72. Failing Forward: Awards, Events, And The Power Of Connections with Kristin Chambers, CTC
Surrounding yourself with the right people in the industry can be transformative. Kristin Chambers, owner of TravelLuster and D.A. Luxury Travel, joins this episode to share how she has grown her companies and the initiatives that helped her gain success and land on award lists such as Conde Nast’s Top Travel Specialists and Top 25 All Star Travel Advisors by Travel Agent Magazine.
Hear Kristin’s inspirational journey from starting her own agency during the 2007 recession to founding a full-service host agency in 2015. She emphasizes the significance of building a community and nurturing partnerships to achieve success. She also provides insights into attending industry events (ILTM, Pure, Duco Italy, and more) and the value of curiosity and commitment in advancing your business. Tune in to gain strategies on growing your agency and making a name for yourself in the industry!
About Kristin Chambers:
Through Kristin’s modern-day luxury travel consultancy D.A. Luxury Travel (launched in 2006), she and her team cater to discerning vacationers who don’t just want to take trips – they want to experience travel. Her tailored-to-you itineraries for high-end clients boast the ultimate wow factor thanks to Chambers’ Black Book of powerhouse insiders across the globe. With 18 years of experience, it’s her “reach for the stars” conceptualizing that has her on Conde Nast’s Top Travel Specialists list, Travel & Leisure’s A list of advisors for “over the top trips,” and in the Top 25 All Star Travel Advisors by Travel Agent Magazine, and an invite-only Virtuoso Culinary & Ultraluxe membership, to name a few.
In 2016, Chambers wanted to create a space in which seasoned and emerging travel advisors could evolve the industry together. And so TRAVELLUSTRE was born, a full-service travel agency that oversees a highly regarded Boston-based portfolio of fellow luxury travel consultants. The group was soon nominated for the “Luminaries, Legends and Leaders” award for its economic generosity within the travel space during the pandemic. It’s this passion that drives Chambers to deliver the extraordinary to her clientele.
Today we will cover:
- (03:20) Kristin's journey into the travel industry and starting her own agency
- (08:20) Creating a community and supporting fully dedicated travel professionals
- (11:00) Overcoming challenges and embracing an abundance mindset
- (19:50) Defining high net worth clients and the benefits of working with them
- (24:30) Details on specific travel industry events; ILTM
- (30:00) Smaller niche shows; TFest, Pure, Duco Italy
- (36:15) Choosing shows that align with target audience and comfort level
- (37:50) Creating long-term supplier relationships; effective post-show email communication
- (47:35) Landing on award lists and making industry connections
- (49:45) Having silent mentors in the industry
- (53:55) Getting involved in boards, committees, and think tanks
- (57:48) Overcoming fear of rejection and asking for opportunities
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