This week I sit down with travel agent Veranda Adkins and discuss the pros and cons of using an agent, how to choose one and some tips for anyone considering the career for themselves.

I’ve put together an itinerary pack that includes five different weekend friendly roadtrips hours from NYC. Take the stress of planning and packing off the table and focus on the road. https://travelnshitpodcast.com/travel-resources/roadtrip/

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Guest: Veranda Adkins

https://verandaadkins.com/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/verandaadkins/ 

https://www.instagram.com/verandaadkins 

https://www.facebook.com/verandaadkinsspeaker

https://www.abtprofessionals.org/ 

https://www.travellegacyvacations.com

Host: http://www.instagram.com/_dCarrie 

Show: http://www.instagram.com/travelnsh_t

Twitter: https://twitter.com/travelnsh_t 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TravelNShitPodcast

Different places to call home, now I'm

never home alone

2

Salutations and shit folks.

3

Welcome, welcome, welcome back to another

episode of your favorite travel podcast,

4

Travel and Shit, where I your host, Dee

Carey, have an experiential conversation

5

about the nuanced ways that travel

intersects with regular life.

6

I am

7

Very excited to jump into this evening's

conversation.

8

It's one of those things where you never

really know you need to have a

9

conversation until the opportunity to have

the conversation is kind of presented to

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you.

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So I will let my guests introduce

themselves and then we'll dive right into

12

it.

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So if you're watching the YouTubes, as I

like to remind you, the podcast is also

14

available on YouTubes.

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You can see this beautiful face joining me

to my beautiful guests.

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Thank you so much for being here with me.

17

Please introduce yourself.

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Thank you so much for having me.

19

I really appreciate it.

20

My name is Veranda Atkins and I am the

owner of Travel Legacy.

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I am also the co -founder of the

Association of Black Travel Professionals.

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I've been in the travel industry since

23

So kind of seen a lot throughout the

industry come and go and change.

24

So super excited to be here and let's talk

travel.

25

Okay, so.

26

I think that we can all, this is a

sweeping generalization here, an

27

assumption if you will.

28

I would like to assume that the

29

that energy, yeah?

30

The black squares from all of the

businesses and the organizations and

31

groups just, we see you, we support you,

and then it just kind of disappeared.

32

It was a thing for a minute and then it

wasn't a thing.

33

And I'd like to say that,

34

For those of us that aren't necessarily in

an industry where it may present itself,

35

DEI was introduced to a lot of us,

laypeople, if you will.

36

What does DEI look like in travel and how

would that actually interest, not

37

interest, but impact me, the consumer, a

traveler, someone that doesn't work in the

38

industry and isn't necessarily interested

in putting themselves in, you know, those

39

professional positions.

40

Yeah, so I'm going to go back to what you

41

organizations popped up with DEI

initiatives and things like that.

42

That's actually when we started the

Association of Black Travel Professionals.

43

And it was because of a couple of things

that were going on in the industry.

44

There was an organization that put out a

video, of course travel had stopped or,

45

you know, slow way, way down.

46

And there was an organization that put out

a video that said,

47

When travel comes back, make sure you use

an agent.

48

And as I'm watching this video, I was

waiting for a face that looked like one of

49

us to come on that video.

50

Never happened.

51

Then I was looking at another thing that

said it was some African -American travel

52

conference.

53

And when I went to the website, again, no

faces looked like ours.

54

And so...

55

that and just with all the protests that

were going on with George Floyd, I kind of

56

sat here on my computer and I called my

business partner and was like, look, we

57

got to let these people know that we're

here.

58

They can't keep, you know, ignoring us

and, you know, just going on with life.

59

So that's how ABTP was, was kind of

formed.

60

And so you're right.

61

All of those, a lot of the organizations

that we deal with in travel, like

62

suppliers and things like that, had these

DEI initiatives.

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So they were like,

64

like, oh, we just started this group and,

you know, Peggy's, you know, organizing

65

this group.

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And it's like, well, okay, who's helping

Peggy?

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Cause y 'all don't have no people that

look like us.

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What is Peggy's experience?

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Why is Peggy your chairperson?

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So it was kind of like, okay.

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And so that's where again, ABTP was able

to help people and just try to do that.

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And so in the face of travel, one of our

biggest things is letting them know that,

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you know,

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We would like to see people on brochures

that aren't just holding the tray serving

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like us.

76

You know, we go on vacation, we pay our

dollars and we have fun and we go to all

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of those exotic destinations that you're

advertising and even the local ones, you

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know, we're everywhere.

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And so I think that's been like one of the

biggest things with ABTP is just making

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sure that we stay in the forefront of

suppliers to let them know that that, and

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then when we have these travel agent

events,

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I'm kind of like this person.

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I think I found this voice that was

probably always in me and I kind of just

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left it at home.

85

But now I'm letting other people see it in

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like, yeah, that's the whitest event I

ever seen in my life.

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And I'm telling the people that organized,

you know, that kind of the same thing.

88

And so I think the first time I did it, my

husband was like, I can't believe you just

89

said that.

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That's my new job.

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So, you know, I kind of have to say it.

92

So I think just changing that.

93

image and to the lay person, it kind of

gives you a sense of comfortability,

94

right?

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Because you may be more comfortable asking

somebody that looks like you, okay, hey,

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if I go to this destination, you know,

Thailand's on top of my head right now, if

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I go to Thailand, am I going to be

accepted?

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Did you experience racism?

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What's it going to be like for me?

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It's easier to have that question with us

than it is with another nationality or

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something like that because then you kind

of know the stuff to look for.

102

You know, they might be, oh no, it's

great, but you know, it's crazy dolls and

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stuff like this hanging up.

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I just had a coworker tell me today about

how beautiful Lake Placid is and I'm just

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like, I hear you and 51 year old white guy

and he's telling me it's so beautiful and

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they got this and he's huge into hockey

and he's just like, and you can do this

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and you can do that and the hotel and blah

blah blah.

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And in my mind, all I'm thinking is, what

the fuck do I?

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I mean, I hear you on one end, I love a

good quiet town, but my version of a quiet

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town and your version of a quiet town

aren't going to be safe necessarily for

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the both of us.

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Or it just may not, even if it's safe, it

may not feel safe because the perception

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of safety and actually being safe aren't

necessarily always the same thing.

114

You could be 100 % safe and not feel it

and vice versa.

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And so it's one of the things that when

I...

116

started looking into traveling and you

know, because I didn't leave the country

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until I was like good and grown.

118

I was like 31.

119

So before then I had only done local

travel.

120

I'm from New York, so Virginia, DC,

Maryland, went to Florida, but mostly

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going someplace to see my cousins or

somebody that I knew.

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But I knew better than to ask just

anybody.

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about just any destination when it came

time for me to look into going places that

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I had never had any point of reference

for.

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You see all these beautiful pictures on

social media and you can hear so many

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incredible stories from coworkers, you

know, your neighbors, your mom's coworker,

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whomever you're hearing the stories from.

128

But that point of, okay, so how did you

experience those things?

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Like, did you experience them as a...

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married mother of two, did you experience

them as a blue collar worker?

131

Did you experience them as a, you know,

black woman who is the rich auntie or did

132

you experience as it did you experience it

as a black man that's like six, nine and

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275 pounds?

134

You know, we're all going to have

different experiences.

135

And to your point, when I look at

something, if I don't see me, I don't see

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why.

137

I am rushing to give my money also because

when I get there now I'm looking the same

138

thing you said.

139

I want to see more people and interact

with more people outside of just my

140

service people.

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I love all the service people.

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I don't care what you look like.

143

However, it feels away when you get there

and those are the only people that you

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relate to.

145

You know, that's something that I am

146

because it's...

147

Even from now in the 2024 things to the

148

What have you seen change in the industry?

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You know what is crazy.

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So I started my career with a travel

wholesale company.

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And one of the things that I look at

travel wholesale companies.

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So basically when you call a travel agent

and you say you want to go to Hawaii or

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Thailand or whatever, they're not calling

every airline, every hotel.

