients. He receives a lot of new inquiries when high-profile clients tag him in their posts while they’re on trips he’s planned — sometimes as a result of being gently asked and other times completely unprompted.
“We’ve never paid for a single tag. Every celebrity who has tagged us has done so because they wanted to, and we’ve gotten a lot of new clients booking many trips
because of those tags,” he said.
Alder adds that the leads coming from social media tend to be strong, since they’ve already seen the experiences he’s capable of planning on their feeds.
“This virtual relationship takes things a lot farther than when someone reaches out after finding you via Google or your website because engaging with your social media content already shows interest and intent, making these leads significantly more viable,” he explained.
5. Study Your Website Analytics
Google Analytics has become an essential tool for turning leads into clients in Thomas’ business. The software allows her to see who’s looking at her website and what they’re searching for. Once she has their contact info (such as from an online form), Thomas can send them a follow-up email that’s tailored to their trip interests.
In addition to giving key details about prospective clients, your website can help you efficiently engage with new clients while you’re busy working with others, Alder says. He uses Mailchimp to automatically respond to people who fill out the contact form on his site.
“They get a whole description of what we do. All they have to do is reply back and it goes directly to me,” he said. “Previously, we were manually answering every single email that came in.”
6. Ask for Referrals
Here’s a secret from experienced travel advisors: The simplest way to keep growing your client base is to tap your existing network for referrals.
“Most of my great clients have come from referrals. It’s a reflection of the service you give people when they refer business to you,” Grodberg said.
She uses a three-sentence approach to get referrals from clients after a trip: “Thank you for booking your trip with me. I’m so grateful for your business. If you know any wonderful people like you who need a vacation, please send them my way.”
Making a direct ask for a referral can be uncomfortable at first, but it’s critical to spreading the word about your business, Alder says. It’s also well worth the effort to finesse your approach.
“A referral is almost guaranteed new business because it comes from a trusted source,” he explained. “You have a huge leg up immediately.”
The Insider’s Guide To Planning an
INDIAN DESTINATION WEDDING
WITH BIG BUDGETS, MEANINGFUL TRADITIONS AND COMPLEX LOGISTICS, THESE CELEBRATIONS GIVE TRAVEL ADVISORS THE CHANCE TO EARN BIG WHILE DELIVERING DREAM EXPERIENCES.
WORDS / JONI SWEET
If you’re not tapping into Indian destination wedding planning, you’re missing out on a fast-growing and highly profitable niche in the travel industry. The demand for extravagant, international Indian weddings is skyrocketing as the country’s wealthiest population continues to grow.
According to Skift Research, the average cost of an Indian international destination wedding clocks in at $200,000. That’s five times higher than the average cost of an international destination wedding, per The Knot Real Weddings Study. Skift estimates that there were 10,000 Indian international destination weddings in 2023, contributing $1.9 billion to the travel industry.
With Indian destination weddings expected to represent 8% of the global destination wedding market by 2033, travel advisors who develop expertise in this niche stand to unlock significant revenue potential. But capturing this market isn’t easy; it requires deep knowledge of cultural customs and celebrations, close collaboration with vendors and suppliers and insight into the logistical demands unique to these grand, multi-day events.
Here’s what you need to know about planning Indian destination weddings.
An Indian wedding set on Terraza Luna at Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos
INDIAN WEDDINGS 101
At a high level, Indian destination weddings tend to be elaborate affairs involving several days of meaningful ceremonies, traditions and events. They’re also large: The average Indian wedding has around 150 guests, according to Skift. But you can’t go into it assuming every Indian wedding is the same.
India is one of the world’s most diverse countries, encompassing more than 120 major languages, dozens of religions and many distinctive regional cultures. This wide range of cultural and religious influences, combined with unique traditions from family to family, significantly impacts the details of each couple’s celebration — from the cuisine and entertainment to the ceremony, reception and other events.
“There are differences in every single region of India, and with Indian and South Asian weddings, it can vary from one family to the next,” said Aimee Monihan, founder of Destination Occasions and Destination Desi, which offers South Asian wedding planning services. “Rather than assume anything, ask the client what they want and need from you and whether there are any traditions within their families that they want observed.”
It’s also important to research Indian weddings and common traditions associated with them, which vary across religions and regions, if you want to develop this niche.
“You really have to deep dive into every single culture you think you’ll work on,” said Ateet Ahuja, travel advisor and founder of Indian Destination Wedding, which offers Indian destination wedding planning services. “Ultimately, the families are interviewing us as much as we’re interviewing them. If they don’t feel you have the knowledge to take on their wedding, they won’t hire you.”
Monihan adds that attention to detail is key, and knowing the customs can help ensure that every aspect of the wedding is respectful of the couple’s traditions.
“The attention to detail for a Hindu wedding on the stage (mandap) alone — you need so many things, like a mango leaf, rice and turmeric powder, in order for the priest to do the ceremony,” she said. “And if I’m in the holy space of a Sikh wedding, having head coverings available for all guests is vital, including those working at the event.”
Planning an Indian destination wedding is a family affair, so expect to have multiple voices contributing to the decisions and
arrangements.
“Being Indian myself, I understand how the entire family is involved with planning an Indian wedding,” Ahuja said. “My Zoom calls with clients can have 10 to 20 people, including parents and sometimes brothers and sisters of the couple and their aunts and uncles.”
With so many people involved in the planning, it’s important to know who has the final say on decisions. Ahuja defaults to the couple when he receives conflicting instructions from family members. Monihan, on the other hand, asks her client who has the last word.
“Understanding whose voice is the loudest in those opinions will really help streamline the planning,” she advised. “Whoever is paying the most is typically the boss.”
POPULAR DESTINATIONS
Choosing the right destination is crucial for Indian destination weddings, as it sets the stage for the entire celebration. According to Skift, the idea of getting married in a place with breathtaking scenery, great weather and a relaxed atmosphere plays a big role in a couple’s decision to have an Indian wedding abroad.
“Indian weddings are all about hospitality. They want the wedding guests to have an amazing experience at the most photogenic of locations,” Monihan said.
The Skift report also revealed that large cities and nature-focused destinations in the Asia-Pacific region and Europe are the most popular places for Indian destination weddings.
“Italy has become very popular, and Lake Como is a hot spot for high-end Indian weddings,” Monihan said.
For Indian and South Asian couples who want to have their nuptials in North America, the Caribbean and Mexico are trending destinations, Ahuja adds. “In terms of popularity, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and St. Lucia are the top three in the Caribbean. The east coast of Mexico — including the entire Riviera Maya, Cancun, Playa Mujeres and Tulum — is big, followed by Cabo and Puerto Vallarta,” he said.
RESORT SELECTION
There are a few things to keep in mind when proposing a venue for a client’s Indian destination wedding.
MIR ANWAR STUDIOS
An Indian destination wedding in Houston, Texas
Guests celebrate the wedding of Neha Chandan and Anand Sadhwani at Grand Velas Los Cabos.
