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Global Travel Advisor Day: why travel advisors matter

Discover why travel advisors are essential in 2026, how their role has evolved over 30 years, and how Expedia TAAP supports them worldwide.

Every journey begins with trust.

Trust in a plan. Trust in research. Trust in recommendations. Trust that someone has thought through the details that make a trip feel effortless.

No one safeguards that trust quite like travel advisors. It’s earned through experience, care, and a deep understanding of what matters most to each traveler — and a trusted travel advisor is the one who shows up when things don’t go as planned.

That's why Global Travel Advisor Day matters — it's an annual moment to recognize the steady hands behind the scenes powering the travel ecosystem. This year, Expedia TAAP is celebrating the day with partner appreciation events around the world, creating space for advisors to connect in person.

It's also a milestone year. As Expedia Group reaches its 30th anniversary, it's an opportunity to reflect on three decades of transformation and partnership — and to honor the relationships that have driven mutual success.

30 years, 30 voices:

Tips from our veteran travel advisors

Travel may have changed over the years, but we’ve found that building strong relationships with our suppliers and understanding our travelers' needs makes all the difference.

Caroline R. 

DP & L Tvl, UK

Build relationships, not just bookings; your clients will remember how you made them feel long after the trip ends.

Aiya D. 

Wondermakers, USA

Sell your judgment, not just the destination. Clients come back for confidence, not clicks.

Leen D.

Altitude Travel, Singapore

Always compare prices before booking. By comparison, you will get better options for price, availability, and for sure a different experience.

Mohammad F.

ARBA Travel & Tours, Malaysia

Always focus on building trust with your clients; relationships are the foundation of the travel business.

Herman A. 

Wang Bali Luxury, Indonesia

Always leave room in your plans — and mind — for the unexpected.

Christina L.

Global Travel, Singapore

Keep showing up to build trust and be sure to show your face! You are your brand!

Kendall N.

Wondermakers, USA

The travel business isn't about “selling,” it's about helping someone make their dreams come true, and Expedia TAAP proves it.

Handi U.  

Happy Tours, Indonesia

Find a bed bank who is interested in you, not just your business. Expedia TAAP has the product, rates, and systems — and they also take the time to get to know you, your business, and your teams.

Sarah W. 

DialaFlight, UK

Stay adaptable and always keep learning because the travel industry is constantly evolving.

Dara S.

Sunday Travel, Indonesia

Use Expedia TAAP for a wide range of accommodation, flights, transfers, and attractions at competitive pricing structure, and conveniently package it all together for your client's perfect trip.

Sue T.

AG Gates Tvl, UK

Various hotel options across multiple categories will help you confirm the deal with your travelers/clients.

Cecilia M.

CHIUGAI TRAVEL SERVICE CO., LTD, Taiwan

Choose a solution where bookings are confirmed smoothly, ensuring a worry-free experience for the team and a seamless check-in experience for guests.

Ankit S. 

The Young Wings, India

Build trust — it's your greatest asset.

Ivy T.

Dreamland Discovery, Malaysia

During your own travels, take time and look through the lens of a client: What prior information could contribute to a successful trip? Discover it yourself so you can pass your knowledge on.

Kelli N.

Wondermakers, USA

Always aim to build relationships first, not just chasing sales.

Kate W.

Luxy Global Tours, Malaysia

Knowing your client is as important as knowing the destination!

Sumeet

Bains Travel, Canada

Passion is the key driving force that moves people, acting like an inner engine that turns actions and dreams into reality. That’s passion — it has to be a fundamental part of our work!

Pietro R.

Mesotour, Italy

Remember, people are not only buying in on a destination, but they are also buying in on you!

Bryan W.

Wondermakers, USA

Use a platform/process that is smooth, easy to navigate, and serves as a one-stop solution for all support and modification needs.

Shubham J.

Fly Goldfinch, India

Knowing your travelers’ preferences is key; it enables you to create personalized itineraries that exceed expectations first time and builds a reputation for reliability and care.

Anna G. 

ArrangeMy, UK

A financial advisor once advised his clients: if you don't fly first class, your kids will — so go see the world.

Mike

Expedia Cruise Kamloops, Canada

The best travel advisors aren’t always the ones who know the most; they’re the ones who care the most.

Shanaka F. 

Wondermakers, USA

Choose a travel partner that remains consistently supportive and reliable throughout the journey.

Noor D.

Saks Travels, India

Listen first, then tailor the experience — that’s at the heart of every successful travel advisor.

Terri

Travel Best Bets, Canada

Your passion is your biggest marketing tool; don’t hide it.

Irene D.

Wondermakers, USA

Prioritize service that is delivered with a strong sense of responsibility.