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We go to suppliers that have put those

packages.

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kind of together for us and then they sell

them to us and we sell them to you.

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So we call it a travel host.

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It's actually really simple.

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And most people think like when they use

Expedia or Bookit .com or something like

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that, that they're not using the travel

agent.

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They are travel agents.

161

They're just online travel agents.

162

So they would be a wholesale travel

company?

163

So Expedia does have a portion that travel

agents can purchase from if you wanted to.

164

There's some people who use this called

Expedia Tap.

165

I think it is.

166

I don't use that one.

167

But there's other companies like most

people see like the Apple Vacations name

168

or if you've seen Funjet or Delta

Vacations is a wholesale company.

169

Okay.

170

Southwest Vacations.

171

So travel agents can also buy that and

sell that package to you.

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The difference between buying it direct

and buying through a travel agent is we

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have a better relationship with those

wholesalers because we're giving them...

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all of our business or majority of our

business versus you giving them one

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booking.

176

So we have people behind the scenes that

we can call if we have issues or problems

177

or anything like that to kind of help

things get fixed versus you sitting on

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hold for six hours.

179

And you may get somebody that can talk

English, you may not, you may get somebody

180

who knows what they're doing, you may not,

you know, those type of things.

181

So.

182

I started out, one of my first jobs was

with a travel wholesale company and we had

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a call center in Atlanta.

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And most of our people on our phones were

people of color, but all of the people in

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management were not.

186

So I think it was in our Atlanta office,

it was me and our call center manager were

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black.

188

I was the human resources manager at the

time.

189

So.

190

It was just interesting to see that.

191

And then we had two call center managers.

192

We had the smallest call center, but we

had two call center managers in Atlanta.

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But all of the other call centers only had

one.

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And it was a white person, but they were

over, but they didn't feel like it kind of

195

gave the sense of, oh, they didn't feel

like the black lady could do it on her

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own.

197

So we had to have two call center managers

there.

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Even though we were like the smallest.

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So it was it's just little stuff like that

and it's kind of like, you know, just

200

small stuff that they kind of just like

slide in.

201

That's shady work.

202

I'm that's that I would be so big mad like

I'd be pissed.

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You want to run me my check?

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Right, but I'd be pissed.

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Damn.

206

Yeah.

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So it's just little small stuff like that.

208

I noticed that when we go to a lot of the

events and I noticed this even once I

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started my own agency in 2010 because

210

was going to events for like top sellers

and you know award shows and things like

211

that I would be one of like five or six

black people and it was kind of like you

212

know I had to you know I always laugh

because my daughter when she was younger

213

she could tell when I was on the work

phone call or a you know personal phone

214

call she's like mommy you have on your

voice yeah I was just talking that.

215

There's somebody about that.

216

It was always going to, you know, going to

these events and having to make sure I put

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my work voice on.

218

And, you know, they can dance on top of

the table, but Miranda, you better sit

219

down and act like you got some sense.

220

So that's just like the different kind of

stuff.

221

And you still kind of see it even now when

you when you go to events.

222

But in 2000, it really was not very many

black agents like out there actually

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selling and being.

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at events.

225

We're getting a whole lot better now and

starting to see more visibility.

226

But back then, there weren't very many of

us out and about.

227

So what else has your trajectory looked

like?

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So you worked at the wholesale, then you

start like, so right after that, you

229

started your agency.

230

What made you want to start your own

agency?

231

And what did that look like?

232

So our company actually went through a

transition where they got bought out by a

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larger company.

234

And so just a lot of things changed and I

kind of use that as an opportunity to, you

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know, start my own business.

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I told my husband, I was like, Hey, give

me six months and let me see what this

237

travel agent thing is going to do.

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And that was 10 years ago now.

239

So super glad that, thank you.

240

But yeah, so I just started my own agency

and I will tell you in the beginning, I

241

was just by myself.

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Like, I didn't have like a network.

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of friends and I went to an event and I

kind of saw a couple of other people that

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looked like me and just started networking

with them and trying to, you know, a lot

245

of groups popped up on social media at

that time.

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Facebook became really popular, so it was

able, you know, to meet people.

247

And that's actually how I met my business

partner.

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Her name is Shante Harrison out of South

Carolina.

249

We met in a Facebook meeting.

250

We met in a Facebook group back in 2018

and just started bouncing ideas off of

251

each other.

252

And we, you know, now we formed this

organization to help other people feel

253

more included.

254

And we can just see a difference in how

it's helping people, you know, just grow

255

their business, develop their business,

feel in an environment where they feel

256

more comfortable.

257

Because sometimes when you're in the room

and it's only three or four of you, or

258

you're only in there.

259

yourself, it's kind of intimidating.

260

Luckily, I went to a PWI, so I'm used to

being one of only a couple in the room.

261

So it's, you know, it's kind of second

nature for me.

262

But you know, everybody doesn't have that

experience.

263

Right.

264

Yeah.

265

Or not everybody shines in those those

situations.

266

It can be a lot more intimidating to speak

your voice or to give your opinion when

267

you are feeling as if they think with

them.

268

When traveling, like why would I want to

go here if I don't feel like I'm going to

269

be welcomed?

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I don't necessarily want to share this

gold idea if I don't feel like you're

271

going to hear it, or you may not even get

the nuance.

272

You know what I mean?

273

It's just like, what is interesting to me

may not necessarily be interesting to you.

274

So you've got your business and then the

organization, right?

275

You've got a travel agency and then, so

what do the two separate things look like?

276

Yeah.

277

So my travel agent is just litter travel

agency is just literally me booking travel

278

for people.

279

I do a lot of destination weddings.

280

I do group trips.

281

So I'll put together a trip to South

Africa and just kind of put it out on my

282

website, promote it to my email.

283

Say it again.

284

You do honeymoons.

285

I do.

286

Mental noting.

287

Okay.

288

I do.

289

So, so yeah, so I just, that is kind of

selling travel.

290

The.

291

The association is becoming my new love

because I'm actually getting to help

292

people.

293

I meet a lot of agents.

294

We have a network now of about 1500 agents

across the country.

295

Wow.

296

So congratulations to that.

297

Thank you.

298

It's been crazy.

299

Just the amount of support and things that

we've gotten from people in the industry

300

as well as our agents.

301

And we have like our own annual

conference.

302

We do training and not just the training

on teaching somebody how to sell a world.

303

being cruise or Virgin Voyages cruise or

something like that.

304

But we're actually teaching people how to

run their businesses.

305

So we do, we just had somebody who taught

us about how to use AI to help your

306

business grow.

307

We have an accountant coming on to talk

about different things with, you know,

308

running your business as a business owner,

tax things, retirement planning, because

309

we're all self -employed, like all that

kind of stuff.

310

That's a good point.

311

to help people do the business out of it.

312

Because everybody thinks travel and they

think, oh, it's fun.

313

You get to go all these places.

314

But at the end of the day, it's a

business.

315

So if you have employees underneath you,

316

all that stuff.

317

That's what our organization kind of helps

us do.

318

And then with our annual conference, we're

able to help people really just feel more

319

comfortable.

320

Because we get in a room and it's really

like so many suppliers have told us,

321

I'm so excited to be in this room because

in all my years of travel, I've never been

322

at a conference where I'm talking to 100

black agents.

323

So it's just giving us that space to do

something.

324

And then, you know, I can turn my work

voice off for a couple of hours.

325

Yes.

326

I would say the power also, because when

you can prove that, no, there is interest,

327

we are just the agents.

328

the agents, we represent a large

demographic of people who are interested

329

in spending money.

330

And at that point, they can't just play in

your face.

331

You know what I mean?

332

At least I would hope that they can't play

in your face.

333

You would - Yeah, that's been one of our

biggest things is just trying to quantify

334

the amount of spin that comes from black

travel agents to all these different

335

suppliers that I was talking about.

336

You know, just all the different cruise

lines and the different wholesalers and

337

all of that.

