In this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, Chris Dehner sits down with Robin Lawther, Vice President of Expedia TAAP, to explore why mountain travel is quickly becoming one of the most compelling growth opportunities for travel advisors.

Drawing from Expedia Group’s Summit Seekers research report, the conversation breaks down the scale of the mountain travel market, traveler booking behaviors, and why this category is uniquely well-suited for advisors. With a significant portion of travelers not destination-decided, booking within shorter windows, and taking multiple trips per year, mountain travel presents a powerful opportunity for advisors to influence decisions, add value, and build long-term, repeat business.

Chris and Robin also discuss how mountain travel’s inherent complexity, from seasonality and activities to access and accommodations, creates the ideal environment for advisors to demonstrate expertise, reduce decision fatigue, and give travelers confidence that they’re making the right choices. The episode highlights how mountain travel is no longer limited to winter sports, with summer demand growing rapidly and average daily rates increasing faster than in the winter season, opening the door to new alternatives to traditional beach vacations.

The conversation also dives into where mountain travelers are researching trips, including Google, online travel agencies, and social media, and why advisors should proactively market this expertise through content, newsletters, and client education. From boutique hotels and vacation rentals to large group mountain retreats, Chris and Robin outline the accommodation types travelers are prioritizing and why having broad inventory matters.

Beyond mountain travel specifically, the episode connects this trend to broader shifts in luxury and consumer behavior, as travelers increasingly prioritize experiences over goods. Robin shares practical next steps for advisors, including leveraging research, client conversations, webinars, and destination education to build credibility and stay ahead of trends.

The episode closes with a candid look at the evolving advisor landscape, from side-hustle agents to host agency growth, and why travel continues to show remarkable resilience, even in uncertain times. For advisors looking to expand beyond beach travel, deepen relationships with existing clients, and tap into a high-value, repeat-booking segment, this episode offers both strategic insight and actionable guidance.

https://partner.expediagroup.com/en-us/resources/research-insights/mountain-travel-research

https://partner.expediagroup.com/content/dam/unified/partner/documents/reports/2025-reports/expedia-group-mountain-traveler-research-report_en-us.pdf

Many travel agents lose potential sales simply because they don’t have a structured follow-up system. In this episode, I’ll share why follow-up is essential, the biggest mistakes agents make, and a step-by-step system to turn more leads into booked clients.

cale your agency, simplify your workflow, and delight your clients with the industry's newest travel advisor CRM, visit https://www.trazel.com/.

This episode is proudly brought to you in partnership with the Dominican Republic Tourism Board. Discover why the Dominican Republic remains the Caribbean’s top tourist destination, welcoming over 11 million visitors in 2024. Learn more at GoDominicanRepublic.com.

Robin Lawther is the Vice President of Expedia TAAP (Travel Agent Affiliate Program), and with over 3,000,000 properties on their site, Expedia is a huge force in the travel industry.

Robin and I discuss how travelers’ expectations are changing in the world of luxury travel, and how travel advisors can meet and exceed these rising expectations. We also discuss the impact of social media and AI on the future of luxury travel and how travel agents can partner with Expedia TAAP to better grow their businesses. 

Robin Lawther, Vice President of Expedia TAAP (Travel Agent Affiliate Program), is a versatile leader with a proven track record in leading teams across strategy, operations, and commercial domains. Boasting extensive experience as a management consultant in the travel industry and backed by over 8 years in various B2B leadership roles at Expedia Group, Robin leverages his deep understanding of the retail travel industry and applies his expertise to drive strategic initiatives and growth for Expedia TAAP. A recognized subject matter expert, Robin remains at the forefront, shaping the vision for TAAP, and consistently prioritizes travel advisors to ensure the business can deliver world-class experiences to the travelers they serve.Expedia TAAP: https://www.expediataap.com/

Expedia offers a versatile platform for booking travel, but as a travel advisor, you also need a way to manage your client relationships. Transform the way you work with Trazel - the CRM custom-tailored for travel advisors. Ready to take your travel agency to the next level? To learn more, visit https://trazel.com/

Crafting your elevator pitch is an important part of being successful as a travel agent, because if you can't explain your value proposition to your clients in easy-to-understand language, you're going to struggle to convince them to work with you. In this episode, I cover a few aspects to consider when crafting your pitch.

This episode is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. Visit https://dotravelrewards.com to take advantage of their travel agent rewards program and ensure you're getting the absolute most out of your Dominican Republic bookings.

If you're considering diving into the world of selling travel, here's a quick overview of the benefits of becoming a travel agent.

Ready to take your travel agency to the next level? Transform the way you work with Trazel - the CRM custom-tailored for travel advisors. Visit Trazel.com to learn more!

This episode is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. Visit https://dotravelrewards.com to take advantage of their travel agent rewards program and ensure you're getting the absolute most out of your Dominican Republic bookings.

I share some of the basics of commissions, service fees, and the importance of focusing on the big picture during a training call with the newest member of our IC team, Erica.

This episode is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. Visit https://dotravelrewards.com to take advantage of their travel agent rewards program and ensure you're getting the absolute most out of your Dominican Republic bookings.

During a training call with the newest member of our IC team, Erica, I share the basics of being a travel agent, including a breakdown of the 4 step process of working with clients, how to improve your communication on consultation calls, and the key to growing relationships in the industry.

Cesar Briceño shares how you can partner with Classic Vacations to grow your travel agency business. He shares a little bit about Classic Vacations 46 year history in the travel industry as well as all of the wonderful destinations and products they offer. If you're interested in learning more about how you can maximize your travel agency business with Classic Vacations, contact Cesar

This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. The Dominican Republic is the premiere destination in the Caribbean, welcoming over 5,000,000 visitors in the first five months of 2024. To better understand why so many travelers are choosing the Dominican Republic as their go-to destination, visit https://godominicanrepublic.com

In this episode, we discuss how agents can book destination weddings with Francisco Alvarez, the Regional Weddings Sales Manager of America with Palladium Hotel Group. We cover Palladium's brand new 2024 wedding packages, their new booking and planning process, their unique event options like the S'mores Bash, and we discuss how agents can better sell destination weddings at their beautiful hotels.

Weddings By Palladium Info (2024): https://moderntravelagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WEDDING-BY-PALLADIUM-INFO-2024-ENG.pdf

Weddings by Palladium - Weddings Catalogue (2024): https://moderntravelagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weddings-by-Palladium-Weddings-Catalogue-2024.pdf

Weddings by Palladium - Wedding Timeline: https://moderntravelagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/Weddings-by-Palladium-Wedding-Timeline.pdf

This episode is brought to you by our partnership with Palladium Hotel Group.

On this episode, I share the lessons I've learned from our Director of Operations Krystal Aziz and our Director of Weddings Itzel Rodriguez.