Mark Hennigan. (Source: Mark Hennigan)
Travel Advisor Success Stories focus on veteran advisors and how they achieved success. Here’s a look at Mark Hennigan, co-owner of Dreamers Travel.
How did you get your start as a travel advisor?
Nineteen years ago, I had a dream of being my boss. I wanted to work harder for myself than I did for someone else, so I started to tinker around with the idea of becoming a travel agent. I applied for a CLIA number and started to attend some local bridal shows, and before I knew it, I was starting to book trips.
How did you build your business over the years?
It took a solid three to four years to get a good foundation of clients as we built a strong foundation by meeting with tour operators and tourist boards, and made connections with the right people at the right time. Then we were off and running.
We built our business over the next 10 years by attending bridal and consumer shows, booking at least three to five destination weddings and five-to seven-honeymoons per show.
What characteristics make you a successful advisor?
Response times and relationships. I respond very quickly to all emails and work very hard to build and forge relationships with my clients so they are not just a number to me. I take the time to make them feel important, something dot-coms and 800-number companies are not doing.
What have been your greatest challenges?
The Zika virus, COVID, crime in certain destinations, and now the sargassum seaweed issues in Mexico.
What are your greatest accomplishments?
Receiving five-star reviews means I did right by my clients, who mean the world to me. Achieving the St. Lucia Tourism Authority Global Piton Award 2022 was truly amazing and totally unexpected, and being inducted into Sandals’ Million Dollars Club was also a great accomplishment – particularly since we are simply a little agency in a small town of 8,000 people in Hampstead, Maryland.
What tips can you provide to advisors new to the industry?
Find a mentor – someone who you can connect with and learn from. I started my agency on my own, and I knew nothing about this industry. I did not know what a GDS was or what a consortium was. I learned a lot of things the hard way, and in today’s world, you do not have to.
Find a niche. Do not try to sell the world; build a team for that. I now have 15 independent contractors who bring more value and depth to our agency. Don’t quit. The only way to fail in this industry or this business is to quit. Work closely with your mentor and keep moving forward.
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