338

Just we're trying -

339

Because before ABTP, there wasn't really

an organization that was doing it, that

340

was coming together to say, like, I just

had a meeting with somebody and she

341

pulled, you know, some numbers for our

organization.

342

And she's like, just with the couple of

people that you gave me, you guys are like

343

three, $4 million account.

344

So now that's a different conversation

than, oh, this was just some people that

345

got together to meet, you know, last week.

346

So, you know, so that is one of the great

things that we're able to do is to help

347

that.

348

So that's the organization side is totally

different than me selling travel.

349

Me selling travel is being able to help

those other agents grow and develop their

350

business through, you know, the stuff that

me and Shantay have just learned.

351

We like to tell people we don't know

everything, but everything that we know

352

we're willing to share with people.

353

So, you know, I feel like there's money

out here for everybody.

354

So, you know, let's share.

355

And thank you for sharing.

356

So for the people who may not be familiar

or may not have the experience, what

357

exactly does a travel agent do for you

that you can't do for yourself?

358

Cause I feel like there's a large

understanding of, well, not a large

359

understanding, but there's a fair

assumption of what a travel agent may do,

360

but what can a travel agent do for you

that you can't do for yourself?

361

So just going back to what I said earlier

about the wholesale aspect of that

362

relationship, we have a larger buying

power because we're buying more volume.

363

So with that comes like special discounts

that we're able to get.

364

There's, you know, we know people like I

know my sales person for some of the top

365

resorts that I sell.

366

So I can call him, shoot him a text and

say, hey, you know, somebody's coming down

367

and you know, I want them to get an

upgrade if it's available or I want them

368

to, you know, have a special delivery of,

you know, champagne and strawberries or

369

something in their room.

370

So we can do stuff like that.

371

And the biggest thing is just being that

advocate when something goes wrong.

372

So 2020, it was, you can imagine.

373

Everything went wrong.

374

It all went wrong.

375

Y 'all working hard.

376

Everything went wrong in 2020.

377

So just having that agent to be able to, I

mean, we were literally on hold.

378

Like I had two phones going on my desk.

379

I had my cell phone for another call and

because our whole times were like eight or

380

nine hours.

381

So most people didn't have eight or nine

hours to be on the phone to get their

382

stuff fixed.

383

But I was holding.

384

eight or nine hours and now, okay, I got

somebody.

385

I got 20 people that need, you know, some

building.

386

Oh, good point, yeah.

387

So that was the thing.

388

We were able to just get things done.

389

So I always tell people to use a travel

agent, even when you're buying, like if

390

you go and buy a Carnival cruise directly,

you're still paying the commission.

391

You're paying it to Carnival.

392

If you use a travel agent, you're helping

a small business owner as well.

393

Because now Carnival is going to give that

commission to them.

394

And I tell people we have on the ABTP

website, we have a place where you can go

395

and find black travel agents in your area.

396

You put in your zip code so that you can

make sure you're working with somebody

397

that you can kind of trust.

398

And there's people that we know and that

kind of thing on our website.

399

So travel agents just really help you when

you have issues and problems and they can

400

help you decide what resort is best

because all five star resorts are not all

401

five star resorts.

402

No, they not.

403

You know, it's different.

404

It's different.

405

Do you guys also work with like Airbnbs

and like VRBOs and stuff like that?

406

So most travel agents do not.

407

There are some that do.

408

I don't because we don't, you know, the

whole idea is to make commissions off of

409

everything and rather than charge you the

commission, I'd rather get it from

410

somebody that pays me.

411

So...

412

We can book a Carnival cruise for you and

Carnival is going to pay me the commission

413

and it's not going to cost you anything

different.

414

The same price that you see on their

website is the same price I'm going charge

415

you.

416

Versus Airbnb, Airbnb doesn't pay any

commission.

417

So now in order for me to look that up, I

may have to charge you a planet fee.

418

Okay.

419

So now it's like, okay, why would I use a

travel agent to do that?

420

I could just keep looking it up myself.

421

So what if you don't, so for somebody that

just wanted to say, go to Puerto Rico.

422

I have no desire to do like a bunch of

different activities and stuff.

423

I'm doing like a rest and relax kind of

thing, right?

424

What, is that something that you would go

to a travel agent?

425

Cause in my mind you're just doing a

flight and some place to stay.

426

Like I don't want to leave.

427

I just want to stay on whatever.

428

I mean, we do that a lot, especially like

going, you know, to all inclusive resorts.

429

I have people that don't leave the resort

for seven days, but it's about choosing a

430

place that's going to be the resort that

you can stay at.

431

for seven days, you know, like, it's not,

cause yeah, even though you want to rest

432

and relax, you may decide, okay, you know

what?

433

I do want to go to the bar and have a

martini and listen to the piano play or,

434

you know, have some music play for a

little bit or something.

435

So we're going to help you find that

resort.

436

That's right.

437

So most travel agents have experience with

those resorts.

438

We take things like fam trips to go down

where we actually go see resorts.

439

I personally don't sell anything that I

haven't seen before.

440

So that way I can tell people like, hey,

you're gonna go here.

441

This is what they got on the breakfast

buffet at six o 'clock.

442

They're gonna do this, you know, they're

gonna have a bubble party, you know, just

443

all of that stuff.

444

And that's what kind of helps keep people

one coming back.

445

I have clients that people literally, I

just took 26 people to South Africa.

446

And I promise you probably only about four

of them knew where they were staying

447

before we left South Africa because it was

like,

448

V said this is where we're going.

449

I sent her my money and I'm good.

450

Cool.

451

They're like cool, cool, cool.

452

Remind me I'm leaving.

453

That's it.

454

Right, exactly.

455

And so, and I tell people a lot of times

all you have to do is pay in pack because

456

we're going to make sure you have that.

457

So even in that relaxation, you know, you

don't have to hail down a taxi when you

458

get there.

459

Your travel agent is going to set up your

transportation.

460

So you're somebody standing there with a

sign with your name on it.

461

So it kind of makes you feel like the rich

auntie.

462

Even though you may not be like, oh, look,

it's funny.

463

My daughter, she's been traveling her

whole life because I've been in the travel

464

industry, but she still gets excited when

the sign says her name on the disc that

465

I'm on.

466

I would too.

467

Like, y 'all see me?

468

Don't worry about where I was sitting.

469

This is where I'm going now.

470

So yeah, so those are all the little perks

that travel agents do.

471

And then we can do like, you know,

sometimes people call me and say they want

472

to do like a 50th birthday party.

473

And one of my things to them is you want

to go for free?

474

Oh, yeah, because you're getting a bunch

of people.

475

So then we're talking about it.

476

We're talking about that.

477

So they're going to tell their friend,

like, hey, is your birthday coming up?

478

Call for me because I want, you know, I

want free for mine, you know, that kind of

479

thing.

480

So those are all the different things that

travel agents can kind of help you with.

481

So for someone that's never used the

travel agent before, is there a type of

482

travel that you would suggest may be like

a good entry level or is there even?

483

Are there levels to working with like a

travel agent, especially if it's just say,

484

let's just say like a solo traveler versus

like a family of four, if you will.

485

What does that look like?

486

Yeah, I think that regardless, you need to

ask your travel agent questions because

487

you want to make sure that you're not just

getting somebody that's picking pictures

488

off the internet, like you're picking

pictures off the internet.

489

You want them to have experience in that

destination.

490

So people will call me and ask me to go.

491

to like China or Japan.

492

I have no idea how to book you to China or

Japan.

493

Now, if you want me to help you like

figure out a route to get there, I will do

494

it to help you.

495

But I know nothing about the hotels.

496

I know nothing about the experience.

497

So me doing that is not going to be

valuable.

498

So I would make sure that you're talking

to a travel agent that has experience in

499

the destination, especially when you get

to, you know, the South Africa, the

500

Thailand, the Dubai, the, you know, the

things that's kind of like that.

501

Usually most agents can fluff their way

through like an all -inclusive in Cancun

502

or Jamaica or a cruise line.

503

You can kind of fluff your way through

that for the most part.