Mukesh K.

Sst Online Tours Llp, India

The future of tourism lies in sustainable, high-quality growth that meets personal, immersive needs and gives travelers genuine enrichment and room to grow.

Ruth H.

Guangzhou GZL International Travel Service Ltd, China

Sell what you love, and it will sell itself!

Anita E.

Wondermakers, USA

Passion is key in this job.

Martina C. 

Pevero Viaggi, Italy

How the role of travel advisors has evolved over 30 years

The travel industry has reinvented itself time and again — from the advent of online booking to the rapid acceleration of AI. Each wave has reshaped how travelers research, compare, and book — steadily redefining what “service” looks like.

In the 1990s, travel advisors worked with fax machines and handwritten tickets, consulting thick fare books, and waiting for time zones to align. The work was manual, meticulous, and entirely dependent on personal supplier relationships

Then came the internet — and with it, an existential threat. Hotels and airlines slashed commissions. Online platforms and apps promised instant access. Emma Lucas of TravelManagers in Melbourne says the internet “suddenly made everyone think they were a travel agent.” Many predicted that the profession would disappear.

But travel advisors didn't vanish. They redefined their value — pivoting from transaction facilitators to experience designers — becoming the quintessential filter in an era of overwhelming choice. They evolved into something far more valuable: trusted experts who help travelers navigate complexity, reduce risk, and make better decisions.

The pandemic cemented that transformation. As borders closed and cancellations spiked, advisors worked round the clock, managing re-bookings, navigating restrictions, and providing reassurance no chatbot could replicate. The crisis sparked a renaissance in trust.

Horizontal timeline graphic from 1996 to 2026 with portraits of different travel advisors placed above and below a purple gradient bar, illustrating changes over three decades.

The evolution journey of travel advisors over the past three decades

Struggling with DIY booking, the clients returned — not for transactions or access, but for guidance and support. As Karen Soutar of DP&L Travel in Scotland learned over nearly four decades: "Service always wins."

Today, advisors operate in a hybrid model, leveraging technology to work smarter while keeping their work deeply human. They serve as:

Curators in an era of endless options
Advocates when plans change and policies are challenging
Strategists for complex itineraries and high-stakes travel
Trusted guides when reassurance matters as much as information

In a fast-changing travel landscape, advisors remain the constant: a human connection grounded in accountability, expertise, and genuine care. That’s why in recent years, more travelers have turned back to advisors for complex, high-value, and long-haul trips — where expertise matters most.

How Expedia TAAP supports today’s travel advisors

Expedia TAAP was built with one purpose: to help travel advisors and travel agencies thrive as the industry evolves around them. A one-stop shop designed to simplify booking, reduce friction, and give advisors the confidence to deliver on every detail.

What began as a small pilot almost two decades ago has now grown into a global platform, shaped by advisor feedback at every stage. That foundation remains unchanged. Expedia TAAP always listens closely and builds what helps the worldwide travel advisor network succeed.

Bar chart comparing the size of a travel advisor network across four years, with each horizontal bar shaded from light to dark purple to show steady year-over-year growth.

The steady growth of Expedia Group’s travel advisor network

That community now spans more than 200,000 advisors, expanding every year and outpacing the broader market. The numbers tell one story, but advisors tell another.

Robyn Davies of WOW! Travel in Melbourne, with 48 years in the industry, points to Expedia TAAP’s instant confirmations and guaranteed commissions. But what matters most? The support. "Priceless," she says, "peace of mind."

Maria Vavala of Round Travel in Victoria points to the platform’s rich hotel‑information pages and AI‑driven property contact tool, calling them “incredibly clear and helpful for juggling multiple clients.” Together, these capabilities give advisors the speed of technology while preserving the personal touch that clients still crave.

Expedia TAAP is more than a booking platform. It’s designed to feel like an extension of an advisor’s team by:

Streamlining day-to-day booking so advisors can focus on their clients
Investing in platform enhancements shaped by real advisor workflows
Showing up in the markets where advisors build their businesses
Creating moments like Global Travel Advisor Day that recognize the people behind every booking

What the future of travel means for advisors

The industry will continue to evolve. New tools — including AI-powered assistants and automation — will emerge, traveler expectations will rise, and the pace will only quicken. But through it all, one truth holds: Nothing can replace the human touch. No algorithm can offer a real perspective or the judgment that comes from experience.

That's the foundation Expedia TAAP builds on. Investing in the tools and insights that make advisors stronger, while earning trust the same way they do — by showing up, following through, and genuinely caring.

On Global Travel Advisor Day — and every day — Expedia TAAP honors the expertise, dedication, and personal touch that transform complicated itineraries into seamless journeys.