Q&A with Envoyage's Jen Albert
Tell us a little about yourself and how long you’ve been a travel advisor?
I’ve been a travel advisor for just about five years, starting at the end of 2019. The timing of this was not great for obvious reasons but it did allow me to really focus on education, personal development and networking. Prior to joining the travel industry, I was an administrative assistant so my corporate background, together with my experience planning projects and events, made the transition into the travel industry almost seamless.
Why did you decide to become a travel advisor?
I had always wanted to travel and found myself planning itineraries for fun or actually helping friends and family plan real trips. So when I decided to leave my corporate job to find a career where I could work from my laptop, while travelling, this seemed like a perfect fit.
What do you specialize in?
I specialize in providing custom itineraries for Europe and Australia that offer elevated experiences with a few targeted indulgences thrown in.
What have been some of your greatest career achievements to date?
The first would be nailing my first four week custom itinerary for a European adventure. Four countries, 10 destinations. Flights, hotels, buses, trains, and ferries. Clients had an amazing trip and are now some of my favourite repeat clients. The second is the work I’m doing as part of a panel on educating other travel advisors and suppliers around accessible travel. We’ve presented breakout workshops at Travel Market Place in Vancouver the past two years, as well as Toronto and Calgary this year. We are set to present in the general session in Vancouver this coming February. Being accepted to attend Tourism Australia’s G’Day Australia Conference/FAM. 300 agents from around the world attended with only 10 from Canada being selected.
What do you wish everybody knew about travel advisors?
That we are not all the same, and that’s ok. Some are more specialized than others, some charge fees, some only book corporate travel and some only air. The gamut of specialties and personalities is vast so when you do find an agent you click with, stick with them. The more we learn about our clients’ likes, dislikes, wants and needs, the more personalized your trips become and the better time you will have when travelling.
What’s your favourite part of the job?
Surprising a client with a hidden gem hotel or tour or activity that they weren’t expecting but really captures what they love.
What destinations and types of trips are you booking right now?
Australia custom itineraries, Iceland (both group tours and custom FIT), luxury all inclusives, Alaska and European cruises are on bookings list at the moment. I’ve also got a couple of group trips in the works for Europe next year. A custom trip for a group of Rugby players heading to the Women’s Rugby World Cup as well as a Christmas Market river cruise.
What do you do to grow your clientele?
At the moment, I am focussing on social media but have also received some great referrals from past clients and others.
What’s your best piece of advice for new agents?
Focus on the type of travel you love, not what you think you should book. Planning travel you like to do will keep you engaged and excited about what you’re doing. Learn your favourite destinations, cultivate relationships with suppliers through networking, in person events (if possible) and FAM trips. Charge fees. I feel like this is controversial in some cases but your expertise is worth it. Research and planning, Waiting on hold with a supplier for hours on end when something goes awry, admin tasks all take time and when commissions don’t get paid until travel is complete, charging fees can make a huge difference to your bottom line.
Do you have anything to add?
I just want to reiterate the importance of educating yourself in any way you can. Webinars, events, fam trips, supplier certifications. It all helps to elevate your expertise and in turn, your business.
