Travel advisors are beginning to feel more positive and hold a more upbeat outlook for the future as sales start to tick up and clients start to travel again.

Host agency Travel Experts is reporting that members attitudes are changing for the good.

"We approached our members to get a pulse on how was business and what they were doing now to overcome the difficulties that the entire travel industry was experiencing," said Sharon Fake, director of operations for Travel Experts. "We called this exercise Forward Focus and found that a lot of our independent affiliates were not only surviving, but some were seeing an uptick in recent bookings as they navigated these difficult times for all.”

Fake noted that a number of advisors have said that they had successfully convinced their clients to use their services for booking domestic trips and that many advisors have used their downtime to attend webinars and create or update websites.

Linda Kinsey of Custom Travel & Cruise in Douglasville, Georgia, credits a positive attitude and maintaining contact with clients as keeping her on track.

"The one thing that has helped me get through this pandemic is that I have managed to stay positive. I try to find the silver lining in each set back/cancellation as difficult as that may be to find,” said Kinsey. "I also spent a great deal of time and energy staying in touch with my clients –sending them updates on happenings in the travel world as I received them. I think being in contact with them gave them more confidence in me and the suggestions I offer.”

Jeff Traugot of Traugot Travel in New York City, New York, said that “there are some positive notes. In recent months I have had clients doing some travel in the northeast, and I suggest open communication with clients about what and how to travel now.”

Traugot recommends getting to know what is in your local drive market.

“Know about properties in your area or the area where clients live and what your clients want and expect,” he said. “Don't do any hard selling but rather listening to the clients and then fact finding about properties that fit their desires."

Anna McGarrity of WanderWell Journeys in Atlanta also kept in touch with clients.

"During the first few months of pandemic, I made a concerted effort to send out marketing every two weeks that were newsletters containing fun destination information like recipes and interesting wildlife videos and then transitioning to domestic specific marketing. One campaign focused on Virtuoso benefits at hotels within driving distance of Atlanta, and I got several bookings."

Domestic travel has been key for agents navigating the pandemic, and Susan Butler of The Travel Butler in Mooresville, North Carolina, reminded her clients that she wasn’t just an expert on international destinations.

"One specific thing I did during the pandemic, and will do going forward, is to feature domestic destinations to remind clients that I am knowledgeable about and can book those items too,” said Butler. “Many think to call me for international trips but I knew a shift to domestic travel would mean shifting their focus. Encouraging clients to book the easier things with me and not just their bigger trips has added up. I know many advisors I spoke to didn't want to deal with two- to four-night staycations and things of that nature but all of these bookings have helped me stay afloat."

Eileen Anderson of Journeys Afar in Raleigh, North Carolina said that she learned two lessons.

First, is it possible to develop new client relationships even during a downturn by using and expanding social and professional networks,” said Anderson. “Second, I’ve become 100 percent firm about getting research/planning fees in advance. If I’ve learned nothing else this year, it’s pay myself first, especially given the uncertainty we’re all dealing with for the foreseeable future."

Patti George of Groups by Design in Louisville, Kentucky, said she valued reconnecting with her clients.

"The positive in all this is that I have had time to talk with all my clients on multiple occasions and for the most part talk about the new trips for 2021 and 2022,” said George. “I think the most important thing that I did was taking the time to listen to their questions and talking through their fears in a positive way."

George added: "My biggest accomplishment was getting every client out of penalties. My best advice is don’t take no for an answer but above all “be kind” when you go after a yes.”

Jolene Detillion of Your Travel Designer in Seattle spent time transforming her business.

“We rolled out our new website, mentioned that we will have a new way of working with clients moving forward (new fee structure) and briefly highlighted Virtuoso Wanderlist ,” said Detillion. “I announced a series of panel discussions that we are hosting exclusively for our clients, with some of my favorite travel partners, that we are calling a Global Conversation Series.”

"Our goal is for our clients to feel that these conversations are interesting, insightful and slightly different but not “sales” oriented. We want them to be inspiring,” she added.

Laura Madrid of Resort to Laura Madrid in Atlanta took a new approach.

"I have gotten creative-charging fees for villas, booking yachts in the Keys instead of the Caribbean and encouraging travel insurance sales,” said Madrid. “I have worked on getting my clients to also book the “easy” stuff with me and not simply go online as there are many lucrative bookings to be made from drive-to domestic resorts."

And Elaine Smith of E-destinations in Cary, North Carolina, who relies on selling cruises for much of her business, said that maintaining positivity has helped.

"My take away during these past months is we are a resilient group of professionals,” said Smith. “There is a lot of support from some amazing partners while there are some that don’t provide the support we need. I will keep that in mind when the pent up demand for travel returns."