If you ask me what sets a travel advisor apart from an online booking site or a call center, my answer probably won’t be what you expect.
It isn’t just access to beautiful hotels. It isn’t exclusive amenities or even more than 30 years of experience, although those certainly help. For me, what truly makes the difference is relationships.
A few weeks ago, one of our longtime clients was traveling through the United Kingdom to attend The Open Championship, a trip that had been on his bucket list for years. He and his wife were having an incredible experience when an unexpected challenge came up. Rail strikes created uncertainty about travel the following day, so they decided it would be best to leave The Open a day early and head to Liverpool that evening instead.
Around 9:30 that night, I received a text asking if I could help find them a hotel. Of course, I said yes and immediately started working on it.
After securing their room, I sent an email directly to the hotel’s General Manager with one important request. My client’s wife is diabetic, and I wanted to make sure there would be a refrigerator in their room so her medication could be stored properly. Within the hour, the General Manager had responded and confirmed everything was arranged.
A few minutes later, another text came through from my client.
“Susan, don’t forget my wife is diabetic and needs a fridge.”
I smiled as I read it.
“Don’t worry about it,” I replied. “I already took care of it.”
What he didn’t know was that I had sent the email before he ever reminded me. He later told me how surprised he was that I had remembered such an important detail from previous conversations.
To me, though, it didn’t feel extraordinary. It felt natural.
That’s what happens when you’ve built a relationship with someone.
At Susan’s Travel Services, we pride ourselves on the relationships we build. Yes, we work hard to cultivate relationships with hotel partners, cruise lines, tour operators, and destination specialists all over the world. Those connections absolutely benefit our clients. But the relationships that matter most are the ones we build with the people who trust us to plan their vacations.
Over time, we get to know far more than where someone wants to travel. We learn how they like to travel. We remember dietary restrictions, mobility concerns, favorite cruise lines, preferred airlines, special celebrations, and the little details that can make all the difference when something unexpected happens.
We’re fortunate that many of our clients return to us again and again. We help plan their honeymoons, and then years later we’re planning their babymoons. We celebrate milestone anniversaries, retirement trips, family reunions, and long-awaited bucket list adventures right alongside them. We genuinely get excited for our clients because we’ve had the privilege of watching many of their stories unfold over the years.
As I’m writing this, we’re getting ready to leave for Virtuoso Travel Week, one of my favorite events of the year. It’s an opportunity to meet with hotel partners, cruise lines, tour operators, and colleagues from around the globe. We spend our days learning about new destinations, touring properties, hearing about exciting itineraries, and strengthening relationships throughout the travel industry.
One of my favorite parts of the conference is how often our clients come to mind while we’re there. We’ll be sitting in a presentation about a new river cruise or learning about an incredible boutique hotel, and someone on our client list immediately pops into our heads. We’ll look at each other and say, “This would be perfect for them.”
More than once, we’ve returned to our hotel room after a full day of meetings and immediately sent an email to a client because we couldn’t wait to share something we had just discovered. Those moments remind us why we love what we do.
Travel is personal. Every trip represents something meaningful, whether it’s a lifelong dream, a celebration, a reunion, or simply precious time together. When we truly know our clients, we’re able to anticipate needs they may not even think to mention themselves.
Sometimes that means remembering to request a refrigerator before anyone has to ask. Other times it means recommending the perfect destination because a conversation from months ago comes back to mind at exactly the right moment.
In a world where so much has become automated, we still believe there’s tremendous value in being known. We know our clients by name. We remember their stories. We celebrate their milestones, and we genuinely care about the experiences they’re about to have.
That’s not something you can get from a booking engine or a 1-800 number.
And after more than 30 years, it’s still my favorite part of being a travel advisor.
The details matter more than most people realize, and the right fit can completely change the experience. If you are curious to explore what options align best with how you travel, we are always happy to talk.