When Host Agency Reviews (HAR) launched more than a decade ago, it filled a gap that was causing real damage in our industry. Advisors were making major business decisions based on Facebook chatter, recruiter pitches, or whoever had the shiniest commission split—with almost no way to compare hosts on factors that actually determine long-term success. There was no centralized, unbiased source of information. No transparency around fees, support structures, technology, culture, or what happens after year one.

If you have an insatiable appetite for traveling the world; if friends constantly ask you for travel advice; if you lose hours researching destinations for fun, and creating meticulously planned itineraries lights you up, you’ve probably wondered if this natural gift could become something more.

When I invited Dianna Hetzel of Mer Bleue to join me on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, I knew we would have a great conversation about her branding. What I didn’t expect was such a powerful reminder of why so many of us end up in this industry in the first place, and why that origin story matters more than we realize.

January is Mentor Appreciation Month, and at Gifted Travel Network, it’s a time to pause and reflect on something we hold deeply true: meaningful growth doesn’t happen in isolation.

One of the best things about the travel industry is how many advisors come from completely different careers. I'm constantly meeting former teachers, nurses, corporate executives, marketing professionals - people who spent decades doing something entirely unrelated to travel before making the leap. This isn't a disadvantage, but actually one of our industry's greatest strengths.

If you’ve read any of my other articles, you know I’m a mindset convert. I even dabble in the woo-woo here and there (apparently, people can change). But I’ve never been a big New Year’s resolution person, mainly because they rarely feel like real, tangible goals. They tend to sound more like, “This is who I’d like to be, and I hope my wish comes true.” They’re often aspirational, overly ambitious, and forgotten by February.

After nearly 30 years in education, most people would double down on what they know. But every now and then, someone chooses reinvention over routine. That's exactly what Tracy Husted did.

Every advisor knows the holidays bring a strange kind of contradiction. On paper, work slows down. Fewer client calls, fewer urgent requests, fewer moving pieces to keep an eye on. In theory, this is the moment when you finally gain that extra breathing room — the time you swore you’d use to catch up, organize, or think strategically.

When you meet Caroline Hollar, you don't immediately think "industry veteran."

She's warm, a little self-deprecating, quick to laugh. She's also the longest tenured employee at Gifted Travel Network and one of TravelPulse's 40 Under 40 for 2025. Living proof that you don't have to wait until "later" in your career to shape an entire corner of an industry.

Today is the final day of our 7-Figure Travel Business Summit, a 3-day virtual event designed to help travel entrepreneurs who are various stages, from getting started to elevating their existing businesses.

One of the best things about Canva is that it's always evolving—constantly adding new features and tweaking the platform to improve the user experience. One of the worst things? Same answer.

As a travel advisor, one of your primary responsibilities is being an expert in your clients. Sometimes they may have a life that looks very different from yours, and it's your job to understand how their needs may vary from yours or your other clients.

After nearly twenty years running a successful doll-making supply company, Cathy Rowland was burned out. She was not failing, she was fully succeeding... and exhausted. So she did what any rational person would do: She Googled "how to become a travel advisor" and started over from scratch. No clients. No industry connections. Just an entrepreneurial track record and the willingness to figure it out.

At a recent Accelerate Coaching Call, a member raised a familiar challenge:

“I have quotes out with clients I know are going to book, but they’re dragging their feet. How do I get them to move forward?”

She’s not alone.

Mooresville, NC (October 14, 2025) – Gifted Travel Network (GTN) proudly announces its latest achievement, winning a Travel Weekly Gold Magellan Award. This new accolade brings GTN's total to an impressive 11 Magellan Awards.  With hundreds of entries from across the U.S. and around the world, the Magellan Award winners represent the best in the travel industry and salute the outstanding travel professionals behind it all.

The numbers tell a story most travel advisors are missing.

According to Skift Research, 78% of households earning $500,000 or more consider travel extremely important to their lives. Not just important. Extremely. Compare that to 60% of households in the $200K-$299K range, and you start to see a pattern emerging.

I recently had the privilege of representing Gifted Travel Network at the Future Leaders in Travel event in Anchorage, Alaska. Thank you to Northstar and TravelAge West for hosting such a one-of-a-kind event and to Visit Anchorage for giving us the perfect setting to experience it all.

Last week, the Gifted Travel Network (GTN) community gathered at the Conrad Orlando for the 2025 GTN Conference, a four day event that perfectly captured what we believe makes luxury travel professionals thrive: genuine connection, shared expertise, and collaborative growth.

Leadership doesn’t happen in isolation. It takes practice, perspective, and a community of like-minded professionals that both supports and challenges you to grow. That’s exactly what Megan Nielsen, GTN's Operations Manager, found at the 2025 Young Leaders in Travel Council presented by the Travel A.L.L.I.E.S. Society.

This is one of my favorite weeks of the whole year – I am currently in Orlando with over 200 incredible travel professionals for Gifted Travel Network’s 2025 Conference! The timing felt perfect for me to share Brittani Robertson’s success story from our conversation on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, as she was one of the five advisor panelists who took the stage this past Monday.