Travel Advisors Share Their Smartest Business Investments

by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 9:05 AM ET, Tue October 13, 2026

Investing in new technology. Hiring a helping hand. Traveling to gain firsthand knowledge about a destination or resort. Paying for advertising or social media services.

These are just a few things travel advisors often consider to grow and support their business. If you’re a travel advisor who owns your own agency, it can feel overwhelming to juggle daily tasks and clients while considering future business goals—and where to spend some of your hard-won earnings.

That’s why we asked some successful travel advisors what investments have made the biggest impact on their business and work-life balance.

Some of the ideas they shared helped free advisors from time-consuming, routine tasks. Others simplified challenging parts of their business by outsourcing for trusted help. Others grew their business while continuing what they do best: sell travel.

Opportunties for Professional Growth & Experience

Travel Best Bets & AmaWaterways partnered for a week-long Mekong River FAM.

One of the biggest reasons people turn to travel advisors is the benefit of a lived, human experience. Firsthand travel experiences and expert insights are invaluable, so travel advisors encourage other advisors to keep choosing growth opportunities and strengthening their travel expertise.

One of the most important ways to do this is to travel.

“Travel. But smart travel,” said Victoria Fricke, Owner of Vic’s Vacations. “There's a trap newer advisors fall into—every trip or opportunity is one they need to say yes to. And while that can be true at times, it's not always. That ‘free trip’ easily turns into $800 without blinking.

“Does that opportunity match the potential sale? Invest time into brands you sell or see yourself selling. Invest time into destinations that match where you currently are in your business or you're working to get to,” she explains. “That being said, spending money into travel is one of the fastest ways to become an expert in a destination. It allows you to act as the authority to the clients which is ultimately why they chose you over a website booking engine.”

Traveling can be costly, because even FAM trips can often incur expenses. Even if money isn’t an issue, the cost of time spent away from a personal business is also an added stressor. Yet travel advisors should budget time and money for travel each year as an educational and professional experience.

“Traveling to the destinations I sell has been one of the most valuable investments in my business,” explained Rebecca Schwinn, Owner of Wanderland Escapes. “There is a huge difference between researching a resort online and actually walking the property, seeing the rooms, and then also experiencing activities/things to do there and my favorite part...the food!...I'm also from the destination that I mainly sell (Hawai'i) so that adds an extra layer of experience that someone who has only traveled there doesn't have. That is why when I started my agency I leaned into this because I knew it set me apart.”

Networking Events

Another worthwhile investment that travel advisors noted was networking, specifically attending conferences and events tailored for them.

“Conferences and networking events can get expensive once you add up registration, airfare, hotels, and meals, but the relationships I've built have made them well worth the investment,” Schwinn explained. “Having personal connections with suppliers, tourism boards, and hotel sales managers are invaluable. Especially when you need assistance when something goes sideways, or want to create something special for a client. In this industry, relationships really matter. I have become friends with many of my contacts as well.”

Be aware, though: not all conferences or professional networking opportunities might be a good fit for growing a travel agency business. If you have a specific niche, such as cruising, for example, you’ll want to lean into more cruise-specific conferences, such as CruiseWorld, which TravelPulse’s parent company, Northstar, hosts.

“I try to attend at least one industry conference per year to keep in touch with current suppliers and meet new suppliers, as well as meet and interact with fellow advisors,” said Kendra Wagner, CEO & Lead Travel Advisor at Kendra Wagner Travel. I think it's very important to focus on conferences, events, and FAMs that make sense for your niche.”

Conferences can also be a worthwhile investment for new advisors looking to define their niche and network with more experienced advisors, as well as for more experienced advisors looking to expand into a new niche.

Investing in Technology

Smart phone taking a photo of the Eiffel Tower to post on social media.

One major thing travel advisors have invested in—with satisfying returns—is technology.

Yet technology is an incredibly broad topic. The advisors we asked about it identified a few types of technology that have helped their business.

Two of them identified investing in a CRM, specifically TravelJoy.

