Some travel advisors gravitate toward exotic niches for a clear reason: fewer competitors and a sharper point of differentiation. But the real driver is passion – and that passion often becomes the deciding factor in closing the sale.
“Invest and learn about destinations and the type of travel that really speaks to you. When you do what you love, there is nothing better,” said The Expeditionist Owner Ralph Iantosca, who specializes in Rwanda and expedition cruising. “When you do what you love, there is nothing better.”
Here’s a look at how advisors have created successful niches for Africa, Bali, expedition cruising, entertainment and sporting events, expedition cruising and international luxury rail travel.
Africa
A gorilla in Rwanda (Source: G Adventures)
Casey Carr, Carr World Travel (Signature Travel Network)
The Starting Point: “I started going to Africa when I was 16 and have been nine times now, including shooting two films there for African Travel Inc. and Lion World. I started going to Africa when I was 16 and have been nine times now, including shooting two films there for African Travel Inc. and Lion World.
Advice: “Exotic travel can be complicated and expensive, so expertise is a massive advantage. Having deep personal experience means you can easily answer questions and overcome client roadblocks.”
Ralph Iantosca, The Expeditionist
The Starting Point: “I went on my first trip to Rwanda in 2004 and realized there was an entirely different world that I was drawn to. Being up close to the gorillas was a life-changing experience. I had an epiphany: It was a privilege to be in their world. It wasn’t staged or prefabricated; it was authentic.
“Back then, the gorilla population was critically endangered, but today they have moved to endangered. My work sending travelers to Rwanda makes a difference and helps save the gorilla population, so I needed to contribute. In addition to trekking, Rwanda is a gorgeous country with an incredible story. Coming out of the dark shadow of the 1994 genocide, it is now leading the way for the rest of Africa.
“I now have my own charity there called Conservation Corner. The cost to send a student to university to earn a tourism degree with an English major is only $1,800 over three years, and I help them find employment in our industry after graduation. I recently took some students trekking for the very first time. While a foreign permit costs $1,500 and a resident permit costs $200, locals earn less than $500 per month, so buying a permit independently isn't a priority. Now, these students can relate to tourists and earn better gratuities through firsthand experience.”
Advice: First and foremost, in building a successful Africa niche requires a passion for the destination. “Being up close to the gorillas was a life-changing experience. I had an epiphany: It was a privilege to be in their world. It wasn’t staged or prefabricated; it was authentic.”
Danielle Meyer, Coastline Travel Group (Danielle Meyer, Coastline Travel Group (Virtuoso)
The Starting Point: “My specific niche is African safari travel, and specifically, going deep within it. Rather than just booking ‘a safari,’ we specialize in tailoring the experience to what our clients actually love, whether that’s a horseback safari through the bush, a dedicated birding photography safari or a walking safari led by a specific guide we trust.
“We came to this specialization because Africa rewards depth. Once you start really learning the camps, the seasons, the guides and the regional differences, you realize how much more there is to offer beyond the standard itinerary, and clients notice the difference.
Advice: “Anyone can sell Africa. Far fewer people have spent years building relationships with camp owners, understanding which lodges are strongest for birding or horseback riding or knowing which guides specialize in what. That accumulated experience lets us match a client to the right camp and pacing instead of just the right country.
“Take the time to actually know what you're talking about – travel there yourself repeatedly, don’t just read about it. Then, find the networks of people who live and work in that space and build real relationships with them. Successful advisors in a niche aren’t just selling into that community; they’re participating in it.”
Bali
A Bali rice field (Source: Tammy Levent)
Judy Julien, CTC (Global Travel Collection)
The Starting Point: “We traveled to Bali and fell in love with it. I was asked if I was interested in participating in an insider program and chose Bali as my specialty. I worked for years as the only Travel Insider for Bali; other agents would call me when they had clients requesting the region because of their limited knowledge. The program required me to keep traveling to the destination to deepen my knowledge, which I did. I was even told I was the only agent to get 100% on the program’s mystery caller vetting component!”
Advice: “Travel to your destination as often as possible, find a local partner with in-country offices to facilitate logistics and build relationships with local suppliers. Visit as many hotel properties as you can – from high-end to midrange – so you are well-versed in options at different price levels. Try to experience as many local activities as possible, even outside your comfort zone, and consider learning the local language if an option.
Competitive Advantages: Judy Julien, CTC (Global Travel Collection)
Finding the perfect destination manager on the ground to actualize custom private itineraries, and building personal relationships with hotels so clients always secure the best rooms, views, rates, and amenities. Because Bali involves a long flight, I have in-depth knowledge to upsell the trip to include complementary destinations in Asia. Having full confidence in your sources ensures each trip is uniquely customized.”