“When planning Indian destination weddings, travel advisors should prioritize venues that offer flexibility for large-scale events, customizable spaces for multiple ceremonies and top-notch accommodations,” said Yessica Lira, corporate wedding manager at Velas Resorts, which has expertise in planning Indian weddings. “It’s also important to ensure the resort is equipped to handle traditional rituals, decor requirements and a variety of cultural customs.”
Skift data shows that couples strongly prefer to house guests at a single location. If the couple plans to invite several hundred guests, you’ll need to seek out large resorts with enough rooms and suites for everyone.
“I’ve had Indian destination weddings as small as 100 guests and as large as 500, but my average guest count is 200 to 250,” Ahuja said.
Knowing the layout of the venue and the availability of event spaces is also key. Lots of events happen throughout the days of the wedding, so the couple will need a resort that offers several ballrooms, terraces and other gathering spaces, Monihan said.
“In a typical weekend of a South Asian wedding, you’ll have a minimum of three to six events,” Monihan said. “You need multiple spaces for that to happen, and you don’t want to re-dress the same ballroom multiple times.”
She recommends reserving a banquet room or similar space to serve as a hospitality lounge, too. This can be a dedicated space to have round-the-clock chai tea service, graband-go lunch and treats.
“Moms and aunties will often make homemade things like cookies and snacks for the wedding. It’s important to have a space in which those relatives can host their friends and hang out,” Monihan said.
It’s also extremely helpful to find a resort that trains its staff in the nuances of Indian weddings. Velas Resorts, for example, hires a specialist to offer one to two weeks of training for its wedding staff every year. They also go through a two-month certification process with tests, quizzes and interviews, Lira says.
“All of our wedding coordinators specialize in Indian weddings. It’s also important to know that we work with international and national vendors. If we need to fly in someone like a makeup artist for mehndi (also known as henna), we are open to doing it. We can even fly in a Bollywood choreographer,” Lira added.
NADIA D PHOTO & VELAS RESORTS
This flexibility is a key advantage for resorts catering to Indian destination weddings, as they often require specialized vendors to honor important cultural traditions.
As you explore options for venues and pricing, expect to ask for concessions and discounts on behalf of the couple. In Indian culture, negotiating with vendors is a typical part of the planning process, with families expecting flexibility in pricing and services.
“Agents need to be ready for the bartering part of the weddings. You have to be prepared for the fact that whoever’s paying for the wedding will want to see that the first offer is not the end offer,” Monihan explained.
It’s especially important to use your skills as a travel advisor and your relationships with different venues and vendors to build compelling packages. Indian destination weddings require minimally 600 room nights, Monihan said, so the resort should be willing to work with you on certain things, like
discounted guest rooms or meals.
“Little things will make the difference. Throwing in breakfast for guests every morning will speak volumes to the families involved,” she said.
AUTHENTIC FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT
You can’t understate the importance of authentic, sumptuous food at an Indian wedding, no matter where it’s held. But the location can make a big difference in how well the cuisine is handled.
“I’m always going to the resorts I work with to test their food, not only once, but again and again to make sure there’s consistency there,” Ahuja said. “If a couple wants a specific kind of food, I only want to show the resorts that have the food they need, whether that’s Halal, Jain or something else — every single one is different.”
There are also regional differences in Indian
cuisine that lead to significant, but often subtle, variations in the meals, spices and even the ways in which vegetables are cut. The food and beverage team at the venue needs to understand these nuances and serve foods that properly reflect each couple’s religious and cultural identities.
For its part, Velas Resorts is able to have Indian chefs come in whenever needed, Lira said. Other resorts may not have that expertise available, though, so you’ll need to see if the property has any restrictions on bringing in a chef or caterer who can deliver on the couple’s expectations for their wedding.
“Hotels that allow a chef to come work with them or an outside caterer to do a buyout of their kitchen will be the most successful for these events. If the hotel doesn’t have the ability to allow an Indian chef to work internally or an outside caterer to come in, or if they don’t have Indian people on their staff in their kitchen, it’ll be a hard sell,”
Gurneer Dadwal & Rajbeer Sangha Wedding at Grand Velas Los Cabos
Indian Wedding at Grand Velas Boutique Los Cabos Velas
Monihan explained.
Almost all of these rules apply to entertainment and other vendors, too. Velas Resorts, for example, regularly works with Bollywood choreographers, traditional florists, specialized makeup artists and designers from India for custom fittings and consultations to ensure that their clients’ cultures are seamlessly integrated into their weddings, Lira said.
If you’re going to a property that doesn’t host many Indian destination weddings, travel advisors will need to put in a lot of legwork to meet their clients’ expectations, especially for the music.
“In our culture, entertainment is huge. If your guests’ feet don’t hurt as they leave your event, that means they didn’t dance a lot and it wasn’t great,” explained Ahuja, who started his career in the wedding industry as a DJ and owner of an entertainment company in the Washington, D.C., area.
He notes that there are a ton of distinctions
between musical styles from one region of India to the next, and it’s important that the entertainment at a wedding reflects the culture of the couple and their families.
“You need the right DJ for the right couple,” Ahuja said.
You may need to look around the region, depending on where the wedding is being held, or fly in the right DJ and other vendors for the job.
Monihan has built up her contacts in this space throughout her 25 years of planning destination weddings. For newcomers to the niche, she recommends doing a simple Google search for “Indian wedding” and the destination to begin finding vendors, along with asking others in the industry for referrals.
“The music is so important. The parents will have Bollywood classics they want to hear, and the couple may want to intermix modern Indian music and modern hip-hop. The DJ needs to know how to do that,” she
explained.
If all that sounds like a lot, well, it is. And here’s the kicker: You won’t have much time to plan it, either. According to Skift, the majority of Indian destination weddings are pulled together in just six to 12 months. Another 20% are planned in six months or less.
The timeline is tight, and the scale is grand, but the payoff is worth it for a vibrant, unforgettable celebration steeped in tradition and culture. As a travel advisor, you’ll have the opportunity to not only earn a generous commission but also build lasting relationships with the families. Plus, because Indian weddings are so focused on community, impressing the guests can lead to plenty of referrals for future events and trips.
Tapping into the Indian destination wedding market can be daunting, but once you’re in, you’ll be part of a growing, highly rewarding niche — and create lifelong memories for the happy couples you work with.
A wedding couple shares a kiss in Aspen, Colorado.
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A BIRTHDAY TRIP FOR EVERY AGE
WHETHER THEY’RE TURNING 8 OR 80, THESE BIRTHDAY TRIP IDEAS ARE BOUND TO MAKE THE MILESTONE ONE YOUR CLIENTS WILL REMEMBER. WORDS / LESLIE LANG
Do you have clients looking for an especially memorable birthday experience? Suggest a carpe diem celebratory birthday vacation — a trip where friends and family travel to celebrate their 50th, 60th or 70th birthday. These birthday trips are growing in popularity. According to Travelling with Purpose: Milestone Motivations — a
recent study commissioned by the UK’s cazenove+loyd and Globetrender — carpe diem celebrations are up 40%, making them one of the seven biggest travel trends of 2024.