“The best technology investment I made when I started my travel agency in 2019 was subscribing to TravelJoy as my CRM,” said Michele Lindsay, Owner of Blue Pointe Travel in Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan. “Being organized from the get-go has proven to be one of the most valuable assets in my business!”

Kendra Wagner agrees and encourages travel advisors to also consider an itinerary builder to enhance what materials they can provide to potential clients.

“Having a CRM, like TravelJoy, that allows you to create client profiles and tasks lists for client trips, track metrics, like monthly and yearly sales, commissions, etc., pull reports, etc. is a gamechanger,” said Wagner. “It's incredibly helpful to track your progress year over year, and it allows you to gain helpful insight on your top clients, suppliers, etc. Additionally, an itinerary builder, like Travefy, allows you to elevate your client proposals and itineraries, and it also gives your clients access to an itinerary app during travel, keeping their documents paper-free and easily available.”

Some host agencies provide advisors with their own version of a CRM, which can be a worthwhile tool and a crucial piece of support for independent agencies. Yet sometimes it’s worth spending time researching whether a different CRM might benefit your business in the longer term.

“I look at technology as an investment in my time. If a tool gives me more time to work with clients or grow my business, it's worth considering,” said Rebecca Schwinn. “I understand though that when you're first starting out, you don't need all the bells and whistles. It's okay to use your host's free CRM tools (if they have them) until you get the income generated to pay for a more robust system. Once you can afford it, it's definitely worth investing in. I also recommend trying several out (many have free trials) to make sure you pick one that works with your brain.”

Beyond managing your metrics, there’s a lot more technology a travel advisor could invest in, such as advertising—many advisors choose the social media route—and creating a personalized website for their business.

Angela Hughes, CEO and Founder of Trips & Ships Luxury Travel, explained: “Travel is visual, and being able to share what I am experiencing gives clients a better understanding of what they are buying. Great high end equipment and editing tools help me turn my time in a destination into content I can continue using after I return home.”

Kendra Wagner chose to hire a social media marketing and consulting agency to manage her social media presence. She went from just over 2,000 followers to over 11,000 without paying for ad space, helping her reach more clients.

“I think every travel advisor should invest in luxury branding—website, logo, etc.,” Wagner added. “A website shows you're a real business and take your business seriously. I think it's a must for every advisor and agency, and it's absolutely worth the investment. This is how people can learn more about your business, who you are, what services you offer, and more.”

Some host agencies also provide a co-branded or personalized website for travel advisors who join them, which can be a great choice for advisors who want the added value and simplicity of paying for one service that provides and manages several parts of their business.

Other Key Investments

Beyond these major parts of a travel advisor’s business, there are also so many other smart investments that pay off in the long term.

One of these is an office manager, as Ashley Morris, Owner of Alpaca Your Bags Travel, explains: “A great office manager, not assistant. I intentionally said ‘office manager’ because this role needs someone you trust—someone who is empowered to make decisions on your behalf and orchestrate things while you're with clients, on a FAM or otherwise engaged. An office manager is more than an assistant—it's someone with a common vision to move your business forward. After 11 years in travel, I fully recognize the power of a great partner and know that mine is key to a balanced (and fun!) travel agent life.”

Rebecca Schwinn highlighted the importance of legal protection—something many small business owners consider only after something major has happened.

“I think this is something every travel advisor should invest in before taking their first client,” said Schwinn. “It's much easier, and far less expensive, to protect your business from the beginning than to fix a problem after it happens.”

Advisors creating their own businesses often must purchase E&O insurance, but it doesn’t protect against everything. A legal document explaining a travel advisor’s role, responsibilities and what they are and are not responsible for can make all the difference.

So Many Ways to Simplify and Grow Your Business

Travel advisors can grow their business in many ways.

While each often takes time to research and at least an initial cost, if not a permanent monthly price, they all provide benefits: better expertise to help clients, time saved on content creation, routine administration or organization, and opportunities to grow your business in the long term.

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.