You wouldn’t be a travel advisor if you didn’t have an entrepreneurial spirit. You need to build a base of customers and to find reliable suppliers who support your efforts and clients. Sometimes you don’t sleep at night, worrying about itineraries or paying the bills or where the next “big one” will come from.

You are an explorer. That’s part of the DNA of a travel industry entrepreneur. Most of us joined the travel industry because we like to travel too. We crave meeting new people, visiting new destinations, trying new activities and immersing ourselves in a world outside of our own, at least for a short while. Discovery is in our genes.

Remember your first trip outside the country, how exhilarating and exciting it was? Mine was a three-week tour of Ireland with my best friend. We hired a private driver who we could barely understand. I thought he was speaking Gaelic, his accent was so thick. But he was part of that memorable visit to the lush land of green, history and, of course, a few pubs here and there. It’s a wonderful memory that expanded my thinking and extended my ability to value other cultures.

Travel even changed a relationship in my family. I took my mother to France for a week. It created one of my best memories ever: I tried to get a small stick-shift rental car out of a tight parking place, only to surrender the driver’s seat to my mother because she had driven stick-shift cars back in the ’60s. With her at the wheel, off we went, never stalling again during the next five days. With my smattering of French and her excellent driving skills, we explored central France—its beauty, food and culture—and I built a stronger relationship with my mother. That trip changed our relationship from mother-daughter to friend-friend. The moral of my story is that travel can go far beyond just seeing new things.

I’m sure you have the same passion for adventure, and treasure the opportunity to offer new travel options to your clients. But surely you should take some time to let yourself do more research and learning, so that you can become an even better travel advisor with an even more diverse base of resources to offer your clients.

We ask you to join us in furthering your entrepreneurial skills and industry and supplier connections at this year’s International Luxury Travel Exchange, December 9-11 at The Palazzo, Las Vegas. It’s your chance to refresh, renew, relax and re-energize yourself for 2015.

During this event you will want to partake in our Explorer Series within the LTX education program. It’s your chance to make a deep dive into destinations, properties and resources. This added knowledge can be the tipping point in selling a destination to one of your clients.

Looking forward to seeing you and sharing stories at LTX.

Let Your Spirit Thrive

Ireland opened my eyes to the world and extended my ability to value other cultures. Let your travel career do the same for you. Learn more about your business at International Luxury Travel Exchange.