But it’s not only adult travelers booking special birthday trips. In fact, a Forbes Advisor survey found that 18% of trips planned for 2024 were to celebrate a birthday or other life event. Forbes also
reports that travel to celebrate tween and teen birthdays and graduations is also a growing trend.
No matter what age is on the horizon for your clients, there are destinations near and far that can serve as the perfect celebratory experiences. We spoke to travel advisors to get their recommendations for the best birthday trips for travelers of all ages.
Royal Caribbean’s Utopia of the Seas
Children
ATLANTIS PARADISE ISLAND
Located in the Bahamas along five miles of white sand beaches, Atlantis Paradise Island boasts 14 pools, five hotels and 40 restaurants. It’s a boon for children of all ages. The tropical destination provides a celebratory atmosphere for kids and relaxation opportunities for parents. One of the most attractive features is the ability to interact with sea animals.
“The Atlantis is focused on rescuing animals from the sea,” said John Purcell, travel advisor at Susan Peavey Travel. “Though the primary goal of this program is to release them back into the wild, rehabbed animals are kept on the property until they can safely be released.” Purcell added that the property has achieved Global Humane certification, and the animals are very well tended.
For children, this means there are endless opportunities to visit and interact with animals up close. Options range from $75 to $550 and include a dorsal fin ride and “foot push,” where dolphins push riders from the soles of their feet, raising
them above the water’s surface, among others.
Accommodations at Atlantis Paradise Island’s five hotels can range from $1,400 per person per week at The Coral up to $2,650 or more at The Cove.
UTOPIA OF THE SEAS CRUISE
Royal Caribbean’s all-inclusive cruise, which sails between Port Canaveral, Florida and the Bahamas, is a hit with children, said veteran advisor Nadia “Sparkle” Henry, president and owner of Travel With Sparkle.
“They have 18 water slides, 10 pools, seven beaches and two aqua parks designed just for kids,” Henry said. “They also have a kids’ club with tons of activities and shows dedicated just for children.” This family-friendly ship is great for children looking to meet others their age and has activities like rock climbing walls, mini golf and a zipline.
Pricing depends on the season; a four-night cruise can run from $800 to $1,700 per person.
Teens
ICON OF THE SEAS CRUISE
Henry also recommends the seven-day Icon of the Seas cruise, which has a lounge for teens to make new friends. It offers video games, a theater, trivia games, laser tag, music and a teen-friendly nightclub. Depending on the season and level of accommodations, the cruise can range from $1,900 per person for seven nights up to $3,000 or more. She recommends clients secure travel insurance in case plans change.
HARD ROCK HOTEL RIVIERA MAYA
Many teens like Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya’s music lab, said Purcell, where guests 12 and older can be rock stars for a day, regardless of skill level. A “rock specialist” coaches them through rehearsals, soundcheck and onto the stage where they perform. Teens can also play in a rock ‘n roll “jam band” or try their hand as a music producer and DJ. It’s all included as part of the allinclusive stay, which varies depending on the season, but may run from $1,700 per person to $3,600 or more for seven nights. Purcell suggests booking this experience well in advance.
Vibe City at Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya
RIU PALACE HOTELS
Henry said all-inclusive trips are the way to go for people in their 20s. “20s like to party,” she said, and for more budget-conscious partiers, she recommends the all-inclusive RIU Palace Hotels throughout the Caribbean.
Henry and Purcell both suggest reminding young travelers it’s often better to book well in advance. “They shouldn’t wait until the last minute to book these places,” Purcell said. “It’s easier to budget $1,000 or $1,500 many months in advance because most places have payment plans. If they book far enough in advance, they can make it painless, compared to booking at the last minute and having to pay for it all at once.” The RIU Palace in Jamaica, which is for adults only, can run from $2,300 to $3,300 or more per person per week.
COSTA RICA
Costa Rica Highlights: Jungles & Sand is a package that Brandi Merchant, Costa Rica destination expert at Kensington Travel, suggests for people in their 20s who enjoy luxury adventure. The 10-day adventure lets them unwind at a secluded luxury resort’s thermal springs, explore the jungle and its wildlife with an expert naturalist, eat in a treehouse overlooking Monteverde’s Cloud Forest, sail and enjoy volcano views along the forested coast and enjoy the beaches. The customized tour starts at $6,580 per person.
Friends hiking in Costa Rica
TOUR OF FRANCE
Travelers in their 30s might enjoy a sevenday tour of Paris and Loire highlights, which lets guests experience historic chateaus, manicured gardens and fine wines “by bike, boat or even hot air balloon!” said Jessica Osborn, France destination expert at Kensington Tours. Prices start at $3,926 per person.
HYATT ZILARA ROSE HALL + HYATT
ZIVA ROSE HALL
Henry recommends both of these allinclusive resorts in Montego Bay, Jamaica, which are on the same compound. Hyatt Zilara is adults-only, and Hyatt Ziva is a family resort, so birthday celebrants in their 30s can choose which suits them. Hyatt Zilara has a sports bar that turns into a club at night, and five nights there starts at $1,700/night, depending on room type.
A couple at Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall
60s and 70s
EUROPEAN GROUP COACH TOURS
In their 60s and 70s, Purcell says, people often enjoy guided group coach tours. “It’s usually 44 passengers or less with a motor coach driver and a tour guide that take you from point to point,” Purcell said. “They’ll also tell you about the little spots you wouldn’t know were there.” Advisors should check on accessibility ahead of time if that’s a concern. Purcell said one popular tour is the 14-day Best of Eastern Europe tour, which starts and ends in Berlin and costs $3,799 per person.
AFRICAN SAFARI
This is an age group whose members are often interested in “bucket list trips,” including safaris, Henry said. She’s sent many retirees to South Africa and seen those trips be a big success: “They go to Cape Town, do a safari at Kruger National Park, and visit the vineyards in Cape Town.” If clients would enjoy a custom-designed, personal tour of Cape Town, Kruger and Victoria Falls, Megan Baker, African destination lead at Kensington Tours, said Kensington’s tours start at $9,100 per person for 10 days.
A group of travelers pose for a photo.
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The White Box
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The Black Sens
Blind tasting experience where your taste buds lead the way as you dine in darkness
Sakura
Nikkei fusion cuisine enhanced with Mexican touches and fun dining performances
ROCKY MOUNTAINEER TRAIN JOURNEY
Older travelers might enjoy a birthday journey on the Rocky Mountaineer, a train with open-view cars that offers a guided tour through the Rockies and up into Canada. It has hydraulics that can transfer travelers in their own wheelchairs off and on the train. “It’s nice for older people because someone else is doing the planning and all the work to get them from point to point,” Purcell said. “They’re on vacation. They’re not having to worry about driving or going the right way. No one’s reading a map. No one’s looking at GPS.” The five-night Rocky Mountaineer Journey Through the Clouds tour, which travels from Vancouver to Jasper, costs $2,241 per person.
STAR CLIPPERS TALL SHIP SAILING
Star Clippers offers cruises on tall ships, traditionally rigged sailing vessels, with Caribbean, European, Panama Canal and Central America itineraries. “Because they are smaller vessels, they’re able to get into some more exotic ports of calls. They have great itineraries with some exotic destinations that big ships can’t go into,” Henry said. “A week’s cruise is $4,000 or less, depending on the time of year.” She recommends looking into accessibility in advance if clients have mobility issues.