Entertainment and Sporting Event
Sorted Entertainment specializes in arrange luxury trips for entertainment and sport events, including the Super Bowl. (Source: Roadtrips)
Alx Bear, Gene Vignola, Sorted Entertainment (Global Travel Collection)
The Starting Point: Sorted Entertainment is a full-service luxury travel company that specializes in sending clients to major sporting and entertainment events worldwide, including tennis Grand Slams, the World Cup, Olympics, Super Bowl, global concerts and Formula 1. Co-founder Gene Vignola spent nearly 20 years in ticketing and sports markets, while co-founder Alx Bear started in hospitality and the NFL before becoming an entertain, a spent nearly 20 years in ticketing and sports markets, while co-founder Alx Bear started in hospitality and the NFL before becoming an entertainment lawyer. They formed Sorted 10 years ago after realizing clients wanted a luxury experience not just while traveling, but during and around major events.
Advice: “Don’t look at what your competitors are doing, but at what they’re not doing," Vignola said. "What are they missing from their offering? Where are they not blowing the experience out of the waterind that and do it better.
“Everything is about differentiation. In a world where access to major sporting events is becoming more commoditized, it’s access to events that ‘aren’t for sale’ that distinguishes – such as a soundcheck and private family dinner before your favorite band’s show, a private dinner with a Michelin-starred chef, or a one-on-one track experience with an F1 driver. We leverage our relationships to make the impossible happen.”
Expedition Cruising
Travelers kayaking in the sea along Svalbard, Norway, with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions (Source: Michael S. Nolan)
Casey Carr, Car World Travel
The Starting Point: “I have been twice and made a film there for Atlas Ocean Voyages that won a “Travel Weekly” Gold Magellan Award, and I have been sending clients there for decades. These became specializations for me because I sold so much of it and have been on some fairly in-depth experiences myself.
Advice: “Clients look for real expertise for their comfort level and are far less likely to just book something online. My best advice is that you experience the destination multiple times and in multiple ways. Exotic travel can be complicated, and real expertise gives clients the confidence and comfort they simply can't find online.”
Ralph Iantosca, The Expeditionist
The Starting Point: “Expedition cruising is something I’ve loved for many years. The ships are purpose-built to explore interesting destinations, and the passengers who sign up love to learn and are up for whatever comes their way.
“Expedition cruising allows you to truly participate in the experience, and the return on investment is incredible.
“In January of this year, I celebrated a client’s birthday on board the National Geographic Venture on the ‘Among the Great Whales' itinerary. On her birthday in the birthing lagoons at San Ignacio, Baja, a gray whale came up to our boat, turned upside down, swam underneath us, and let us rub its belly. It looked at us with its big eye, blew air from its blowhole, and gently pushed our boat like a toy. There are no words—the anticipation of the unexpected keeps me going.”
Advice: “If you sell more mainstream travel, I recommend you invite existing clients to participate in an educational event about expedition travel. I also recommend partnering with a supplier that aligns with your clients’ demographics. The supplier can create an overview of what an expedition is like, where you can take an expedition, and help guide the client to build interest.
“I would recommend contacting business development managers and interview each supplier on their preferred portfolio first.”
Luxury Rail Travel
The Royal Scotsman (Source: (photo via Luxury Gold))
Owen C. Hardy, Eleanor Flagler Hardy, Rachel M. Hardy, The Society of International Railway Travelers (Virtuoso)
The Starting Point: The Society of International Railway Travelers (IRT) took root in 1983, when rail aficionados Eleanor Flagler Hardy and Owen C. Hardy quit their newspaper jobs and Owen launched a bimonthly international journal about rail travel from the bedroom of their apartment.
“Several years later, Owen and Eleanor began organizing rail trips instead of just writing about them,” said Rachel M. Hardy, the couple’s daughter and CEO of the company.
In 2011, IRT joined Virtuoso, which strengthened its ties with luxury travel advisors from around the globe.
“We are the luxury rail experts,” Eleanor Hardy, the company’s president, said. “And we’re the only such agency within Virtuoso. We do not do domestic rail travel at all because it does not fit in our niche, and we do not do standalone train tickets. We only do luxury rail tours all around the world.”
IRT arranges rail trips with some of the most renowned trains and journeys around the globe.
Advice: First and foremost, passion is what has driven IRT’s success. As a case in point, Owen, when he was an exchange student in Hanover, Germany, fell in love with the country’s rail system and developed an intricate knowledge of international train travel – something that Eleanor Hardy developed as well.
“My husband and I and our team have traveled millions of miles on luxury trains and to 100s of cities to get firsthand experience for our guests,” she said.
Rachel Hardy noted that advisors should target affluent, intellectually curious travelers “who are interested and interesting.”
They should also stress how international rail travel broadens clients’ cultural horizons. “When you’re on a train, you meet people who you would never meet anywhere else,” said IRT Founder and Chairman Owen Hardy.
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