504

But when you're starting to get detailed

itineraries, you want to know that, you

505

know, I want to know that my travel agent

booked me to fly from Johannesburg to Cape

506

Town because it's a 12 -hour drive versus

an hour and a half flight.

507

You know?

508

Okay.

509

So that kind of thing is the stuff that

you need to make sure.

510

So I would just ask those questions and

any agent that is really worth their, you

511

know, their salt in the industry, they're

willing to ask those questions.

512

And I would just be honest like, Hey, have

you ever been, do you know what you're

513

doing?

514

You know, just make sure you're finding

somebody that fits your personality.

515

And an agent would rather you tell them,

okay, I don't think we're a good fit than

516

for you to string them along for three

months while you still talking to somebody

517

else.

518

Cause we're all pulling from the same

inventory.

519

We're all pulling, you know, we all

working with the same wholesalers and all

520

of that stuff.

521

So the price, it may be like $10, $15

difference or something like that, but

522

it's about our time.

523

So you want to make sure that you're not

like wasting their time.

524

But if you ask those questions, I think,

you know, and then, you know, some agents

525

do charge a fee.

526

Like I talked about when you get to those

itineraries, like the South Africans and

527

stuff like that, they take a lot of time

to put together.

528

And so somebody may tell you that they

have.

529

a $200 planning fee or whatever that's non

-refundable.

530

Just kind of think about the time that

it's going to take them to put that

531

together.

532

Absolutely.

533

You just say, oh no, I won't do that.

534

Because you can't talk to, and I mean, I

know we don't go to school forever, but we

535

do put a lot of time and money into what

we do.

536

Like I just took a trip to Thailand.

537

That was on my own dime to learn about

Thailand and to be able to sell.

538

So for me to tell somebody it's a $100 or

$150 planning fee.

539

I've already invested that in me, but you

can't talk to your doctor without a co

540

-pay, you don't talk to an attorney

without a retainer.

541

So it kind of works the same way, because

you're trying to get their knowledge.

542

Because what happens is sometimes people

will, I'm sorry, people will get their

543

knowledge and then go book it themselves.

544

And then you get nothing from it.

545

I was going to say, like 10 years ago, I'd

have laughed in your face if you told me

546

$150 to book it.

547

I would have absolutely laughed.

548

I'm like, cool story, not for me.

549

That's a fair price.

550

That's actually a low price, especially

depending on where you are going.

551

There is so much freaking effort put into

it.

552

And that's why I don't book trips for

people.

553

When somebody asks, Oh, can you help me?

554

No, actually, I can't.

555

I can send you a link to an episode I may

have recorded, or you can ask me

556

questions.

557

You can always ask me questions and I will

give you my best answer or refer you to

558

someone who can answer.

559

or hopefully someone that can answer, but

I'm not doing it for you because maybe I

560

don't really want to do it for myself.

561

So you said $200 and I said, okay, you can

have $200.

562

I don't want to do it because I've gotten

to the point where I've planned enough to

563

realize this ain't for the faint of heart,

especially when it comes down to making

564

concessions or making different kinds of,

all right, well, I want to plant, perfect

565

example.

566

I have long sleeves.

567

I have a travel sleeve.

568

So.

569

Every once in a while I'll stumble into a

tattoo spot and I'll just get the tattoo.

570

But for the most part, I kind of know when

I have an idea, so when I go someplace,

571

I'll have it in my head that I want to get

a tattoo.

572

Yet not getting a tattoo in a sunny,

tropical place where you intend to be in

573

anybody's water on the first day.

574

That is just a surefire way to ruin the

ink and just have a miserable fucking

575

time.

576

So you had a plan for that to be at the

end.

577

Trying to navigate, trying to do all of

the water activities that you want to do,

578

make sure that you have enough time to get

the ink done.

579

But then what are you trying to do with

your last day?

580

What time does the flight happen?

581

There are a lot of things that when you

think about what you want to do, you may

582

not always think of the things that you

have to move around to accommodate for

583

like that one little thing that you may

have like on your mind to get done.

584

You had mentioned like school.

585

Is there a travel agent school?

586

There is not, there are used, well, let me

take that back.

587

There are several companies that teach

classes.

588

There's not per se a school.

589

There's a travel institute that has

classes.

590

What most people do when they want to get

into the travel industry is join a host

591

agency.

592

And host agencies have all of the licenses

and the credentials and things like that.

593

So travel legacy is like a host agency.

594

So I have agents that work underneath me.

595

So they don't have to necessarily go to

school or anything, but I have training

596

courses that they have to go through.

597

And so before they can start selling, hey,

I want to make sure you know this.

598

I want to make sure you know that.

599

And then they're able to sell and then

they have me as a resource to do that.

600

So a host agency route is the route that

most people go through and the fees just

601

vary.

602

Some host agencies charge no upfront fees.

603

Some charge monthly fees.

604

It's just a matter of finding.

605

you know, the right fit for you.

606

Yeah.

607

So what does that look like if somebody

wanted to be a travel agent?

608

What does, what type of like preparation

or even experience with that require?

609

Definitely, I think a little bit of travel

experience, even if it's just to like a

610

couple of destinations, you don't have to

have gone to like 30, 40 countries to be a

611

travel agent.

612

But you know, I tell people to have some

travel experience just so you know.

613

you know, that airport codes are three,

you know, three characters, you know,

614

just, just little things like that to be

able to know geography and know like, you

615

know, approach and say this, but I had

somebody, we flew all the way to South

616

Africa and we got there and the person,

this was a client, not a travel agent, but

617

she asked me if we were near Los Cabos.

618

And I was like, Los Cabos, Mexico?

619

And you know, I couldn't laugh.

620

I couldn't laugh because she was dead

serious and she didn't know.

621

Well, she didn't know she was talking

about it.

622

So I couldn't laugh, but it was like, no,

we just flew 18 hours to get here.

623

Sure not.

624

We're not near it.

625

See hurry south, and it was all the same.

626

Right.

627

So just having like a basic idea of

geography.

628

And I usually tell people too to have an

idea of like what you want to say.

629

And then just make time for it.

630

Because, you know, luckily I'm fortunate

enough to be able to travel.

631

I'm going somewhere at least once a month.

632

if not more.

633

But most people, they don't get to take

vacations that often.

634

They're only taking one vacation a year,

if that, some every two or three years,

635

you know, just depending on life and

finances and things like that.

636

And so if you're going to get into this

career, I just ask people to be serious

637

about it because the last thing you want

is somebody to say, like, we've been

638

saving all year.

639

You know, like I said, I took that big

group to South Africa for Christmas.

640

People took their kids with them.

641

So this was a big thing that, you know,

they spent thousands and thousands of

642

dollars and if we had gotten there and it

was, you know, we were on a sparse, a bug

643

was on us, but when it wasn't supposed to

be no bugs, if it was bugs, buses didn't

644

pick us up, they like, you know what?

645

So you just want to make sure that if you

want to get into this, that you actually

646

take it serious because you're dealing

with people's money.

647

And I try to treat my clients' money like

it's my own.

648

Like if somebody calls me and say they

found something online,

649

and it's a resort that I don't think is

worth the money.

650

I tell them, like, look, we're gonna do

that.

651

We're gonna go here, we're gonna do this.

652

We can figure this out.

653

And so even with clients that have the

money, like I have some ex -NFL players

654

that are clients and things like that, but

even with their money, I'll be like, no,

655

we're not gonna do that.

656

Yeah.

657

Not under my name.

658

You ain't about to say I referred you

here.

659

So yeah, so I just always ask people, make

sure you take time to do it because it

660

does take time because putting it together

could take you a couple hours.

661

You got to go back and forth with them.

662

And people want you to answer the phone

because if I didn't give you $12 ,000 to

663

go across the border and you don't ever

answer the phone, it's a problem.

664

You're going to see me next.

665

At that point, it's like, I'm going to

have to put like,

666

That's a lot of money.

667

That's a lot of money.

668

I mean, I quit time.

669

I worked hard.