Passengers take in the views from the train.
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GROWTH THROUGH MENTORSHIP
DEVELOPING A STRONG MENTORSHIP RELATIONSHIP IS ESSENTIAL TO GETTING AHEAD AS A TRAVEL ADVISOR — NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE IN YOUR CAREER.
WORDS / ROSSILYNNE SKENA CULGAN
No matter how long you’ve been an advisor, there undoubtedly will come a time when you’re professionally discouraged, stumped or stressed. Sure, talking to a friend or family member is an option, but unless they’re in the travel industry, they might not get it.
That’s where a mentor comes in: someone with industry know-how and experience who can lend a listening ear,
offer connections, help you level up your skills and keep you accountable. In this industry, the most successful travel advisors understand the importance of having a mentor (or even a team of veteran advisors) on their side.
Travel advisor Joshua Smith sees that value firsthand. Nearly two decades ago, he kick-started his career with the help of a mentor who he still relies upon today. Now, he runs his own agency and co-founded
Millennials in Travel, a career development and networking organization for young, passionate travel industry professionals.
Smith, who pays it forward by offering his own mentoring expertise, sees both sides of the mentorship coin. Knowing the benefits of having received mentorship, he believes in passing on his wisdom to others in the field.
“There are so many opportunities for promotion and business development through that bilateral mentoring, especially
between generations. There’s so much that can be learned on both sides,” he said.
“Finding those that are of different ages — someone who is 20 years older or 20 years younger — there’s so much knowledge that can be transferred.”
That know-how is integral to the relationships developed through The Travel Institute, which helps thousands of advisors every year with mentorship and more.
“I always say that good things happen when people get together and share a common goal,” said Diane Petras, president of The Travel Institute.
A NECESSITY IN THE INDUSTRY
Smith started in the travel industry 17 years ago with no particular expertise, just a curiosity about travel. In the United States, the education system doesn’t highlight travel as a viable career option, he said, and for that reason, having a mentor was and is “a necessity.” His first mentor was his boss at an agency in Seattle. They naturally gravitated toward each other, he said, especially when the mentor saw Smith’s initiative and drive to improve the business. Despite being a temporary employee, he took a risk and offered some alternative suggestions on his very first project.
“She saw that there was a desire for me to make things better and not just do as I’m told,” Smith remembered. “That’s actually what instigated that mentor relationship because it was not only me fulfilling her needs in the project but also asking questions and trying to make it better and more efficient.”
In the early days, the mentorship provided Smith with a point of contact with whom he could “speak freely and not be ashamed to ask questions.” When his mentor gave him assignments, Smith looked for areas of growth. Even when he was just putting labels on envelopes, he looked for ways to learn from the experience.
Over the years, the relationship has helped train Smith to look for voids in business relationships and think about strategies for short- and long-term success, including how to “change the world through tourism.”
“I think my mentor could provide
WHAT’S THE BEST ADVICE YOU’VE EVER RECEIVED FROM A MENTOR?
More mentorship is always a good thing. These pros used the best advice they’ve ever received to power their travel business, and now they’re passing it along to you:
• Joshua Smith, president of Global Citizen Journeys and co-founder of Millennials in Travel: First, you’re never going to get something unless you ask for it. Secondly, it’s not who you know. It’s who knows you.
• Don Capparella, CEO and founder of Quality Travel Solutions: First, remember that learning never stops. It is so important to carve out time for continuing education, whether that be new suppliers to partner with, new destinations that are up-and-coming, and most importantly, technology that can help you market your business. Secondly, do not be afraid to close the sale. Learning how to use an assumptive closing method is paramount in being able to grow your business.
• Angela Hughes, owner of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel: Consistency and showing up daily, both as a travel advisor and business owner, is key to building a sustainable and successful career in this industry. It sets the tone for client relationships, builds trust, and ensures that you’re constantly improving and growing your business.
• Hannah Haldeman, CTA senior travel advisor: My best advice is to remember that we work in an industry that is always changing. A key piece of advice that I received early in my career is to stay educated. My company has an incredible partnership with The Travel Institute which has allowed me the opportunity to grow and stay on top of market trends. During this time, I participated in everything from destination training to focusing on the front-line skills needed to be a successful travel advisor and build exceptional experiences for my clients.
that long-term strategy because she had 20 years experience and knew all of the options,” he said. “We would put together a five-year plan, a 10-year plan. I think she thoroughly enjoys that, and I don’t see that formality having occurred in other mentor relationships.”
FORMING A BILATERAL PARTNERSHIP
As his career has advanced, Smith has been able to give back to his mentor as well.
“Over the years, it progressed into a sharing of mentoring that is bilateral in nature,” he said. “The pendulum swings in one direction for some things and then in the other direction, depending on what
the topic is. There needs to be some type of connection where both people are receiving value in that relationship.”
From a strategy perspective, the mentorship even helped Smith create the framework for Millennials in Travel. Another short-term mentor also helped him for several years throughout the process of co-founding the organization.
Millennials in Travel started nearly a decade ago and has grown to nearly 3,200 members worldwide who help one another with career development and networking. The membership provides access to a job board, community forums, in-person networking events and more. Whether you’re looking for a short-term,
project-based advisor or a long-term relationship, it’s imperative to find someone you can trust.
The time commitment required for a fulfilling mentorship relationship will vary depending on each partner’s availability and needs. Some of Smith’s mentees touch base every few months, but for others, the relationship is more formal with specific check-ins for accountability. He offers guidance on a variety of questions: Some mentees need help designing a trip in a certain country, and others need tips on group travel. Often, he serves as the devil’s advocate, drawing on his own experience and helping mentees see issues through multiple lenses.
“It is being a sounding board and sharing my experience and then letting them make the best decision for them,” he said.
FINDING A MENTOR
So, how exactly do you find a mentor? Smith recommends looking for mentors in your company, through alumni networks, within networking organizations, through LinkedIn and even in Facebook groups. Organizations like his own can help people network, which often is a first step to finding a mentor.
The first person you talk to might not be the right mentor or mentee for you, and that’s ok. The goal is to find someone who meshes with you. If you sense the connection isn’t quite right, you can always ask if they know someone more aligned with your particular goals.
“It really is finding the right person that can speak the same language, very likeminded,” Smith said.
Another great place to look for a mentor is through The Travel Institute, an organization that has helped hundreds of thousands of advisors refine and expand their skill sets. Every year, the organization enrolls more than 2,500 new-to-the-industry students for mentorship, guidance and coaching.
The Travel Institute also offers the Professional Educators Program through which seasoned professionals share wisdom with newer advisors through webinars and white papers. In addition, the institute offers in-house trainers who coach and mentor
advisors at the beginning of their careers. Many advisors who meet as students at The Travel Institute stay connected, often peer mentoring each other throughout the years, Petras says.
As a Certified Travel Industry Executive, Petras believes deeply in the importance of keeping knowledge fresh amid an evolving industry. “This invaluable exchange of wisdom ensures that everyone benefits from decades of collective experience,” she said.
