Modern Travel Agent Podcast

It’s important to take pride in our work, but at some point, perfectionism is just a fear of judgment. It’s a fear of failure. It’s a fear that if we ship our work, then maybe our client or our colleague or our audience won’t like it. It won’t be good enough.

So because we fear failure, we find excuses not to deliver our work. We continually make small, unnecessary improvements to the project, over and over again. So what’s the solution? For me, it’s reminding myself of the advice my brother Tim Evans, the Founder and CEO of Modern Travelworks, gave me. 

He always says, “GETMO.” Good Enough To Move On. It doesn’t need to be perfect. We don’t need to make every single possible improvement. We don’t need to waste hours on unnecessary details. We need to work hard on our projects, complete them, and then move on to our next important project.

Follow Through: The most important thing for your business is you doing what you say you’re going to do. It’s also the most difficult. As travel agents, we always have a million things pulling at us: in-destination travel emergencies, frantic last minute questions and bookings, quotes, requests, and emails. But these things will never go away.

This is why it’s important to underpromise and overdeliver. It’s much better to tell your client that you’ll have travel packages over to them by tomorrow evening and send them tomorrow afternoon than it is to tell them you’ll have quotes to them today and send them tomorrow morning. The best way to grow your business is to gain the trust of your clients, and the best way to gain the trust of your clients is to follow through.

This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is brought to you by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. I just spent an incredible week in the Dominican Republic and documented the entire trip in my Instagram stories. Checkout the “highlights” on my Instagram page to see my time in:

Santo Domingo: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17842878489112432/

La Romana: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18002822150239275/

Cap Cana: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17980846652356775/

On this episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast, I sit down with Stefany Jones, Director of Retail Affairs for Palladium Hotel Group, and we discuss everything you need to know about Palladium Hotel Group heading into 2024.

We start the discussion by covering the different brands under the Palladium Hotel Group umbrella including the luxury adult-only TRS Hotels, the family-friendly Grand Palladium Hotels, and the exclusive, elevated family-friendly experience of Family Selection at Grand Palladium Hotels.

Then we cover the recent renovations and projects in Montego Bay and the Riviera Maya. We discuss unique selling points like the Rafa Nadal Tennis Center in the Playa Mujeres complex, the Chic Cabaret experience in Playa Mujeres, Riviera Maya, and Punta Cana, and the upcoming Le Petite Chef and Bravo Dine & Dance Experience.

This episode is brought to you by Palladium Hotel Group. Whether you're already selling Palladium Hotel Group resorts or you're brand new, I think you'll find this episode really helpful; and if you want to learn more about Palladium Hotel Group, they have a wonderful team of Business Development Managers that are available to educate, assist, and partner with you every step of the way.

Palladium Hotel Group BDM Contact Information: https://moderntravelagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Palladium-Hotel-Group-USA-BDM-Territory-Distribution.pdf

Palladium Hotel Group 2024 Black Friday Sale: https://moderntravelagent.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Palladium-Hotel-Group-2023-Black-Friday-Promotion.pdf

When we’re starting new projects, we often say “I’m not sure what to do next” as a substitute for admitting, “I know what to do next but I’m scared it might not work.” If we’re honest with ourselves, we almost always know what we need to do next. We just struggle to do the things we know we need to do.

Sometimes we just have to give ourselves permission to be uncomfortable, to try something new, and to possibly “fail,” because that’s the only way we’ll ever take the first steps necessary to build our next great thing.

Today’s a great day to set aside 5 minutes to start that thing you know you need to do but have been putting off. Lower the bar so you can’t make anymore excuses. You don’t need to know everything. You don’t need to finish everything. You don’t need to set aside hours to do it, and there is no perfect time to start. Those are all excuses that allow you to put it off for tomorrow. Spend 5 minutes starting that thing today, because you know deep down you’ll be happy you did it.

This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is brought to you by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. I just spent an incredible week in the Dominican Republic and documented the entire trip in my Instagram stories. Checkout the “highlights” on my Instagram page to see my time in:

Santo Domingo: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17842878489112432/

La Romana: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/18002822150239275/

Cap Cana: https://www.instagram.com/stories/highlights/17980846652356775/

Sahara Rose De Vore is a Wellness Travel Coach and the Founder of the Travel Coach Network. After finishing university and finding herself unhappy with the lack of travel career options, Sahara bought a one-way ticket to Ireland which led her on a decade-long journey backpacking across 84 countries.

Sahara is a TEDx speaker who has been in over 140 media outlets including Forbes, Travel Weekly, and Condé Nast Traveler, and she was named one of 2023’s Most Influential Women in Travel by TravelPulse.

We discuss how agents can get out of their comfort zone, be vulnerable, and use a human centric approach to better connect with their clients, because with so many different options available to book travel, it’s never been more important for agents to set themselves apart by sharing their unique stories and perspectives.

