In today’s world, people often jump to conclusions, about beliefs, preferences, motivations and even spending habits. The modern political climate has amplified this, with conversations starting from assumption instead of curiosity.
Surprisingly, this mirrors something we see in the travel industry: qualifying clients requires understanding, not guessing.
As travel advisors, it’s easy to fall back on our own preferences, where we like to stay, how we like to travel, what we think is a reasonable budget. But those assumptions can limit us.
The truth is simple, the more we truly get to know someone, the more we realize how little we can assume about them. That is why thoughtful qualifying is essential. It gives us the insight we need to create trips that feel authentic and personal.
Assumptions Lead To Missed Opportunities
When we allow assumptions to guide our service, we risk:
- Offering options that don’t match a client’s travel style
- Suggesting products that fall short of their expectations
- Undervaluing their budget, or overwhelming it
- Overlooking experiences they may have never considered
Assumptions shrink the relationship. Questions expand it.
Curiosity Builds Trust
Just like meaningful conversations in everyday life, meaningful travel planning starts with curiosity. Asking open-ended questions helps us uncover what truly matters to our clients:
- “What kind of moments make a trip memorable for you?”
- “How do you want to feel on this vacation?”
- “What concerns or frustrations do you want to avoid?”
- “What type of investment feels comfortable?”
These conversations don’t just build better itineraries. They build long-term relationships.
The Advisor’s World Is No Different: We Need to Talk More, Assume Less
If our industry reflects anything from the world around us, it’s this: we thrive when we stop assuming and start engaging. And that lesson applies not only to our clients, but to ourselves. Advisors often make assumptions about destinations and suppliers without firsthand experience. We think we know what a resort is like. We assume a ship feels a certain way. We imagine what a destination offers. But just like with clients, those assumptions can be wrong.
We don’t truly know a product until we’ve experienced it. Traveling, participating in FAMs, touring resorts and stepping onboard ships removes guesswork and replaces it with confidence.
Experiencing products firsthand allows advisors to:
- Understand the feel of a destination
- Describe experiences with authenticity
- Match clients more accurately to the right supplier
- Build credibility and trust
- Create better recommendations, and better results
We ask our clients to trust us. That trust is stronger when we speak from real experience, not assumptions.
A Better Way Forward
Our industry is built on relationships, client to advisor, advisor to supplier, advisor to advisor. Relationships grow through conversation, understanding and shared experience, not assumptions.
Whether we’re qualifying a client or learning about a new destination, the solution is the same: Assume less. Ask more. Experience more. It’s how we build better trips, stronger relationships and more successful businesses.
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