ADVICE TO GROW ON
There are two pieces of business advice
Smith has heard over the years that he keeps coming back to, especially when it comes to mentorship.
The first: “You’re never going to get something unless you ask for it.” Put simply, if you want to reach out to someone, do it!
The second: “It’s not who you know. It’s who knows you.” Putting your mentees in the right rooms and introducing them to leaders in the industry can help them grow in their business for years to come — and there’s nothing more rewarding as a mentor than seeing your mentee bloom.
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF TRAVEL ADVISORS’ MENTORING PROGRAM
Another great resource to try? ASTA’s Mentoring Programs. Whether you’re looking to be mentored or want to give back as a mentor yourself, this one-onone program is designed to offer insights and resources to improve advisors’ professional lives — and their personal lives, too. Expect guidance to help with self-worth and provide a much-needed confidence boost. If you’re looking to level up, this program can even help with leadership skills to develop an executive presence.
Eighty-seven percent of mentors and mentees feel empowered by the relationship and have developed greater confidence, according to stats ASTA cites from Women Ahead. Mentors in the ASTA program hail from a variety of backgrounds, from honeymoon travel to cruises, meaning there’s a mentor there to suit your needs. Visit: asta.org/professional-development/asta-mentoring-program to learn more.
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VAX VacationAccess: the Past, the Present and the Future
THE
MARKETPLACE IS CELEBRATING ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2025. WORDS / CODIE LIERMANN
It’s a place where travel advisors go to book vacations. It’s a place where they go to learn about brands and destinations. It’s a place with deals to offer clients, marketing materials, informative education, inspirational content and so much more. You guessed it — it’s VAX VacationAccess. This year VAX is celebrating its 25th anniversary, and while we know all about what it is today, we wanted to take a peek back in time and get a glimpse of how it all started. In order to do so, The Compass sat down with Bill La Macchia, founder of
Trisept Solutions, and John Ische, president of Trisept Solutions, two of the brilliant minds who put the platform into existence.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN
There are several travel advisors who have been around for 30-40 years, and they remember the days of looking up airfare rates on fare sheets, providing clients with paper tickets and relying heavily on fax machines. Business was conducted over the phone or in person, but the internet and Global Distribution Systems were making their
VAX APRIL 1, 2002
VAX APRIL 2, 2005
“Being the advocate for the travel advisor community, that’s always been our DNA. That’s always been deep in who we are, to be there for travel agents and to power their future with technology.”
- JOHN ISCHE
appearance in the travel industry.
In the mid-90s, the first online travel agencies were launching, and La Macchia and Ische saw how fast consumers were embracing buying travel online. However, no one was investing in technology for travel advisors to compete against these online businesses.
“From day one, I was a believer in technology,” La Macchia said. “I had no idea how it all worked, but I knew what it would do for our company.” According to La Macchia, one day Ische came to him and said, “What if we can give the travel agent access to all the information, so they can not only make the booking but they can also service their customer throughout their trip.”
The idea of VAX was born. “We knew we needed technology, and nobody had any, so we had to create it ourselves,” said La Macchia.
“The whole concept then was no one is investing in technology to bring leisure travel agents into the online world. No one was making that investment,” Ische said. It was clear to us that if that wasn’t going to happen, they were going to wither away, that they weren’t going to really have a future, that
VAX SEPTEMBER 23, 2006
VAX JANUARY 26, 2008
Bill La Macchia (left) and John Ische
consumers would shift to buy directly from these online travel agencies and the regular agencies wouldn’t survive long term.”
The company wanted to assist in bringing travel advisors to the online world, and they had a vision to make it happen. In 2000, VAX VacationAccess was launched, and its introduction was announced at an ASTA conference in Milwaukee. It didn’t take long for travel advisors to welcome the platform.
“As soon as VAX went to market, it ramped up incredibly fast,” Ische said.
The key for travel advisors was that they were now able to do almost all the functions they needed to do to sell a wide range of products without having to make numerous phone calls.
“It worked for the travel agents. It worked for the suppliers. It worked for the travelers, and it worked wonderfully for the company,” La Macchia said. “It gave the travel agents control of their destiny with their consumer.”
WHERE IT IS TODAY
What once started as a place to book vacation packages for clients is now a marketplace for advisors to do so much more. VAX
VAX JANUARY 2, 2010
VAX MAY 15, 2014
Now Streaming on VAX: Industry News Just for You
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connects travel advisors and brands through brand showcases and assists advisors in elevating their knowledge with destination pages, specialist campaigns and a host of educational opportunities. The platform also provides fresh marketing materials and inspirational content for advisors to share with their audiences to help boost business.
It has evolved in several different ways, but according to Ische, the mission remains the same: to advocate for advisors and support them with technology.
Early on, it was clear to La Macchia and Ische that travel advisors were selling a lot of different products, which included products outside of The Mark Travel Corporation. Thus, they decided to make VAX an open platform for other tour operators to use as well.
“That’s also part of what VAX is still today,” Ische said. “It’s this open, neutral marketplace for travel advisors. That’s always what VAX has been about — enabling travel agent success and being an open, neutral marketplace for all travel sellers who are engaged with travel advisors to participate.”
“Being the advocate for the travel advisor community, that’s always been our DNA. That’s always been deep in who we are, to be there for travel agents and to power their future with technology,” he added.
ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS
While having successful technology is key to conducting business, La Macchia reminds advisors that customer service continues to be an important part of the overall experience.
“For the success of the travel advisors, and for them to grow, they have to be more involved in the execution of the customer service. It’s so easy to book a product. Anybody can book a product,” La Macchia said. “The biggest issue you have is ‘how do you connect with the customer?’ And the only way to connect with the customer is through customer service.”
“If I were a travel agent today, the one thing I would do … is I would put an umbrella over my customer and make sure that their needs are always taken care of, and I would market that,” he added.
Planning vacations is not simply about making a booking. It involves matching clients to the right products, choosing the correct destination and knowing the best time of year to go. It’s adding in those excursions that fit the type of traveler advisors are working with and creating a well-rounded, personalized itinerary that not just anyone could piece together online.
To do this, Ische says advisors need
education, and then they need deals and promotions for clients, and then materials to market those deals. Realizing these things is how VAX began to evolve into what it is today and why there are several offerings outside of the booking platform. Advisors need to have the tools to book a vacation, but they also need to have expert customer service for their clients.
“If travel advisors are not involved in servicing the customer, not just that first booking but all the other things that make it a great experience, they won’t be relevant,” Ische said.
LOOKING AHEAD
Sometimes in order to look ahead, a company needs to look back first. As for what the future holds for VAX VacationAccess, Ische said the important part is staying true to its original vision: “I think VAX has got to continue to stay true to who it is today, and if it stays true to who it is today, it’s going to continue to enable the marketplace of suppliers and advisors to thrive.”
The original vision was to bring travel advisors into the online world, and VAX played a big part in making this happen. “That vision worked. That vision evolved to what we wanted it to be,” La Macchia said. And the vision for the future remains the same: to enable travel advisors with the tools and resources they need to not only stay relevant but to thrive.
