Travel insights from Ruth Terry, contributor to The Compass

Finances can be deeply emotional and, for most of us, talking about them is even more taboo than discussing things like sex or religious beliefs.

That reality can make it hard for clients to open up about their travel budgets and for travel agents to feel totally comfortable asking about them. But you’ll have to broach the “B” word if you want to help them maximize their travel investment.

Here are some expert tips for navigating that conversation with your clients and helping them be more strategic with their spending.

Ease into the money conversation

Even if you happen to be one of those rare individuals who happen to be perfectly comfortable talking about finances, your clients may not be. A less direct approach can help put them at ease — and give you clues as to the travel experiences that are a good match for them.

First, start by zeroing in on your client’s “travel personality,” says Kristin Braswell, owner of travel agency CrushGlobal. Before talking numbers, Braswell suggests finding out what clients are passionate about via intake surveys and conversation.

“It’s really just showing the client that you understand what their travel personality is — listening in for the special touches that you can add to make it an incredible and memorable travel experience for them,” Braswell says.

Next, ask clients about their previous travel experiences, which will tell you more about their travel preferences and how much they are accustomed to spending.

“You just have to be clear on, ‘What is your travel style and what are you willing to be flexible with?’” says Vanessa Fondeur-Adams, who plans and hosts tours for members of the online community Latino World Travelers. What clients envision in terms of their ideal locations, transportation methods and dining options all “make a huge difference that can make or break their budgets,” she says.

Be sure to ask clients if they’ve done any online research about their upcoming trip and what prices they came across for flights, accommodation and tours.

Finally, keep in mind that research shows people who can afford vacations plan to spend an average of $2,470 on trips in 2021, while others are using their pandemic stimulus checks to splurge on travel.

Help clients avoid unforeseen costs

Most people stay within their budgets when they plan travel, according to research by Allianz, a provider of travel insurance. But those who don’t add a hefty 20% to 32% to the cost of their trips. Help your clients avoid unforeseen costs by reminding them to factor in these items:

Travel consulting fee
Travel insurance
Baggage fees
Tips for service workers
On-the-ground transport
Local sales tax

Educate your clients about what’s possible

Once you have this initial information, talking about your client’s actual budget should be less daunting — especially if you can assure them that you can deliver their dream vacation, regardless of how much they have to spend.

“Sometimes clients or travelers may not be aware of what’s possible within their budget,” says Braswell, who organizes everything from wine country road trips to international getaways.

Braswell thinks creatively to help clients extend their budgets, particularly if they have more modest means, and likes “empowering them with information” about where to cut costs.

“I think that it’s important to communicate what some of the constraints might be with their budgets and to suggest alternatives,” says Braswell. “Like a friend of mine always says, ‘Have problem, think solution.’”

CrushGlobal’s work includes luxury escapes—think exclusive getaways to destinations such as Portugal and Grenada—but Braswell isn’t averse to suggesting accommodations including Airbnbs and motels, which she notes are “stepping up their game” when it comes to amenities.

Fondeur-Adams shares cut-rate deals on flights and accommodations with members of Latino World Travelers. She also suggests that people integrate points programs through credit cards and apps like OpenTable, a restaurant booking platform, into their normal routines.

“I just went to Guatemala and paid $0.69 for a hotel,” says Fondeur-Adams, who redeemed about five years’ worth of accumulated points to cover her stay.

Jonathan de Araujo, who owns The Vacationeer, an agency specializing in Disney vacations, helps his clients maximize their money by looking at how they spend their time. Big choices such as visiting during the off-season and small ones such as arriving at parks early all translate to more time immersing yourself in Disney magic and providing more value—advice that could easily apply to other vacations.

Help clients get the biggest bang for their buck

Insider knowledge of destinations will only take travel advisors so far. You can go above and beyond for your clients by thinking creatively about where to cut costs and where to splurge.

“I think that being strategic with the client’s budget is absolutely an underappreciated art form,” Braswell says.

Braswell founded CrushGlobal “to speak more to a diverse travel demographic,” and doesn’t want “clients with a smaller budget … to ever feel like things are shut off to them because of it.” To that end, she’s intentional about building out her preferred vendor networks so that she can recommend options at every price point.

“Building partnerships with various business owners has allowed me to establish certain packages or things outside of market rate for my clients,” says Braswell.

Food and beverage spending is typically the biggest budget line item after transportation and lodging, so it makes sense to be strategic about where you recommend clients wine and dine. First, even all-inclusives don’t always include food and alcohol. Whether it’s a European plan or a full American plan, make sure your clients know what they’re signing up for.