670

Exactly.

671

And it's about building your reputation.

672

I remember years ago, one of my clients

called, I had a group with Southwest

673

Airlines, and they got a new agent at

Southwest.

674

And the agent told them their ticket

wasn't paid for.

675

And she argued, she was like, no, Veranda

paid for my ticket.

676

I know that.

677

You need to look this up and get somebody

else on the phone.

678

Because she paid.

679

Like, that's the kind of confidence that I

want my clients to have.

680

Like, no, I know.

681

You're making the mistake because Miranda

don't play with my money.

682

Okay.

683

So, yeah.

684

What types of things do you think that a,

I don't want to say solo travel, but like

685

a person, someone that books their own

travel, what kind of things do you think

686

that we miss out on that an agent is going

to pick up on us?

687

Because there's one thing, because I

understand nuance, right?

688

If I'm going for, if I'm taking my partner

to, I won't say we go every year, but I

689

personally love Montreal.

690

Love it down.

691

but I'm in New York, so we'll drive it,

right?

692

But I don't remember where it was that we

were, but I kind of wanted to do something

693

like, oh, what if I call them and tell

them like, it's our anniversary?

694

It's one thing to call a restaurant and be

like, yeah, we're celebrating our

695

anniversary and then shoots and fireworks,

they do whatever their spiel is.

696

But I get that the nuance is there for

like those kinds of things, but in terms

697

of like little simple things or what

seemed to be simple to.

698

you guys, but that's the travelers booking

it ourselves that we generally miss.

699

Is there anything that comes to mind?

700

Yeah.

701

So I will tell you, I told you, I just got

back from Thailand and my, I have to tell

702

you the joke first.

703

My husband always says that my clients

have the best travel agent ever.

704

He has the worst travel agent to plan our

own stuff.

705

So it's usually like, I'm booking our

hotel as we on the way to the airport or

706

something crazy.

707

Like they drive some crazy cause he's an

engineer.

708

He's a planner.

709

But me, I'm like,

710

Oh, it's gonna be fine.

711

The rooms ain't sold out, and so we'll

move down the street.

712

But, it's planning that we just got back

from Thailand.

713

Our flight landed on February 3rd at

714

So, by the time we got through customs,

got to the airport, it's two o 'clock in

715

the morning on February 3rd.

716

Our hotel was booked to check in February

3rd.

717

But, February 3rd check -in is after 3 p

.m.

718

So, now...

719

It's 3 a .m.

720

after we even flew 26 hours and we got

sent to lobby for 12 hours because we

721

messed up our own reservation.

722

I never would have done that with a client

because I would have double checked,

723

checked like, wait a minute, this is

really the night of the second, let me

724

make sure they have a room to check in.

725

So it's just those little things that

we're always looking out for.

726

We're making sure like we're calling the

hotel, even when we made those

727

reservations through wholesale.

728

I'm still calling the hotel to make sure,

okay, this really, there's a reservation

729

for John Smith here.

730

They're coming at two o 'clock.

731

They'll be there.

732

You know, just all those little things

that we check that most people don't think

733

about, but that's a big one.

734

Cause you know, you made your reservation

for February 3rd.

735

I got there February 3rd, but not thinking

about, you know, just little things like

736

that, that we take care of.

737

We know distances between hotels and

airports and.

738

Just all that kind of stuff that, you

know, they may say it takes, you know,

739

people look at the distance, like they may

put 15 miles is your distance.

740

Well, 15 miles in City miles and rural

miles and mountain miles, like you're

741

Yeah, miles in Thailand is an hour and 45

minutes drive.

742

So I'm telling you, you see 15 miles and

think, oh, I'm going be like 15, 20

743

minutes from the airport.

744

No, you're an hour we're not in Dallas.

745

That's like...

746

That's like 10 miles, 15 miles in Dallas.

747

It's not 15 miles in New York.

748

No.

749

That's nine days.

750

That's nine days.

751

You can pack some snacks, you know?

752

Yeah, so just having all those little

things to think about and then people

753

think, oh, I can just jump in a taxi,

especially when you have first time

754

travelers.

755

Oh, I can just jump in a taxi.

756

Well, now that taxi is $100 because, you

know, instead of...

757

in Barcelona.

758

Yeah.

759

That was me about that.

760

it's all those little things that you know

as a, if you really know the destinations

761

that you're selling.

762

And that's where it goes back to making

sure you find somebody that knows that.

763

Your story reminded me of my Norway trip.

764

I thankfully had a gem of an Airbnb host

because I came in, I'd say, I don't even

765

know.

766

Let's just say nine o 'clock at night.

767

I did not know what their bus system was

like, because in my mind I'm just like,

768

well, all right, if the buses don't run

or, you know, the trains they were, I'll

769

just take a taxi.

770

No big deal.

771

Thankfully, she said, so I'm going to pick

you up because there is nothing running.

772

She also was like, so we're going to stop

at the supermarket because on Sundays we

773

don't have a lot of.

774

businesses in this area open.

775

So there's really not going to be anywhere

for you to go get anything to eat or it's

776

going to be a little bit.

777

So just swing by, take your time.

778

Never would have thought of that.

779

A lot of local norms you may not be

familiar with and somebody that's been

780

there or someone that is taking the time

to ask the questions or just even knows to

781

ask certain questions that you're not

thinking about because you're thinking

782

about paying.

783

You're thinking about getting your time

off and work.

784

You think about who's going to water the

plants, who's watching your dog, who's

785

watching your kids, or all the little

things that you're thinking about when

786

you're planning a trip.

787

And until you have all the wheels oiled

and you kind of made the mistakes, like

788

me, present, you don't have to.

789

I don't know when I did it, but one of the

attacks or something I had was learn from

790

my mistakes so you don't have to suffer.

791

It's just like, you don't even have to go

about it that route.

792

You can just pay somebody to do the

problem for you.

793

And it's...

794

especially when you're saying the price is

basically the same for certain things.

795

Is there ever a situation where the price

like wouldn't be the same?

796

Very rarely.

797

I mean, usually we can get anything.

798

If it's apples to apples, they usually

price match with a travel agent because

799

they want us to come back and they know

that if we, you know, if you kind of out

800

price us, then we're not coming back to

use you again.

801

So pretty much we can usually get apples

to apples.

802

Yeah.

803

I got a good one for you.

804

So what if somebody finds like the frame

of a trip, if you will, you've got an

805

idea, you know, the general area, you

know, like what you want to do, right?

806

And say you even say, I want to fly this

airline on this day, I'm flexible with

807

timing, or I want to stay in this area,

I'm looking at this hotel.

808

If I were to find what my trip would be

and kind of present you with my itinerary,

809

is that something that you could now,

810

match or not match but find a better price

for so that I could book through you and

811

pay less?

812

So it just depends on the destination.

813

Sometimes we can get better prices.

814

I usually tell people that you're booking

with a travel agent to help to get their

815

knowledge more so than price because if

somebody calls me and says can you match

816

my price depending on how I'm feeling that

day most days I'll be like no you should

817

don't hate it because I don't want you to

miss out.

818

Okay fair.

819

But but.

820

It just depends on, you know, if it's a

destination, usually if it's like Europe

821

or something like that, that's really hard

to price match because it's not the margin

822

in there is not that big of a deal.

823

Okay.

824

But it could be if you were, you know,

going somewhere in the Caribbean and you

825

knew where you wanted to stay and knew all

those activities.

826

If I have a group already going, maybe I

can give you, you know, some extra perks

827

or something to do that.

828

So it really just depends on.

829

on a destination, but I have clients that

do that.

830

I have one client that is so funny.

831

I mean, I love him to death.

832

He's one of my top clients, but he

literally, he takes a lot of cruises.

833

He literally goes on the cruise website,

picks out which cabin he wants,

834

everything, and then emails me and say,

can you book this for me?

835

So basically it works for a cruise, not a

Euro vacation.

836

Right, right, right, right, right.

837

So yeah, yeah, yeah.

838

So what was your early travel like that

got you into the travel age?