“If an advisor can go to one website and book a big breadth of product and at the same time have all this educational information about how to be a better agent and also see all the different promotions, deals and offers that they have available to them, with some ties to their marketing tools for them to get that message out to their customers, that combination is the power that will make VAX’s future,” Ische added. When a dreamer and a visionary collide, there is no stopping them. The original vision of VAX was strong, and the future of VAX is even stronger.
“John’s a visionary. I’m a dreamer. … That kind of combination creates the right end result,” La Macchia said. “When you have an idea, and you build it and execute it, and it works, it can’t get any better than that.”
VAX DIY
VAX is more do-it-yourself than you think!
Did you know you can make changes to reservations, resend itineraries, refine searches to find specific availability and more on your own, right on VAX?
No need to call your supplier’s customer care center and wait on hold. Review our top do-it-yourself VAX tips and get step-by-step guidance for making these changes on your own.
Retrieving & Sharing Reservation Details
INDUSTRY CHATTER ON A TOPIC THAT’S IMPORTANT TO YOU
TRAVEL PROFESSIONALS SHARE THEIR PREDICTIONS FOR THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY IN 2025.
“In 2025, we’ll see more young adults aged 18-35 taking advantage of working holiday programs. Opportunities in countries like Australia, Canada, Singapore, Ireland and New Zealand grant visas that allow them to live abroad for up to a year, combining travel with work. This experience fosters independence, cultural awareness, language skills and valuable connections. The flexibility of working while traveling makes global exploration more achievable. By moving beyond
typical tourism experiences, Generation Z will immerse themselves in local cultures, enhancing both personal and career growth. They will truly be living their best lives!”
DENELLA RI’CHARD, HOST AND EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF TRAVELING WITH DENELLA RI’CHARD
“I
n 2024, we learned that challenges like climate change and overtourism are not going away. Travelers will
plan their trips accordingly, avoiding oversaturated destinations or at least visiting them during off-peak times. I’ve already seen clients attempt to skip the crowds (and high cost) associated with traveling in July-August and opt to take their big trips in SeptemberOctober instead. This trend, combined with longer, warmer summers, will result in a longer busy season for travel advisors. Rising temperatures will also enable cooler, historically less popular
“By 2025, the travel advisor sector will redefine ‘personalized experiences.’ Advisors who don’t evolve beyond surface-level ‘intake form communication’ risk obsolescence. Those who shift to meaningful conversations, uncovering clients’ deeper desires, will become indispensable. This mirrors the growing comfort with AI-driven interactions, delivering unexpected yet relevant solutions. Successful advisors will differentiate themselves by providing a few curated recommendations rather than overwhelming options. This evolved personalization, blending human expertise with insightful curation, will be increasingly valuable as consumers seek unique, meaningful travel experiences in an information-saturated world. Adapting to this new paradigm is crucial for advisors to remain relevant and competitive in the future travel landscape.”
JENN LEE, PRESIDENT AT VACATION PLANNERS
destinations such as Scandinavia to attract more travelers.”
VINAL DESAI BURBECK, FOUNDER AND CHIEF EXPERIENCE OFFICER AT WANDERLARK
“We see 2025 as the Year of Rail Travel — it is booming with more places to go, experiences to have both on and off the train at a growing number of places across the globe. As a company, we are seeing very strong growth going into 2025 (up 30 percent for next year versus the same time a year ago), and the company will again record the best year in its history. We also continue to see a trend in luxury and what we call ‘little luxury,’ where customers and travel advisors upgrade specific hotels, suites and experiences in their overall trip.”
FRANK MARINI, GROUP PRESIDENT & CEO AT RAILBOOKERS
“2
025 will be the year of EFFICIENCY, driving growth
for Travel Advisors. I believe the rapid expansion of hosted Travel Advisors will continue, with 24 hours in a day being the biggest barrier of growth for these small businesses and solo-preneurs. Given this, I believe the industry will continue to invest in tools and processes that enhance efficiency, from AI that elevates Advisors’ expertise and care to software innovations and the growing role of virtual assistants. I’m excited about what 2025 will bring to the efficient Travel Advisor economy.”
DAVID CHAIT, FOUNDER & CEO AT
TRAVEFY
“As we were coming out of the pandemic at the end of 2020/2021, we saw a big increase for all-inclusive vacations, then we saw an increase for Europe bookings while beach destinations were slowing down just a little, and as this year goes by, we can finally see a peak for cruise bookings. The travel preferences of Gen Z and millennials, who value
experiences, will still look for those tailor-made, all-inclusive experiences in different destinations where they also have the option to immerse themselves in the local culture, and flavors, based on recommendations and services that cater to individual preferences and past behaviors. Overall, I think 2025 will be the year where all the different segments in the travel industry will go back to their normal pace.”
LUIS SOLIS, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER AT PLAYA HOTELS & RESORTS
“I
n 2025, travelers will still pursue bucket-list trips but may be more conservative with their spending. After the splurge of revenge travel, many will opt for high-end accommodations and seek to maximize experiences in shorter vacation windows. They may also travel more frequently throughout the year but spend less time on each trip.”
JENNIFER DUGAN, CHIEF FAMILY OFFICER AT DUGAN’S TRAVELS
AMSTERDAM
This European city, with its unique past and eclectic present, is a blossoming destination full of surprises.
WORDS / SAMANTHA ANDERSON
Baroque Dutch architecture stands tall along the cobblestone streets while the iconic canals gracefully weave throughout the city; an air of mystery and adventure shines like a beacon, alluring new travelers to come explore Amsterdam. This vibrant capital city, with the people and places who make it special, continually captivates the hearts of its visitors. Offering much more than what meets the eye,
discover some of the ways travelers can give back to the city by celebrating its past, and learn how Amsterdam honors those who visit.
CELEBRATING AMSTERDAM’S ROOTS
Amsterdam has a fascinating history worth exploring, and one of its distinctive features is its intricate canal system. Having played a crucial role in the area’s development during
the Middle Ages, particularly the Singel Canal, visitors can pay homage to this stroke of ingenuity with a canal cruise. Here, they’ll learn all about Amsterdam and the “dancing houses” that line the waterways. A relaxing tour down the water may be educational, but it’s also a breathtaking sight as the surrounding bridges come alive at night, the fairy lights and reflective water setting the scenery aglow.
The city is also fondly recognized for its
The famous Singel Canal has been a critical waterway for Amsterdam since the Middle Ages.
artistic heritage, especially where Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn and Vincent van Gogh’s legacies are concerned. Rembrandt, a beloved painter from the Golden Age, is likely a notable name to art-loving locals, best known for his experimental brushwork and depictions of lively and dramatic scenes. Expansive collections of his work can be found in the Rijksmuseum and his former home, The Rembrandt House. Another Dutch artist cherished by travelers all around the world, van Gogh and his work are instantly recognizable. Visitors can view one of his largest collections at the Van Gogh Museum, featuring over 200 paintings and 500 drawings. Even those who may not have an appreciation for the arts will find a visit to any of the city’s famous art galleries a perfect opportunity to connect with a significant piece of Amsterdam’s history.
