Booking Flights for this Summer? What to Know About the Fuel Crisis https://www.cntraveler.com/story/booking-flights-for-this-summer-what-to-know-about-the-fuel-crisis

A little click bait-y, but it’s something to be aware of. Have you dealt with this recently? I know it has affected my clients. Here is the link to the full article: https://www.thestreet.com/travel/airline-cancels-flights-for-disturbing-reason

Working through pricing on a New Orleans group trip right now… Curious how others approach this: Do you anchor higher with a premium hotel option first, or lead with the most accessible price point? I’m seeing pros/cons both ways depending on the audience.

What if instead of only earning when someone books, we created a Travel Concierge Retainer for frequent travelers? The idea would be a yearly access model where clients pay for ongoing planning support, not just one trip. This could include things like: • destination recommendations throughout the year • trip planning guidance when they’re deciding • priority access to group trips • flight monitoring or timing advice • help comparing options before they book • ongoing travel relationship vs one-off transactions The reason this model could work: Most frequent travelers don’t just take one trip ... they take 2–3 per year and constantly ask questions in between. That’s time advisors already spend, but it’s not always compensated. A concierge-style retainer turns: random questions → structured service one-time bookings → ongoing relationship inconsistent income → predictable baseline revenue reactive planning → proactive travel guidance It also helps position the advisor as a year-round travel partner, not just someone who books trips. Curious if anyone here has tested something like this or considered packaging their ongoing support into an annual concierge-style model?

How many times have you confirmed a booking and assumed you had all the details covered? There are certain things in this business that aren't optional knowledge. They're not extras you figure out along the way. They're the foundation and when they're missing, it's usually your client who feels it first and you who deals with the fallout. Before any booking is finalized, you should be able to answer these five things without hesitating: What happens if the trip gets cancelled on your end and theirs? Supplier policies and your own policies need to be crystal clear, communicated, and documented. Can your client actually enter that country? Passport validity, visas, entry requirements this changes more than people realize and it's on you to verify it. Who is picking them up and where, exactly? Transfer details feel minor until someone lands in a foreign city at midnight with no ride and no contact number. When do you actually get paid? Know your commission structure and payout timeline before the invoice goes out, not after. What happens when something goes wrong at 2am? Your clients need an after-hours contact. So do you. These aren't things clients double-check on their own. They're trusting that you already handled it. Which one of these caught you off guard early in your career? Drop it below ... your answer might save someone else a really bad day.