How Travel Agents Can Stand Out and Find Clients
Why Brand Strategy (Not More Disney Tips) Is Your Secret Weapon
If you’re a travel advisor – particularly a Disney travel agent – and you’re struggling to grow your client base, here’s a hard truth: Posting about your 17th trip to Disney World is not a brand strategy.
It’s not differentiating.
It’s not magnetic.
And it’s not helping you get more travel leads.
In fact, if you look around Instagram or Facebook right now, you’ll see a sea of travel agents — especially Disney travel planners — all saying the exact same things:
“The best time to go to Disney World”
“Best places to take photos”
“The best Disney hotels”
“The best Disney character dining”
“Why Multi-Pass is (or isn’t) worth it”
“The secret dining you didn’t know about”
Sound familiar? It’s an endless list of sameness. None of this is a differentiator. In fact, it quickly becomes wallpaper. Consider, as a potential travel customer, what it looks like when 10 or a thousand Disney travel agents are all posting the exact same content.
This type of standard content has its place, but it’s not thought leadership and it does not give anyone a reason to choose you over the next travel agent posting the same thing.
How Can You Stand Out as a Travel Agent?
So how do you actually stand out in a commoditized market like travel planning?
How do you get more clients as a travel advisor without resorting to louder social media posts, repetitive reels, or YouTube videos that mirror what everyone else is saying?
The answer is that it all starts with a powerful brand strategy. Not more content. Not more credentials. A clear, cohesive brand. Let’s break it down.
Why Your Travel Expertise is Not a Differentiator
Every travel agent claims to be a travel “expert.”
You've been to Walt Disney World 25, 50 or a hundred times? Great. So have your competitors. You know the best time to book a Mediterranean cruise? Awesome — so does every travel forum on the internet.
In fact, consider this: AI platforms can now serve up everything you can possibly say in a millisecond and answer follow-up questions with extensive details. So trying to compete or win business based on travel tips or expertise is not going to get you where you want to be. Period.
Being the “biggest expert” is not a brand position. It’s a requirement. Your travel expertise is basic table stakes and the bare minimum of entry to become a travel advisor. So why are travel agent social media feeds filled with this plain vanilla content? The answer is because they don’t know what else to do. I see so many travel agents spending so much time and energy on content that does not differentiate them at all. If anything, it just lumps them into a pile with every other travel agent on Facebook or TikTok or Instagram.
What travel clients really want isn’t more information. It’s alignment.
They want someone who “gets” them — not someone shouting the loudest in a crowded Instagram feed or giving them “insider tips” or advice that they see a thousand times from all your competitors every day.
What Will Actually Set You Apart as a Travel Advisor? A Brand Strategy
A travel brand with a unique perspective, a distinct and unique voice and a client promise that resonates with your audience can cut through the noise and attract clients who are aligned with your style, your vibe and your value.
Here’s a high-level look at how to go about building that foundation:
1. Define Your Brand Positioning
Your brand isn’t what you say it is. It’s what your ideal client believes about you.
Start with:
Who do you serve best? (Families? Foodies? Solo Gen X travelers?)
What kind of travel experience do you deliver? (Luxury? Nostalgic? Wellness-focused?)
Why should a traveler choose you over another agent? (This is arguably the most important point of all and too many agents do not have a compelling response to this question — and the answer isn’t how many trips you’ve taken.)
Your positioning must be focused and specific. “I plan travel for everyone” is a business killer. “I’m a Walt Disney World expert” is virtually meaningless (so is every other agent who sells Disney, from the client’s perspective if nothing else). Narrow your niche to widen your appeal and set you apart from all the rest.
2. Craft a Signature Brand Voice
Your voice is the personality behind your brand. It should sound like you, but be tailored to your audience.
Are you snarky and fun like a best friend?
Are you calm and authoritative like a trusted guide?
Are you whimsical and story-driven like a fairytale narrator?
When your voice is consistent across your website, email and social media, you build brand familiarity, which is an important first step to building trust and loyalty.
3.Develop a Brand Identity That Matches Your Travel Business Strategy
This isn’t just your logo and colors (though those things do matter). It’s the vibe you create:
Is your visual style minimalist or magical?