Indulging in the past is one way to celebrate the city’s roots, but basking in its current success is another. Jordaan, once a working-class area, is now a quaint neighborhood with loads of charm. Visitors here can find antique stores, art galleries and unique restaurants throughout the area, and it’s a perfect place to support local businesses. Similarly, a shopping trip along De Negen Straatjes (The Nine Streets), which features over 200 retailers ranging from boutiques and vintage stores to chic cafés, celebrates the entrepreneurship and innovation of the area’s current residents.
MUST-SEE ANNUAL FESTIVALS
While diving into an exploration of the city is an important part of visiting, Amsterdam is also a place that gives back to its visitors, rewarding them with one-of-a-kind festivals throughout the year. One of the most important comes in late July with Pride Amsterdam. The city has been nicknamed
the “Gay Capital of Europe,” as it has a large LGBTQ+ presence and a reputation for progressive policies. Pride Amsterdam takes over the city, drawing in visitors from all over the world to celebrate. Rainbow colors consume the skyline, and the week is filled with activities, cultural exhibits, sporting events, public speakers and live entertainment, all in honor of the LGBTQ+ community.
The Amsterdam Light Festival is another must-see event, as jaw-dropping art forms light up the night skies. Originally created to break through the darkness of winter, the exhibit is open November through January, featuring world-class international artists and architects. Travelers can feast their eyes on abstract art and distinct designs as the artificial color bathes the city in a comforting light.
Wintertime travel is not every globetrotter’s scene, and luckily, Amsterdam reveals its best-kept secrets the third week of June with its Open Garden Days. Every year, around 30 private gardens open for public viewing, granting locals and travelers alike the opportunity to experience some of the city’s hidden gems. Stunning floral arrangements, perfectly manicured shrubbery and opulent stone structures will leave visitors feeling like they’re in a fantasy land — a little slice of heaven on Earth.
The Nine Streets is a perfect place to shop for handmade goods.
A national symbol for Dutch culture, the tulip art installation was a featured piece in the Amsterdam Light Festival.
THE CROWDSTRIKE CRASH: LESSONS FOR TRAVEL ADVISORS
Between ruined trips and technical headaches, the CrowdStrike fiasco gave travel advisors a lot to think about and learn from.
WORDS / ROSSILYNNE SKENA CULGAN
Travel and tourism industry expert Anna Abelson first heard about the major CrowdStrike outage in July 2024 through social media. Her friend posted on Facebook about getting stuck at JFK Airport in New York City on the way to Turks and Caicos for an anniversary trip.
The scale of the CrowdStrike outage was extraordinary. Abelson soon learned that her
friend was one of the thousands of travelers facing canceled flights with little recourse amid a tech outage that snarled the travel industry across the globe. Realizing that they’d be stuck for quite a while, Abelson’s friend and her spouse went to Rockaway Beach in Queens, New York, instead. It was certainly a far cry from the tropical Turks and Caicos trip they imagined, but it was a better place to wait than a packed, frenetic
airport terminal.
“A sense of humor definitely helps,” said Abelson, an instructor at New York University’s School of Professional Studies Jonathan M. Tisch Center of Hospitality, a leading center for the study of hospitality, travel and tourism. She’s spent 25 years in the travel industry.
Though her friends made the best of a bad situation, not all travelers will have
that same sentiment, and advisors should be prepared to help their clients navigate the hiccups of travel if (and likely when) another technology glitch occurs. Though the news coverage of the CrowdStrike outage showed glum-looking passengers packed into airport terminals, what wasn’t seen in those images was the travel advisors on the phone or computer trying to find workarounds for their clients.
So, what happened? When cybersecurity company CrowdStrike sent a software update to customers using Microsoft Windows, computers crashed, according to the New York Times. Airlines couldn’t book customers or check in passengers, Abelson explained, adding that it took days to resolve the situation. Travel advisors couldn’t access
clients’ itineraries to rebook them, and they couldn’t provide alternative options.
“This was pretty unprecedented, and the fact that we were not ready for that and we didn’t know what to do, … it’s mindboggling that we weren’t prepared for that,” Abelson said.
As a best practice, Abelson recommends that advisors keep their clients’ flight details backed up, rather than just relying on the airline’s system. Be sure to have a client’s contact information saved elsewhere, too, so it’s possible to reach them when computer databases fail.
For Angela Hughes, CEO and founder of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel, the CrowdStrike outage was a reminder of the importance of being able to think on your feet.
“Whether it’s rerouting a client’s travel itinerary due to unforeseen issues or solving immediate cybersecurity concerns, quick problem-solving is key in our business,” Hughes said. “Our ability to adapt to new challenges, pivot swiftly and find solutions ensures that our clients continue to have seamless and stress-free experiences, no matter what unexpected events arise.”
Throughout the booking and travel process, advisors must build relationships with their clients and suppliers — those relationships can pay off when push comes to shove. Advisors can try to find alternative ways to rebook or seek compensation and then stay in constant communication with their clients about any potential options.
“Advisors do have the relationship with the suppliers, and then it can be spotlighted during a crisis,” Abelson said. “That’s when advisors can shine — when they really need to use that crisis management skill — and connect with the airline or any other supplier to make sure that their clients are taken care of.”
When plans go awry, having travel insurance can help. Abelson encourages advisors to recommend travel insurance to their clients for some extra peace of mind.
Finally, both experts urge fellow advisors to stay up to date with education, seek training in computer systems as needed and stay fresh on industry news. The outage also underscores the importance of cybersecurity within an advisor’s own business. At Trips & Ships, Hughes has taken steps to fortify her business’ technology systems with enhanced digital security measures.
As for Abelson, she’s keeping an eye on any lawsuits related to the incident, both as fodder for her classroom lessons at NYU and for her work in the industry.
“We position ourselves as an industry of innovation,” Abelson said. “While technology is essential nowadays, we must ask ourselves: what do we do when challenges arise? At our core, we are still in the people business. It’s vital to prioritize care for individuals and foster connections and communication, using technology as a tool rather than depending on it completely.”
OUR BELOVED FLIPPERED FRIEND ANSWERS YOUR VAX QUESTIONS.
YOU ASKED: My contact information or my agency’s contact information changed. Who do I provide this to in order to have it updated?
MAXWELL SAYS: We’re so glad you asked! Keeping your contact information current in VAX is critical to your success so you should verify that it is correct periodically. You can manage this yourself directly in VAX under the Account Settings menu. Look for the small gear icon in the upper right-hand corner of the site and select Account Settings from the dropdown. If you are the agency’s site manager, you will see a menu labeled Agency. From here you can go into the Agency Profile to update your agency’s address, contact information and owner’s information. If you need to update an advisor’s information, you can choose the Manage Advisors link and update individual details under their profile.
If you are an advisor under an agency, you will have a menu where you can select the Advisor Profile link and update your profile, including your name, email address and phone number as well as settings for shopping and bookings.
YOU ASKED: How can I book in VAX when my clients are leaving from different cities to the same destination?