Then, consider that some clients may want more variety than these resorts can offer — or a cheaper, local option, says Fondeur-Adams. Doing the extra research to identify local eateries for your clients is a way to “differentiate yourself by providing something extra that not all travel agents offer,” she says.

Perhaps counterintuitively, planning for big splurges — whether on food or other meaningful experiences — is also key to maximizing your client’s budget.

“For middle-of-the-road spenders, if I tell them that they should try to save or splurge, then that really depends on what they want to do,” says Braswell. “If they want to go to the Maldives and have the ultimate experience, of course, I’m going to say ‘Hey, if you’re middle-of-the-road, absolutely, we should spend $500 extra here for that elevated experience.”

On European tours, Matt Wahlgren, the owner of Matt Travel, advises clients to splurge on an incredible meal on their first night and a luxury hotel on their last. He also encourages private tours — but only for locations that really matter to the client.

“Those can be kind of pricey, maybe $1,000-plus for the day to do that kind of tour,” says Wahlgren, who recently helped one client plan a private tour of the Vatican. “But then after that, you do the hop-on, hop-off bus … which is typically no more than $100, and you’re seeing all the other sites that way.”

The best on a budget

How to help your clients maximize their time and money at Disney World, in Mexico and in wine country.

How to have fun (without going overboard) at Disney World

The biggest Disney secret is to book through a travel agent. “If you’re going to spend the money, do it right,” says Jonathan de Araujo, owner of The Vacationeer travel agency. “It doesn’t cost anything to go to an agency like ours and book through us. All the prices are the same, but you get someone who lives, eats, sleeps, breathes this stuff.”

While an average Vacationeer package sells for $3,000 to $4,000, there are numerous ways that visitors can save, including staying in one of Disney’s value resort properties, skipping the rental car, and taking resort transportation. Budgeting your time will also help you save money — or at least not waste it. De Araujo advises traveling during winter months when school is in session, and when Disney is cheaper and practically empty.

“If you’re really budget-conscious, you can see more in less time, which is important,” says de Araujo. “You don’t have to spend four, five or six days there. Maybe you can do it all in three days. So not only are you paying less per day, but now you’ve got fewer days to budget for.” His best insider tip: Make reservations for must-experience dining months in advance. A meal at the iconic Cinderella Castle or the “Beauty and the Beast”-themed Be Our Guest Restaurant are worth the wait and the price tag.

All-inclusive Mexico that feels fancy but won’t bankrupt you

When crafting bespoke Latin American tours for members of Latino World Travelers, an online community she founded in 2015, Vanessa Fondeur-Adams looks for luxury where you might not expect it — outside the all-inclusive resort. In Mexico, she recommends venturing to surrounding areas to find local restaurants that serve authentic Mexican fare, and creates a map for clients to help them get there.

“When I do itineraries for people, I make sure that I map out every step of the way. They don’t have to worry about anything,” says Fondeur-Adams. “This is your hotel, this is how you’re going to get to places, these are the places you’re going to eat. And every single client I’ve had has always come back because of how I break it down.”

Another tip: Avoiding mediocre (and often pricey) chains or hotel restaurants frees up funds for one big gastronomic splurge — like award-winning Pujol in Mexico City, Fondeur-Adams’ favorite fine dining experience.

Venture off the beaten path in California wine country

“It is absolutely possible to do wine country at a lower cost than most people assume,” says writer, sommelier and travel advisor Kristin Braswell. Most people associate wine with luxury price points, but there are actually a number of affordable options, including family-owned wineries, packaged wine tours, and road-tripping through wine country.

Matt Wahlgren of Matt Travel cleverly avoids wine tasting fees in Napa Valley and Sonoma — which run “anywhere between $25 and $50 a person,” he says — by visiting newer wineries that don’t charge them. They may not have “built up a reputation yet, but that doesn’t mean they’re not good wines,” Wahlgren says.

Many people stay on the beaten path when visiting California wine country. Braswell taps into a burgeoning network of Black-owned wineries and experts who are building representation within the world of wine, but who aren’t necessarily on most travel advisors’ radars. “I have a number of partnerships with Black-owned businesses and local experts that work with me and help to create incredible experiences for my clients.”

Originally appeared in the summer 2021 issue of The Compass Magazine.

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Ruth Terry

It’s Not About the Money: Find the Perfect Travel Experience for Every Client’s Budget