839

Like what sparked your interest or your

curiosity?

840

You know what?

841

I always tell people my mom was a nomad.

842

So I grew up in Chicago.

843

Shout out to the West Side of Chicago.

844

But I'm from West Side Chicago.

845

And it was crazy because in my

neighborhood, there weren't a lot of us

846

traveling.

847

But my mom was one of those people that

would get in the car and drive us

848

somewhere.

849

I took my first airplane ride to Seattle.

850

I like nine years old.

851

And then my dad was military.

852

So I lived in Germany and got to travel

around Europe and all that stuff.

853

So I've always been like, let's go.

854

Like that's been my love language is like,

take me on a trip.

855

I don't need a fancy bag.

856

I don't need all that kind of stuff.

857

Like let's go somewhere.

858

Let's see something and experience

something.

859

And that's what really made me want to do

travel.

860

I always tell people I took my daughter to

Paris for the first time when she was

861

eight years old.

862

And she still talks about that trip.

863

We have memories.

864

We didn't know the buses stopped running.

865

So me and her got stuck somewhere like one

o 'clock in the morning.

866

I was like, I'll tell your daddy.

867

You know, so we have.

868

We were already in the bed.

869

Right.

870

Right.

871

We still have all those memories that we

talk about.

872

But if you ask her what she got for

Christmas when she was eight, she can't

873

remember.

874

And so that was kind of like my go to for.

875

travel legacy was like, build that kind of

legacy with your people, build those

876

memories instead of things.

877

And so I started out, I knew a club

promoter in Chicago who had like thousands

878

of followers 10 years ago, 15 years ago

before, you know, it was popular to have

879

all those followers.

880

Right.

881

I kind of got the idea one day, like, you

know what, these people spend like $350 on

882

a bottle in the club for the weekend.

883

What if we can put together a trip where

they can spend three or four hundred

884

dollars for the whole weekend, but now we

in Mexico?

885

And we started I called him and he was

funny cuz he's all about his all about the

886

bottom line So I called him and I was

like, hey, we put this trip together Do

887

you think you could get some people to go

and he was like, can we make some money?

888

And I was like, yeah, we can make money

and we literally Yeah, we've literally

889

been doing this trip now.

890

This will be our 15th year

891

doing this trip and we take 100 plus

people.

892

We've been all over the world together.

893

And it's just taking that, like we have

people on that trip that had never been on

894

a plane before as 30, 40 year olds that go

with us every year now.

895

Like, okay, where are we going?

896

Where are we going?

897

Like while we're on the trip this year,

they're going to be asking me where we

898

going next year, because that's what they

look forward to.

899

And that's what really gives me joy just

to have people experience those

900

destinations for the first time and to see

that, okay, wait a minute.

901

I was spending,

902

$300 on the bottom.

903

Now I'm sitting on the beach drinking all

I can for, you know, this makes more

904

sense.

905

Better tequila at that baby.

906

Unmatched, unrivaled.

907

The tequila and the mezcal.

908

Yes, yes, yes.

909

So that's kind of been like what was my

transition into it.

910

And just now people were like, okay.

911

And then because we were with a group,

people were less afraid to go.

912

because we built a community of our

travelers.

913

We didn't all know each other when we

went.

914

So people were like, oh, okay, it's not

that bad.

915

We made an environment where it was like,

hey, if you see us over here, even though

916

you don't know us, come over here and

talk.

917

If we said we're going to the room, you

coming to the room too.

918

It wasn't a situation where like, well,

don't come over here.

919

And so because of that, they told their

friends and the group has just grown.

920

like crazy, we don't have all the always

the same.

921

We have our little core group of people

that come every year, but every year we're

922

also getting new people.

923

They're like, well, such and such told me

and I'm not missing the trip this year.

924

Y 'all not leaving me, you know?

925

So that's just been really, really great

to see.

926

That reminds me of the bus trips they used

to do because I'm in New York.

927

So we would go to the Poconos.

928

I never went.

929

And for me, for me,

930

because some of y 'all may be tuned in.

931

But for me, the trips that were coming my

direction wasn't my crowd.

932

So I'm like, yeah, you, I've seen you

around.

933

Don't want to be stuck in the Poconos with

you.

934

But it was, to your point, y 'all were

ahead of the game.

935

Y 'all were ahead of the game because it

was the same people that was always in the

936

club spending the $300 on the bottles.

937

that we're the ones that went, oh yeah, I

gotta, we're going on a trip to the

938

Poconos.

939

Cool story, baby.

940

Not gonna be there.

941

Not me, not you.

942

No, but it's like, word, like you are

going to drop the same amount of money.

943

You could even spend less in a lot of

situations, be there longer and have a

944

better freaking time.

945

Do you have any travel experiences that

you can remember or that you would care to

946

share that kind of,

947

The question is in my head is just make

putting it in words for you like

948

experiences that guide certain general

practices for you in your planning for

949

other people like for example, I know that

if I'm going to go somewhere I will tell

950

someone your best bet is to always spend a

couple extra dollars and stay in the area

951

of what it is you want to do.

952

You're not saving yourself any

953

money.

954

You're not saving yourself anything

honestly by saving big air quotes here by

955

saving the money and staying someplace

cheaper if everything you're going to do

956

is going to be someplace else.

957

That is your time for one but also a lot

of times your money.

958

That $90, that $100 cab from the airport

you thought she was saving money by

959

staying someplace further out but now

you're just spending it in other ways.

960

Do you have any experiences or

961

Any comments from past experiences that

you've been through that you generally use

962

in terms of helping your clients also, or

even your agents?

963

Yeah, definitely along the lines of what

you're saying.

964

Most of the times with trips, if people

plan it out far enough, we can put it on

965

hold with a low deposit, and then most of

their final payments aren't due until

966

about 45 days before we travel.

967

So I have people who will plan their trip

11 months out.

968

And they'll see a resort online.

969

And then, you know, they may say, oh, I

saw this on TikTok or I saw this on IG and

970

I want to go here.

971

And then I start asking them questions

like, well, what do you drink when you're

972

at home?

973

Oh, I like Don Julio when I'm at home.

974

OK, well, they don't have Don Julio there.

975

So are you going to be OK on vacation

drinking tequila?

976

Just a bottle that say, you know, well,

no, not really.

977

Or, you know.

978

What, you know, those type of questions

like asking people that and generally it's

979

like you said, it's like 150, $200

difference.

980

I heard a story where somebody, they went

to like a cheaper resort.

981

They were, you know, trying to save money

for their birthday.

982

They went to a cheaper resort, but then

they took everybody off of the all

983

-inclusive resort to a restaurant off site

where people had to spend like a hundred,

984

$140 to eat dinner.

985

You could have stayed at a nicer resort.

986

Had a semi -private dinner because that's

what we had at the restaurant.

987

We weren't private.

988

You could have had a semi -private dinner

at one of their a la carte restaurants and

989

never had your guests leave the resort.

990

Or spend that extra money.

991

You could have spent less to spend just

all the ola kusa package for the day.

992

Yeah, so those type of experiences I tell

people and it's really about one of the

993

great things about being a travel agent

that the agent should be doing is just

994

qualifying those clients to find out what

they are.

995

and then managing those expectations.

996

Because if you come to me and say, all I

got is $700.

997

So Miranda, I'm going to have to drink

Long Island tea, Long Island iced tea to

998

get that hit because they ain't got no

Hennessy.

999

And I know I keep giving these liquor

analogies.

00:51:11,607 --> 00:51:13,097

I don't even drink like that.

00:51:13,097 --> 00:51:17,457

They But those are important things to

people when they're on vacation.

00:51:17,457 --> 00:51:18,417

They're food.

00:51:18,417 --> 00:51:20,077

Like nobody wants to eat at a buffet.

00:51:20,077 --> 00:51:22,537

Yeah, nobody wants to eat at a buffet five

days.

00:51:22,537 --> 00:51:23,309

Like, can I?