Become a Certified Travel Coach: https://thetravelcoachnetwork.mykajabi.com/a/30752/Y5d9JFLq

Website: https://thetravelcoachnetwork.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sahararosethetravelcoach/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetravelcoachnetwork/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sahara-rose-de-vore-4b8bb394/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SaharaRoseTheTravelCoach/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelcoachnetwork

Podcast: https://anchor.fm/thetravelcoachnetwork

Free Beginner’s Guide to Travel Coaching: https://thetravelcoachnetwork.mykajabi.com/main-email-series-and-workbook

This episode is brought to you by our partnership with the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. Visit www.godominicanrepublic.com to learn more about all that this wonderful destination has to offer.

Being a travel agent often feels like trying to do an infinite number of things in a finite amount of time. If you ever find yourself thinking or saying, "I'm too busy," then this simple 4 minute video can help you gain more time.

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 of the Modern Travel Agent podcast is sponsored by the Dominican Republic Ministry of Tourism. To learn more about this beautiful destination and how it can be the perfect fit for your clients, visit https://godominicanrepublic.com

In this episode of Around the Block where I take you with me on my walk and answer travel agent questions, I discuss the importance of us focusing on what we can control, ways to become better at sales, and the importance of asking for the things that we want (the sale, the review, and the referral).

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 of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is sponsored by the Dominican Republic Tourism Board. To learn more about how this beautiful destination can be a great option for your clients, visit https://www.godominicanrepublic.com

In this Wednesday Rant, I argue that value must be demonstrated rather than asserted. It's not enough to tell people they should use a travel agent. You have to show them why they should use an agent.

This is the first episode of Wednesday Rant where I go on a lighthearted rant about what's on my mind in the travel agent world. If you ever find yourself complaining that your clients don't read, then this episode is for you.

This is a new segment called Around The Block where I take you with me on my walk and answer travel agent questions. On this episode, I cover how to deal with imposter syndrome early on before you know everything you need to know. I give my top two pieces of advice for new travel agents, and I explain a few ways you can reduce the likelihood of your clients ghosting you.

This episode is sponsored by Palladium Hotel Group. Check out the previous podcast, episode 26, where I detail my top 4 reasons to stay at their beautiful, adult-only TRS Yucatan Hotel.

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!

Here are the top 4 reasons why you should send your clients to the 454 suite, adult-only, Forbes recommended 5-star TRS Yucatan Hotel.

4. The TRS Yucatan Hotel is a great resort option for travelers looking for a luxury, adult-only jungle paradise in the Mexican Riviera Maya. This isn’t a Miami style high-rise resort like you’ll find in the Cancun hotel zone. This is a gorgeous property divided by a lagoon and spread out across the lush jungle vegetation of the Yucatan where you’ll see a wide range of wildlife including all types of beautiful birds, fish, iguanas, and my personal favorite, the adorable relative of the raccoon, the Coati. For an added experience, you can even enjoy a 15 minute catamaran ride around the property’s lagoon.

3. Located 30 minutes south of Playa del Carmen, the TRS Yucatan Hotel is a great location from which to explore the ruins and cenotes of Tulum and the Riviera Maya. For instance, you can make the trip to the ancient Mayan city of Cobá which includes a 138 foot pyramid Nohoch Mul, one of the tallest in the entire Yucatan. Or you can take the short trip down south and go swimming in any of the four different cenotes that make up Cenotes Casa Tortuga Tulum. Or my personal favorite, you can explore the deep caverns of Cenote Sac Actun which is actually the second longest underwater cave system in the entire world at 143 miles. Travel is about more than just the hotel or resort you stay at, and the TRS Yucatan Hotel’s location is perfect as a home-base from which to explore the Riviera Maya.

2. The adult-only TRS Yucatan Hotel is great for couples on honeymoons, anniversaries, and romantic getaways. It’s great for groups, friend getaways, birthday parties, or even a combination of the two like groups of couples. This property includes beautiful, unique accommodations like the Romance Bungalows located along the lagoon and the Private Pool Suites which as their name suggests, include your very own private swimming pool. The TRS Yucatan Hotel does adult-only luxury the right way.

1. The number 1 reason to stay at the TRS Yucatan Hotel is that it’s really four resorts in one. While there are 6 à la carte restaurants and 6 bars exclusively for guests staying at TRS Yucatan Hotel, guests also have access to the neighboring Grand Palladium Riviera Maya complex which includes an additional 3 resorts with a variety of additional pool, beach, and dining options. So for instance, at the TRS Yucatan Hotel, you can enjoy the Helios Infinity Pool or the unique Saltwater pool Las Rocas, but you also have access to the Terraza Pool which stays open until midnight as well as the massive pools of the Grand Palladium Complex. You can also enjoy the additional dining options, and the entire beach that stretches across all four resorts.

This episode of the Modern Travel Agent Podcast is sponsored by Palladium Hotel Group. To learn more about the TRS Yucatan Hotel, visit:

https://www.palladiumhotelgroup.com/en/hotels/mexico/rivieramaya/trs-yucatan-hotel