How to Become a Luxury Travel Advisor? Small Business Ideas

How to Become a Luxury Travel Advisor?

If you’re passionate about traveling, you might find that your dream job lies in helping other people make the most of their time on the road.

Becoming a luxury travel advisor means taking advantage of your own travel experiences to provide high-quality advice and recommendations to paying clients looking to do the same thing. Here are five steps to help you get started with this exciting career opportunity!

Step 1: Learn everything about the luxury travel industry

To become an expert on luxury travel, begin by learning everything about it. That means talking with other industry pros, reading as much as you can find on luxury travel, and staying current on industry trends.

There are several ways people make their living as luxury travel advisors – from working at a company like Great Travel Advisor to running their independent agency.

Most work full-time and have specialties based around certain destinations or types of luxury accommodation (e.g., spas or restaurants).

When speaking with others already working in luxury travel, ask them what their day-to-day looks like. 

Step 2: Set up your business

To start your luxury travel advisor business, you’ll need an office (virtual or otherwise), and there are many ways to set up shop. Will you hire employees? Are you going at it alone?

Are you registering your business as an LLC or corporation? If so, what type of entity is best for protecting your assets from liability claims brought by clients or third parties?

One thing that’s not worth compromising on is professional insurance. Before doing anything else, spend some time shopping around for insurance – including umbrella policies that protect personal assets from loss due to negligence.

The costs are negligible (you can get $1 million of coverage for under $100), but without it, you could be on the hook for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars if something goes wrong.

Step 3: Build relationships with clients

You can’t just cold-call clients and ask them for $10,000. It would help if you had relationships with people who are already at least somewhat interested in what you’re selling.

This could be because they know you personally or because they’ve seen your work and appreciate it—or, ideally, both.

Once you have that good relationship with someone who has money (even just $100), that person is much more likely to trust you when recommending something as expensive as a luxury trip.

How do you build these relationships? Again, referral programs are great, but so is having your website or portfolio where clients can learn what makes you special and pick up some tips for their next trip.

Step 4: Advertise your business online

Start by creating social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. You may also want to create a website.

Work with others: There are many ways you can build business relationships online or by attending networking events, trade shows, and conventions.

Consider offering consulting services: If you’re starting, it can be hard to land major clients from day one – however, if you have experience in your field, you can offer consultation services that will give companies an idea of what direction they want to go before committing more fully.

Step 5: Have fun while traveling!

This can be an amazing job, but it is certainly not for everyone. It requires a certain mindset and lifestyle that some people might find difficult to adopt.

If traveling with clients doesn’t excite you or if you don’t like meeting new people, don’t get into luxury travel advisor; find another line of work that suits your personality better.

However, if, like me, traveling, meeting new people, and helping others enjoy their dream vacation sounds like an ideal career path for you, then follow these steps!

Frequently Asked Questions

Do luxury travel advisors make good money?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that travel agents made an average annual salary of $33,610. However, employment opportunities are expected to decline by 10 percent over the next decade.

In addition, great travel advisors can also make decent incomes working for themselves or partnering with niche agencies or luxury hotels. 

What does a luxury travel advisor do?

The luxury travel advisor (LTA) is usually handled by an experienced travel specialist who has worked through lower-level positions, such as a brand ambassador or airline consultant.

As an LTA, you’ll specialize in providing clients with high-end travel experiences. You may work for one company that provides services for multiple airlines, hotel chains, and other companies.

LTA duties vary from job to job but include everything from booking flights and hotels to handling special requests for your client.

Your responsibilities can also extend into event planning and networking with clients’ family members and other contacts.

Some companies require new hires to have at least five years of experience before applying for a position as an LTA, although many have no set requirements.

How much money does a luxury travel advisor have?

Generally, luxury travel advisors earn $60,000-$150,000 annually. People who start their consulting businesses (as opposed to working for an agency) can even make more money.

If you’re highly successful and managing an extensive portfolio of high-end clients—say you manage 50 A-list stars with exotic tastes—you could make several hundred thousand dollars per year or more.

The highest-paid travel advisors have decades of experience in luxury tourism. They have built up portfolios of corporate contracts and personal one-on-one relationships with people accustomed to enjoying five-star experiences on private jets and yachts around the world.

Final Words

Get into your dream job by learning from those who have been there. There are many ways to start training as a luxury travel advisor: at an agency, through self-study, or by seeking a mentor.

However you choose to do it, don’t be afraid of hard work and perseverance—you won’t get far without these traits! And before long, you’ll be able to get paid for doing what you love!

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