00:51:23,309 --> 00:51:26,389

You know, even if it's make me a burger

and some fries or a Grimmy piece of

00:51:26,389 --> 00:51:29,869

chicken that didn't come off the buffet

line, you know, that kind of thing is

00:51:29,869 --> 00:51:32,689

what, you know, you just really want to

help people.

00:51:32,689 --> 00:51:35,179

So we, we try to just do that.

00:51:35,179 --> 00:51:39,139

So I would think those kinds of little

nuances are what I would say, you know,

00:51:39,139 --> 00:51:44,629

help people with their trip and those

travel experiences that get people, you

00:51:44,629 --> 00:51:47,889

know, wanting, and there's some

destinations aren't for everybody too.

00:51:47,889 --> 00:51:51,807

So people will have in their mind that

they want to go.

00:51:51,821 --> 00:51:57,841

to, you know, they want to go to Dubai,

but you want to get drunk all the time.

00:51:57,841 --> 00:51:59,391

That's probably not the destination.

00:51:59,391 --> 00:52:04,831

Like you can, you can, but it may not be

the destination that you want because it's

00:52:04,831 --> 00:52:08,591

not a wild, and there's certain situations

that can be, but you know what I'm trying

00:52:08,591 --> 00:52:08,871

to say.

00:52:08,871 --> 00:52:14,271

So it's just, it's just a, I just, I just

had one of my clients is kind of crazy and

00:52:14,271 --> 00:52:16,381

she was like, yep, no, I ain't going

nowhere.

00:52:16,381 --> 00:52:19,621

Where if my husband get on my nerves, I

can't cuss him out on the spot.

00:52:19,621 --> 00:52:20,621

Yeah, no.

00:52:20,621 --> 00:52:21,357

Yeah.

00:52:21,357 --> 00:52:22,077

yourself.

00:52:22,077 --> 00:52:22,777

That's all.

00:52:22,777 --> 00:52:23,217

Right.

00:52:23,217 --> 00:52:23,817

That's what she said.

00:52:23,817 --> 00:52:26,157

She was like, no, because they had me up

in Dubai.

00:52:26,157 --> 00:52:27,037

I was like, you know what?

00:52:27,037 --> 00:52:28,017

You probably right.

00:52:28,017 --> 00:52:29,457

We going, we going to save you some

friends.

00:52:29,457 --> 00:52:29,517

Yeah.

00:52:29,517 --> 00:52:31,697

Let's save both of us that stress.

00:52:32,217 --> 00:52:36,437

So yeah, so just those different things

and really just, you know, telling people

00:52:36,437 --> 00:52:40,487

what and I think that's why it's so

important for me to experience that.

00:52:40,487 --> 00:52:45,327

I had no idea what Thailand was like until

I just went over there and now I have like

00:52:45,327 --> 00:52:46,217

a little bit of a grasp.

00:52:46,217 --> 00:52:49,069

Still don't know everything obviously for

one trip.

00:52:49,069 --> 00:52:51,429

But at least I can give them the basics to

kind of know.

00:52:51,429 --> 00:52:52,769

You have a point of reference.

00:52:52,769 --> 00:52:53,609

Yeah, yeah.

00:52:53,609 --> 00:52:58,979

So yeah, those are those are like some of

the experiences I think kind of help

00:52:58,979 --> 00:52:59,909

people.

00:52:59,909 --> 00:53:05,209

OK, so where can people find you to book a

trip with you?

00:53:05,209 --> 00:53:09,889

And then where can people find you if they

are interested in being a travel agent?

00:53:10,429 --> 00:53:12,189

Yeah, so those two are the same.

00:53:12,189 --> 00:53:14,229

That is at Travel Legacy.

00:53:14,229 --> 00:53:17,529

Travel Legacy Vacations dot com is my

website.

00:53:17,529 --> 00:53:19,063

I'm also on.

00:53:19,181 --> 00:53:21,361

Facebook and IG is just Branda Atkins.

00:53:21,361 --> 00:53:23,161

So simple to find there.

00:53:23,161 --> 00:53:27,091

And then I would say for people who are

interested in getting into the travel

00:53:27,091 --> 00:53:32,101

industry to definitely look into

Association of Black Travel Professionals

00:53:32,101 --> 00:53:36,661

because we have some great training

programs and things like that for people.

00:53:36,661 --> 00:53:40,561

So I think that's a good entree as well.

00:53:40,861 --> 00:53:44,661

All right, Branda, thank you so, so much

for joining me.

00:53:44,661 --> 00:53:47,585

Those links will obviously be in the

description box, folks.

00:53:47,585 --> 00:53:52,285

Is there any closing sentiment that you

would like to leave with the people?

00:53:52,785 --> 00:53:59,085

I always try to tell people, take the

trip.

00:53:59,085 --> 00:54:03,635

You can save the money, you can do all of

that stuff, but build the experience, take

00:54:03,635 --> 00:54:05,865

the trip, get a new experience.

00:54:05,865 --> 00:54:10,545

It's just so eye -opening to go to a

different country and learn about their

00:54:10,545 --> 00:54:11,465

culture.

00:54:11,465 --> 00:54:15,437

And then also, so many people don't want

to take their kids on vacation.

00:54:15,437 --> 00:54:19,757

But I think it's great to take the, my

daughter has the travel book because she's

00:54:19,757 --> 00:54:22,787

been, it's so funny because her, her

friends don't have the money.

00:54:22,787 --> 00:54:24,177

She don't have the money to go either.

00:54:24,177 --> 00:54:25,867

But her friends don't have the money to go

either.

00:54:25,867 --> 00:54:27,957

She wants to travel like she travels with

me.

00:54:27,957 --> 00:54:29,887

And I'm like, look, you can't get that

room.

00:54:29,887 --> 00:54:31,157

You got to get this room.

00:54:31,157 --> 00:54:33,127

But it's because she's been traveling.

00:54:33,127 --> 00:54:36,977

And I just think it's just giving her a

different sense of like the world.

00:54:36,977 --> 00:54:41,457

And it's just opened her up to being able

to talk to people and do things.

00:54:41,457 --> 00:54:43,807

And I think that's what travel does for

everybody.

00:54:43,807 --> 00:54:44,801

It's just.

00:54:44,801 --> 00:54:47,321

You know, so I always say, take that trip.

00:54:47,321 --> 00:54:48,901

Minor's gonna come and go.

00:54:49,261 --> 00:54:51,241

Okay, so I'll add, I have another question

for you.

00:54:51,241 --> 00:54:58,941

So what is your, what about minors or like

people that aren't adult, is there like a

00:54:58,941 --> 00:55:05,201

certain age that, obviously like you can't

sign any binding contracts or legal

00:55:05,201 --> 00:55:10,261

agreements, but for example, if someone

wanted to send, say their kid on a trip or

00:55:10,261 --> 00:55:12,267

if there was some,

00:55:12,525 --> 00:55:16,365

aspect of the trip where the parents and

the kids were going to be doing separate

00:55:16,365 --> 00:55:16,765

things.

00:55:16,765 --> 00:55:20,355

Is that something that you guys navigate

or are there any restrictions that you

00:55:20,355 --> 00:55:25,085

guys have when young adults, if you will,

not necessarily like a six year old per

00:55:25,085 --> 00:55:30,315

se, but like you've got 18 year olds, 17

year olds, 16 year olds that may like some

00:55:30,315 --> 00:55:34,895

people let their 17 year old do like a

year in Europe or like that.

00:55:34,895 --> 00:55:37,725

What do you call the thing that I never

had?

00:55:38,165 --> 00:55:40,045

Not the study abroad.

00:55:40,625 --> 00:55:42,029

There we go.

00:55:42,029 --> 00:55:45,549

You want to send your baby out someplace.

00:55:45,549 --> 00:55:47,189

Is that something that you guys do?

00:55:47,189 --> 00:55:48,449

What are the?

00:55:48,449 --> 00:55:50,889

Yeah, I'm sure there's agents that

specialize in that.

