Bret Cook (Photo Credit: Bret Cook)
Travel Advisor Success Stories focus on highly accomplished advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Bret Cook, luxury travel manager at Love to Travel.
How did you get your start as a travel advisor?
I grew up around the travel industry – my mom, Kim Cook, started our agency before I was born, so I was fortunate to travel quite a bit growing up and was always interested in the business side of things as I started to get older.
As I got into college, I started working for a company called SnowDaze, which puts together ski trips during winter break for college students. I went around campus selling trips to different fraternities and sororities, then handled all the group logistics.
I decided I wanted to try out the corporate world, but found myself putting together golf trips, bachelor parties and referring people over to Love to Travel on a frequent basis. I truly enjoyed putting different trips together, and I was great at doing it, so I decided to make the jump.
How did you build your business over the years?
The biggest thing for me has been networking. From my friends, their parents, old work contacts, etc., everyone is interested in talking about travel or hearing about places you’ve been, so it’s always been an easy conversation starter, even when I wasn’t working as a travel advisor.
I think you also need to develop a strong pitch on your services and expertise. There is so much information online, rewards programs available to consumers, etc., so you need to be able to articulate the value you add, especially if you are working with someone who hasn’t used an advisor in the past.
What characteristics make you a successful advisor?
I truly believe you do need to be available and have the right contacts/partners in place to have your business operating 24/7. In travel, things can go wrong at any moment… flight delays, cancellations, weather disruptions, etc. You need to be resourceful and available to help your clients when things inevitably go awry.
I also believe gaining firsthand knowledge of the destinations you are selling and the experiences you offer is a huge selling point. I haven’t been everywhere in the world or stayed at every luxury property, so that is where you need to have strong relationships with suppliers and hoteliers.
What have been your greatest challenges ?
Offering new markets like Europe, Australia, cruising, etc. has been a challenge, as it was completely foreign to our office when I first started. I dove deep into research on different destinations I was interested in and have been fortunate to meet with top suppliers around the globe to help me navigate these new opportunities for our clients.
It can be a little daunting to put a full itinerary together for a country you aren’t 100 percent familiar with, so forming strong relationships with hotels and DMCs across the globe has been instrumental in my success.
What are your greatest accomplishments?
Last year I was selected as a 40 under 40 advisor by the team at TravelPulse. This was a huge accomplishment for me and really validated the work I have done up until that point.
I was also invited to attend The Future Leaders in Travel Retreat in 2023, then invited back to be a guide in 2024.
However, I’d say my favorite accomplishment is being able to expand our business into markets like Ireland, Greece, Italy, luxury cruising and more.
What tips can you provide advisors new to the industry?
I’d say to lean on close relationships as you get started. They will not only support your business by booking with you, but also refer you to their friends, coworkers, family, etc.
Another piece of advice is to always be upfront and fully transparent with clients. They will appreciate your honest feedback and experience when it comes to different properties, experiences, destinations, etc.
You don’t need to be an expert on everything, but you do need to be honest with your clients about it. Say yes to as many opportunities to experience destinations and hotels as possible. Nothing builds your credibility like experiencing it for yourself. You also don’t know what destination or hotel might surprise you and be a good fit for your clients. Lastly, try to stay calm when things do go wrong. It’s your job to find solutions for your clients and enhance their overall experience. The last thing they need is an advisor who also feels stressed when their trip has a hiccup.
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