MAXWELL SAYS: The ability to book travelers sharing a hotel room arriving from different origins is offered only through select brands within the VAX marketplace. To verify which brands offer this, you can start by selecting New Reservation in the upper right navigation. Choose your preferred brand and then take a look through the Package Type dropdown. If your preferred supplier offers this package type, it will be named Multiple Origin Air – Shared Hotel or something similar to indicate that you have travelers arriving from multiple origins.
After completing the rest of the details within the reservation tool and beginning your search, you will find yourself on the availability
page without default selections. From here you will select the air for your first traveler and follow through to accept the terms and conditions and complete the booking without selecting a hotel. You will receive a prompt reminding you a hotel is required to complete the reservation. At this time, you can select the green Add Party button to add the flight coming from a different origin.
Once you complete the air for passengers coming from each origin, you will see them on their own tabs. To add the hotel portion of the reservation, you’ll start at the green Add Party button again, enter the correct number of adults that will be staying in the room and then click Search. On the availability page you can choose the hotel and any other features that you want to add for the travelers. Use the Refresh Deposit button to update the deposit based on all the components you have included in the package, and then you will be able to complete the booking.
The order of the steps is important; you must complete the air portion for all travelers prior to adding the hotel and other components. If you need to modify the reservation later, you may
need to contact your preferred tour operator’s call center directly.
YOU ASKED: Can my clients choose different room categories if I book them in separate rooms on the same reservation?
MAXWELL SAYS: When you start going through the booking process, you’ll notice you can only select one room category on the Hotel Availability page, and it will apply to however many rooms you have included in the reservation. Don’t let this hold you up; continue through the booking process until you reach the Checkout page.
Once you are on the Checkout page, look for the hotel panel to see your rooms along with the other room category options. Click the radio button for the room category you want to assign to each of the rooms before continuing to confirm your reservation.
Have a question for Maxwell? Send it to us at training@vaxvacationaccess.com, and we’ll send it his way. Then check out the next issue of The Compass magazine to see if he answered it.
CELEBRATION TRAVEL
Across
Opulent structures such as the Grand Palace can be found nestled among traditional Buddhist temples while floating markets are near trendy fashion districts.
9. Beloved by many tourists, this resort town located in the Dominican Republic’s eastern region has a reputation for its abundance of dreamy, white-sand beaches and top-of-theline all-inclusive accommodations.
10. Nicknamed “Sin City” and the “Entertainment Capital of the World” for good reason, this colorful U.S. city features world-class casinos, extravagant hotels and fine dining.
17. This northern European capital is often associated with tulips, though its scandalous Red Light District is anything but innocent.
19. Sometimes referred to as “The City that Never Sleeps,” this East Coast U.S. city is known for its skyscrapers, live Broadway performances and sweet style of pizza.
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2. A lively city located in South America, this destination is popular among tourists with its intense passion for soccer, annual Carnival celebration and a certain landmark statue standing at 98 feet tall.
5. Offering an upscale twist to the traditional beach scene, this southern U.S. port city is for the energetic travelers. From rooftop bars and boat parties to ritzy nightclubs, there’s no shortage of places to celebrate here.
6. This Southeast Asian territory is a city of contrasts.
12. Hosting the iconic Primavera Sound festival each year, this Spanish city is recognized for its all-nighter clubs and magnificent architecture, specifically the expansive basilica that remains unfinished.
13. Located in the Mediterranean Sea, the secondsmallest sovereign state in the world has a penchant for hosting the rich and famous. Fine dining, ornate palaces and a sophisticated nightlife are common on this Frenchspeaking territory.
1. The capital city of an eastern European country, the historic architecture and stunning thermal baths give this destination its reputation. A nighttime river cruise down the Danube may be on the itinerary as it combines views of these buildings with legendary parties.
3. The party scene of all party scenes, this Spanish island has a reputation for some of the best clubbing and beach parties in the world.
4. An eclectic capital city, this East Asian territory experiences a high tourist volume for the cherry blossom season. This destination has a unique nightlife as well, with karaoke bars and izakayas lining the bustling streets.
6. A capital city on South America’s southeastern coast, this area is considered the birthplace of tango. It’s a cultural melting pot known for its street art and mouthwatering cuisine.
7. One of Mexico’s popular cities, this area attracts visitors of all kinds, from spring breakers and families to newlywed couples. Much of the vibrant nightlife can be found around the Hotel Zone.
8. Instantly recognizable for its iconic Opera House nestled in the city’s harbor, this down under destination is home to delightful weather year-round, an expansive barrier reef and adorable marsupials.
11. The central hub for K-pop and innovative technology, this East Asian city is home to modern architecture, sleek skyscrapers and well-preserved palaces and Buddhist temples.
13. A popular Greek island in the Aegean Sea nicknamed “The Island of the Winds,” this is a hotspot summer destination known for its numerous beaches.
14. A Croatian island located in the Adriatic Sea, this spot has a reputation for its summer resorts and lavender fields.
15. Renowned for its culture and architecture, this Central European city houses some very famous landmarks, including a bridge, castle and medieval clock.
16. Spain’s most populous city, this destination has a reputation for rowdy nightlife, architectural wonders and rich culinary scene.
18. A capital city bursting with history, this southern European destination is home to some of the world’s most ancient architecture, delicious pasta and authentic gelato.
19. Synonymous with Mardi Gras and jazz music, the party never ceases in this vibrant U.S. city.
Find the answers at vaxvacationaccess.com/ thecompasscrossword.
“Wise is the person who finds a reason to make every day a special one.”
—Leo Buscaglia
VAX VacationAccess has always had one ambition:
to make travel advisors’ lives easier and provide a platform for them to succeed. In no time, VAX became a household name in the travel advisor community, and as some may call it, their very best friend. Now boasting a community of 203,000+ leisure travel advisors, VAX has established its title as the award-winning leisure travel marketplace.
But you don’t have to take our word for it. We are proud to have won coveted industry awards for the many facets of VAX: our industry-leading booking engine technology, our marketing resources, our travel advisor education and even our presence in print. We’re always striving to give our travel advisor users the best and to keep our winning streak alive.
Travel Weekly Magellan Awards
Gold Award
Booking Interface
Education Program
Travel Agent Only Website
Marketing Website Overall
Marketing Campaign
Silver Award
Travel Agent Only Website
Marketing Campaign
Trip Planning
Booking Interface
Web Marketing/Advertising
Promotional Video
Educational Program
Association of National Advertisers (ANA) B2 Awards
Silver Award
Travvy Awards
Best Travel Technology Provider
Best Travel Agent Reservation System
Best Travel Planning Technology
Travel Weekly Readers Choice Award
Best Travel Technology Provider
Nexion Awards
Best Technology/Booking Tool
Content Marketing: Magazine (Print or Digital) Category
Travel Inspo Tool Kit
Power your agency’s social media and content marketing with ready-made social media images, memes and articles The time to travel is now and the time to connect with travelers is now Turn to VAX’s Travel Inspo Tool Kit to get the content you need to make those connections
https://www.vaxvacationaccess.com/toolkit