00:55:50,889 --> 00:55:55,169

One of the biggest things we're doing like

Mexico and Caribbean and most other places

00:55:55,169 --> 00:55:58,069

outside of the US, the legal drinking age

is 18.

00:55:58,069 --> 00:56:04,129

So I always tell people, you know, make

sure that either one, you're going to okay

00:56:04,129 --> 00:56:07,817

with them drinking or two, you know.

00:56:08,781 --> 00:56:12,641

tell them that they can't drink and

hopefully they gonna listen to you because

00:56:12,641 --> 00:56:15,581

everywhere else, the legal drinking age is

18.

00:56:15,581 --> 00:56:19,731

So that's always a big thing when we're

planning like student groups and family

00:56:19,731 --> 00:56:24,541

vacations or whatever, because people are

like, oh no, JoJo don't drink.

00:56:24,541 --> 00:56:27,681

Yeah, because JoJo didn't have access to

tequila all day.

00:56:27,681 --> 00:56:29,641

JoJo don't drink around you, girl.

00:56:29,641 --> 00:56:29,981

Right.

00:56:29,981 --> 00:56:31,341

It's you.

00:56:31,341 --> 00:56:32,221

Yeah, yeah.

00:56:32,221 --> 00:56:32,441

Not JoJo.

00:56:32,441 --> 00:56:34,241

There's just different things.

00:56:34,241 --> 00:56:38,021

And there's places that specialize in like

that student travel for gap years and

00:56:38,021 --> 00:56:38,893

stuff like that.

00:56:38,893 --> 00:56:43,193

so that they have all of the waivers and

things like that for parents to sign to be

00:56:43,193 --> 00:56:44,373

able to do that.

00:56:44,433 --> 00:56:44,673

Yeah.

00:56:44,673 --> 00:56:48,633

And one thing that I just wanted to touch

on before we head out, you had mentioned

00:56:48,633 --> 00:56:52,633

booking 11 months out and people paying in

small.

00:56:52,633 --> 00:56:58,713

So one perk that I don't think we've

necessarily specifically touched on is

00:56:58,713 --> 00:57:02,653

what sounds like the flexibility to pay

over time.

00:57:02,653 --> 00:57:03,593

Correct.

00:57:03,593 --> 00:57:03,923

Yeah.

00:57:03,923 --> 00:57:04,471

OK.

00:57:04,471 --> 00:57:06,361

So what does that usually look like for

you guys?

00:57:06,361 --> 00:57:07,961

Yeah, so it's usually...

00:57:07,961 --> 00:57:12,281

It varies on whether it's an air and land

package or just land package.

00:57:12,281 --> 00:57:16,861

But you can typically just put down a low

deposit and like I said, it varies.

00:57:16,861 --> 00:57:19,481

And then you're able to put your air in

your hotel.

00:57:19,481 --> 00:57:22,361

You know, a lot of people just put stuff

on credit cards and pay their credit card

00:57:22,361 --> 00:57:22,821

off.

00:57:22,821 --> 00:57:27,117

But you may have interest or something

with that with using a travel agent.

00:57:27,117 --> 00:57:31,097

on those payment plans like that, there's

usually no interest or anything involved

00:57:31,097 --> 00:57:31,477

in it.

00:57:31,477 --> 00:57:35,727

So it's just a matter of paying and as

long as you meet, you know, your new date

00:57:35,727 --> 00:57:39,617

or whatever payment plan your travel agent

has set for you, you can kind of put that

00:57:39,617 --> 00:57:42,997

shirt off and pay, you know, pay it over

time.

00:57:43,257 --> 00:57:49,177

So I think that would be a fine line for,

and a nice alternative to things like a

00:57:49,177 --> 00:57:51,859

firm and after pay, which.

00:57:52,269 --> 00:57:59,479

I don't know that they report to your

credit agencies or if they do interests or

00:57:59,479 --> 00:58:05,269

I'm not really familiar per se, but

familiar, familiar to the extent that I

00:58:05,269 --> 00:58:08,409

have heard of them and I'm aware of what

they do, but I've never used it.

00:58:08,409 --> 00:58:15,869

But there are trips per se that you may

have in mind that are kind of in your

00:58:15,869 --> 00:58:19,909

grasp, but not really in your, like

they're in your reach, but not in your

00:58:19,909 --> 00:58:20,159

grasp.

00:58:20,159 --> 00:58:20,629

You know what I mean?

00:58:20,629 --> 00:58:22,285

They close, but they not right there.

00:58:22,285 --> 00:58:27,185

That would be something that I could see

really being a worthwhile booking with a

00:58:27,185 --> 00:58:28,065

travel agent for.

00:58:28,065 --> 00:58:31,985

If you know that you've got the time to do

it like a, I don't know.

00:58:32,145 --> 00:58:37,145

That would be something that you say, oh,

I would love like, you know, a quiet town

00:58:37,145 --> 00:58:39,005

in the mountains kind of thing.

00:58:39,325 --> 00:58:42,505

But let's, can you also like slowly build

on a trip?

00:58:42,505 --> 00:58:46,335

Like you can say, all right, well, I want

to add this and take my money for this

00:58:46,335 --> 00:58:47,005

and.

00:58:47,005 --> 00:58:48,005

Yeah, you can.

00:58:48,005 --> 00:58:51,013

Most of the, if it's doing like a.

00:58:51,177 --> 00:58:54,337

individualized trip like you're talking

about like a honeymoon or something like

00:58:54,337 --> 00:58:54,957

that.

00:58:54,957 --> 00:59:00,477

As long as we get the framework like the

hotel and the flight on hold, we can

00:59:00,477 --> 00:59:04,837

always add in tours literally almost up

until the week of travel.

00:59:04,837 --> 00:59:08,627

So that's not something that we have to if

you have if you have something in mind

00:59:08,627 --> 00:59:11,797

that you want to do, that's not something

that has to be paid for right now.

00:59:11,797 --> 00:59:15,467

Most of the stuff that we're holding is

going to be the flight in the hotel.

00:59:15,467 --> 00:59:19,117

And I'll kind of give you a price if you

say, you know, I want to take out a

00:59:19,117 --> 00:59:21,165

private catamaran and we want to do a

00:59:21,165 --> 00:59:23,025

dinner on the beach or something like

that.

00:59:23,025 --> 00:59:24,695

Okay, just plan for it.

00:59:24,695 --> 00:59:26,565

It's going to be about $150.

00:59:26,565 --> 00:59:29,605

So you know that it's coming up.

00:59:29,605 --> 00:59:33,915

So that way you can kind of plan for it,

but you don't have to pay for it right

00:59:33,915 --> 00:59:34,505

now.

00:59:34,505 --> 00:59:38,865

And talking about after pay and the firm

is something that me and a couple of

00:59:38,865 --> 00:59:41,315

agents were talking about a couple of

weeks ago.

00:59:41,315 --> 00:59:45,261

And I was like, I don't know that I want

people to get in debt to travel.

00:59:45,261 --> 00:59:50,621

Like, you know, if something is just like

that important that you have to go like I

00:59:50,621 --> 00:59:54,041

get, you know, destination weddings and

stuff like that and stuff comes up and you

00:59:54,041 --> 00:59:54,881

have to do it.

00:59:54,881 --> 00:59:59,721

But I'd rather work with my clients to be

able to plan it far enough out to say,

00:59:59,721 --> 01:00:02,881

okay, look, we can do this and you can pay

$150 a month.

01:00:02,881 --> 01:00:08,771

You know, to get to your goal instead of

having to, you know, do something like

01:00:08,771 --> 01:00:11,541

that where you got a ding on your credit

or something.

01:00:11,541 --> 01:00:12,801

Right, right, right.

01:00:13,041 --> 01:00:15,051

There was something else that just.

01:00:16,139 --> 01:00:17,201

Let it away.

01:00:19,149 --> 01:00:21,569

I'll send an email if it comes back to me.

01:00:21,829 --> 01:00:25,309

Miranda, thank you so so much for joining

me today.

01:00:25,309 --> 01:00:27,829

I really, I did enjoy this conversation.