Do your photos and graphics give a sense of calm, excitement or luxury?
Does your website instantly tell visitors what makes you different?
Also consider that visual design is the first signal of value. So if you use a generic Canva template straight off the website, you risk coming across as “amateur.” A well-designed, strategic brand tells clients: “You’re in good hands.” Templates are fine as a starting point, but should always be customized and differentiated.
From Brand to Lead Generation: Building a Smart Organic Travel Agent Marketing Strategy
Once your brand strategy is clear, your marketing will finally have a direction. Content creation without a brand strategy is much harder than it needs to be. This is why so many travel agents fall back on bland travel tips that do not differentiate anything. When you have a well-defined brand strategy and you know how you are different than your peers, your content can be based on thoughtful intent, not ad hoc or reactive material.
Here’s how to market your travel business like a pro (and not come off like a copycat):
1. Build Authority Through a Unique Content Lens
Don’t just post what everyone else is posting.
Take a few minutes to do a little research. Scroll through your social media platforms of choice as if you were a customer. It won’t take long to see virtually the same content from every single Disney travel agent on the planet (“stay onsite at a Disney hotel,” “get there for rope drop,” “how to keep cool at Disney World,” “watch the fireworks from here,” and so on.)
Think about what will really make you stand out and be in line with your unique brand voice. Instead of “The Best Walt Disney World Resorts for Families,” a family-focused agent might post “The Best Disney Resorts for Moms Who Want to Sleep In.” Now that’s a niche. That’s you.
Every blog post, Instagram caption, or podcast episode should speak through your brand filter. Don’t stray off course. Be consistent. That’s how brands are built and business begins to flow, assuming you have a well-defined niche with customers.
2. Leverage SEO to Attract Qualified Leads
Everyone talks about SEO, and even whether it is still important. It is. Yes, AI is having a definite impact, but SEO is still very important. Optimize your site and content (including social media) for long-tail keywords that your ideal clients actually search for, like:
“How to find a family travel agent who understands sensory needs”
“Travel advisor for women traveling solo over 40”
“Luxury Disney planner for foodies”
You don’t need a million followers. You need the right traffic. Let that sink in for a moment. I can tell you from experience that an agent with 15,000 Instagram followers may well be getting less actual business than an agent with 1,200 followers who are actual, organic and targeted followers. It really is quality over quantity.
Focus on attracting clients who are already looking for what you uniquely offer.
3. Focus on Relationship Marketing Over Virality
People buy from people they trust. This is the oldest golden rule in the book. That’s why referrals work so well.
Use email marketing, storytelling, testimonials and client spotlights to deepen relationships. Show how you serve your clients. Show how you care. That’s what builds loyalty — not viral reels or being the first one to post about the latest Disney news release.
High-Level Steps to Differentiate Yourself as a Leading Travel Agent
A few key takeaways to remember:
Audit your current brand presence: What are you saying and is it actually unique?
Define your positioning: Who are your ideal clients and what’s your unique value proposition? The key word here is unique.
Develop your brand voice and visuals: Make sure everything you produce matches your strategy.
Build a content strategy that aligns: Stop with the generic same-old travel-tip posts and work on brand-filtered unique value-added insights.
Invest in SEO and organic growth: Get found by the right leads.
Prioritize connection over clicks: Aim to interact and connect with real people, don’t just try to serve the algorithm.
You’re Not Selling Trips. You’re Selling Trust.
In a commoditized business like travel, your biggest asset isn’t your knowledge of hotels in France or your Disney rope drop strategies: it’s your brand.
The travel agents who earn more business aren’t be the ones who’ve been to the most parks. They are the ones who know who they are, who they serve and show up consistently with clarity, confidence and care.
Need Help Defining Your Travel Business Brand Strategy?
If you would like assistance with any part of your travel brand or marketing process, feel free to reach out. I help travel advisors and agencies build unforgettable brands that attract the right clients, not just any clients.
If you would like to learn more, or would like specific marketing or brand strategy coaching for your business, contact me and let’s discuss.
by Mike Belobradic