Sarah Kline. (Source: Sarah Kline)
Travel Advisor Success Stories focus on veteran advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Sarah Kline, president of Time for Travel.
How did you get your start as a travel advisor?
My parents were small business owners, and their store sat right next door to a travel agency. While my family mostly vacationed locally, I was fascinated by the idea of seeing the world. After school, the women at the agency would let me ‘play travel agent’ at their desks. I’d flip through brochures and read them from cover to cover, imagining far-off destinations. At the time, I didn’t know it was the beginning of a lifelong career.
After graduating from travel school in Pittsburgh, I returned to Maryland. In 1996, at just 20 years old – and with my mother’s guidance – I purchased the very agency where I once played ‘pretend.’ Nearly 30 years later, that little storefront has become a thriving, multi-million-dollar travel corporation.
How did you build your business over the years?
In the early years, I focused heavily on corporate travel. But over time, I realized my true passion wasn’t boardrooms and business trips – it was in love stories. Honeymoons and destination weddings spoke to me. They were about joy, milestones and dreams coming true.
Once I leaned fully into that niche, everything clicked. Today, romance travel accounts for more than 80% of our business. Bridal shows, referrals and romance-driven marketing have been our backbone, alongside invaluable partnerships with trusted resort brands and destinations.
What have your greatest challenges been?
As a wife, mother of three children in five years, and a business owner, life balance has been an ongoing struggle. My husband and I just celebrated 28 years of marriage, and our kids, now adults in their 20s, quite literally grew up in the travel industry.
My daughter, now 22, works beside me, modernizing our systems and bringing a fresh perspective that’s improved my workaholic ways. My oldest son has embraced entrepreneurship as well, owning several businesses of his own.
The travel industry has faced its share of crises: 9/11, Zika, and COVID-19, to name a few. Each time, I had to pivot, adapt and keep my focus on the future. That resilience, coupled with strong relationships and a passionate team, has kept us moving forward.
What are your greatest accomplishments?
My greatest accomplishment will always be my family – the values and work ethic I’ve passed on to my children.
Professionally, I’m proud of building a business that competes with much larger agencies while staying true to who we are: small, focused and passionate.
I’ve had the privilege of serving on advisory boards, earning top sales honors, and watching my team’s dedication pay off. This, our 30th year, will be especially meaningful, as my mother, who has been by my side in business for 30 years, will finally retire and enjoy the world she helped me sell for so long.
To me, success has always come from passion. I can’t promote something I don’t believe in, and clients know when I’m genuine. At the end of the day, I’m not just selling vacations, I’m selling once-in-a-lifetime moments. Whether it’s a honeymoon, a destination wedding, or a long-awaited family trip, these are experiences people save for, dream of, and carry with them forever. That responsibility defines me.
What tips can you provide advisors new to the industry?
For new travel advisors, my advice is simple: find your niche and embrace it. You can’t be everything to everyone, and that’s okay. Build relationships with suppliers and colleagues, lead with integrity and never stop learning. When you bring passion and authenticity to your work, your clients will feel it, and that’s where success truly begins.
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