Grappling with peak-season holiday bookings and snafus is definitely not for the faint of heart — a sentiment succinctly summarized by Mark Faldmo, owner of Blue Planet Vacations.
“The holiday season is one of the busiest times of year for our agency — not only because of last-minute bookings, change requests and urgent travel needs, but also because it collides with all the personal events and pressures of the season,” he said. “It can be hectic and stressful.”
McLean Robbins, founder of Lily Pond Luxury, agrees.
“In reality, it’s one of the most load-bearing months of the year,” she said. “We’re trying to make the holidays magical for our own families (thankfully, my toddler still thinks the cardboard boxes are as exciting as the gifts) while managing clients who are traveling and planning future trips at the same time.”
A Juggling Act
During the holidays, travel advisors find themselves dealing with multiple, sometimes complex issues, many of which require immediate attention.
“You’re juggling last-minute trip requests, weather delays and cancellations, and the annual parade of clients who decide on Nov. 27 that the ‘perfect gift’ is skipping presents and going somewhere warm tomorrow,” Lily Pond’s Robbins said. “Layer in year-end billing, supplier promos, spring-break planning and early summer 2026 work, and it becomes one of the most demanding stretches of the year.”
Not all advisors, however, are inundated with bookings during the holiday period.
“For my agency, the holiday period is less ‘peak chaos’ and more the quiet before the surge,” said Debra Hines Brown, CEO of SmartBird World Travel. “January is when things really take off. Wave Season resets everyone’s vacation calendars, self-care resolutions kick in, and clients are ready to make real decisions.”
That momentum carries straight through into February and March — months where workers typically receive annual bonuses and profit-sharing payments, Brown says.
“So, while November and December feel softer, they’re actually laying the groundwork for the busiest first quarter of the year,” she said.
However, during the holidays, SmartBird World Travel witnesses a spike in budgeting conversations from the agency’s executive retreat and incentive clients as they prepare for the next fiscal cycle, Brown adds.
Similarly, Christina Royer, CEO of Anew Travel, notes that December tends to be relatively quiet at the agency.
“I do see a few last-minute requests, but the real surge happens right after — during Wave Season from mid-January through April, when the majority of my new inquiries arrive,” she said.
Managing Schedules and Time
Nonetheless, since the holiday is busy for her staff on a personal level, Royer of Anew Travel notes that it’s important for advisors to be intentional about how they manage their professional responsibilities.
“I keep a very tight schedule during November and December to ensure that I can enjoy the season with the people I love while still supporting my clients,” she said.
For Faldmo of Blue Planet Vacations, effectively managing his time is crucial during the holiday season.
“It starts with giving myself blocks of uninterrupted work time,” he said, adding that he schedules time on his calendar for tasks such as catching up on important emails, finalizing trip documents and being proactive with his customers’ needs. “If I don’t pay attention, the day disappears into a blur of ‘urgent’ but not always ‘important.’”
Royer makes sure she blocks her calendar early.
“I proactively schedule the days and hours I want to dedicate to family so I’m not tempted to overbook myself,” she said.
Robbins, meanwhile, alters her turnaround time for new proposals.
“My normal turnaround for new proposals is five to seven business days; during the holidays, it can stretch to 10 to 14 days,” she said. “As long as clients know this upfront, it eliminates most friction. We retain high-touch service for our VIPs, though. They know they can always text us.”
Robbins also notes that she clusters intake calls on specific days, keeping calls to 30 minutes, and she runs her inbox “in triage mode so true urgencies stay front and center.”
Additionally, the agency reduces the number of meetings it typically conducts and pauses supplier training in November and December.
Setting Clear Expectations
For Faldmo, setting clear expectations is vitally important to both the agency and its customers.“Clients don’t mind waiting a few hours for a reply if they know exactly when they’ll hear from you,” he said. “A simple autoresponder that communicates your response window and after-hours policy takes pressure off both sides.”
Additionally, he suggests that advisors consider declining or delaying non-essential tasks during the peak holiday season.
“When advisors focus on what moves the needle in prioritizing time management, the holidays become manageable again,” he said. “The season will always be busy, but it doesn’t have to be chaotic.”
Royer is of a similar mind.
“Know your limits,” she said. “If a trip request will require heavy servicing during a time I’ve reserved for family, I will politely decline or redirect it.”
Capitalizing on Tech
Taking advantage of technology is essential during the peak-season holiday period, advisors say.
Brown of SmartBird World Travel uses automated intake forms, scheduling tools and standardized workflows to eliminate bottlenecks without losing the personal touch, and she sets firm expectations early in terms of timelines, response windows and other information she needs from clients to keep the booking process moving.
Meanwhile, Robbins takes advantage of email reminders, so anything without a response automatically pops back into her inbox after 48 hours.
“It keeps details from slipping and nudges clients, who are just as busy as we are,” she said.
Staying Ahead of the Game
One way to stay on top on things during the holidays is to urge clients to book sooner rather than later.
“Encourage clients to schedule planning sessions before the holidays so we hit January with a running start,” Brown suggested.
For its part, Lily Pond Luxury finalized client holiday gifting in October and launched its “book early” push on Labor Day, according to Robbins.
“As a result, we’ve already secured 50% of our 2026 target revenue, giving our newer advisors bandwidth to absorb last-minute winter and spring-break requests,” she said.
Prioritizing Self-Care
One big way advisors can avoid burnout during the holiday season is by making time for relaxation.
“I make sure I prioritize rest, reset time and anything that helps me feel my best — it keeps me grounded through the season,” Royer said.
She also schedules the days and hours she wants to spend with family, which ensures she doesn’t overbook herself.
As noted by other advisors, Robbins believes it’s important for agents to say no to customers when necessary.
“Boundaries are the most luxurious thing a travel advisor can have during the holidays,” she said.
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