Why become a travel agent? Independent travel advisors can work online anywhere in the world, and they’re in demand. According to Condé Nast Traveler, there is an ongoing surge in travel advisor business. This momentum continues as travelers seek professional assistance to help create optimal journey experiences.
Dream Vacations Advisors specialize in selling cruises, resort getaways, excursions, tours and other trips – they can sell any kind of travel experience! They also get to experience these amazing vacations for themselves with unique discounts and travel opportunities. That’s one of the main reasons Jeffrey Cormier became a home based travel advisor with Dream Vacations in 2023.
Signs of Wanderlust
Jeffrey caught the travel bug early in life. He’s from Ashburnham, Massachusetts, an area with about 4,200 people and a regional high school that spanned two towns when he was growing up.
“I knew I wanted to see more of the country besides the coastal towns of Maine and Cape Cod where we would vacation,” Jeffrey said.
As an adult, Jeffrey’s career took him into packaging where he went from quality manager to sales to sales management to national sales.
“My travel picked up throughout the United States, and I was getting on planes almost every week. My personal travel, having kids, was more centered around Florida, Disney, California and family and beach getaways. I was also running a baseball trip every year with 10-12 of my close friends, which, as of this year, we will have visited every ballpark in the country,” he said.
Joining Dream Vacations
As Jeffrey’s work trips expanded into Ireland, Scotland and England, he fell in love with traveling abroad. Personal vacations took him to Mexico, the Caribbean islands and on cruises. That’s when he became obsessed with travel and started watching YouTube videos to get ideas on where to go next.
“My girlfriend asked me why I didn’t just jump into the travel business part-time. I had never thought about it, but with my desire to learn more about the vendors, locations and destinations for my future travel, I jumped in,” he said.
After much research, Jeffrey decided to become a travel advisor with Dream Vacations based on reviews, strong training offerings, and the low-cost, high-value opportunity.
“I completed my training quickly, but the key was having a franchise owner who engaged with me and helped to answer all of my questions. There are many systems to learn and nuances to booking vacations. And while I learned the resorts, cruise ships, etc., and have many travel experiences with them, the backing of the franchise owner is critical to avoiding mistakes,” he said.
What Do Travel Advisors Do?
Jeffrey said franchise owner Denise Del Vescovo helped him succeed with Dream Vacations. The pair set up weekly calls when he started his travel advisor career.
“Now I can call her anytime when I have questions. It’s much easier to get started this way and learn from someone who’s already successful,” said Jeffrey.
In the past year, Jeffrey has ramped up personal travel with trips to Universal Studios, Utah parks, Italy, Mexico, Anguilla, Jamaica, Punta Cana, and a Princess cruise.
“Through being a travel advisor, I have received discounted rates and been able to go on great site tours that otherwise would not have been possible,” he said.
Jeffrey enjoys the perks of being a travel agent about four to five times a year. His future itinerary includes the Bahamas, the Maldives, Cabo San Lucas, Switzerland and Dubai.
“My favorite is all-inclusive resorts, so I have worked to become an expert on these and hope to visit many in the coming years, and then use this knowledge to find my clients their perfect vacation spot,” he said.
Why Become a Travel Agent?
Jeffrey said he loves researching and building the best trips for his Dream Vacations clients.
“This is a happy business as everyone looks forward to a great vacation. Being able to take the stress off of my client, show them something they weren’t thinking of and hear their great comments upon return always makes me smile,” he said.
Jeffrey believes anyone passionate about research and travel should join the Dream Vacations family. How do you become a travel advisor? Sign up to watch our webinar to learn more about this incredible opportunity!