Should You Charge Planning Fees? An Expert Travel Agent Weighs In
May 23, 2023
Implementing travel planning fees can bring more profit into your business and get rid of clients that waste your time.
Summer travel season marketing is in full swing. Every year, Americans look forward to Memorial Day. Yet, we are pained by the many emotions that linger just below the surface. Families mourn their loved ones and look for special ways to commemorate their lives. Before the Civil War, Memorial Day was known as Decorated Day – a day created to decorate the graves of fallen soldiers.
World War I was the next major, American-involved war. Since it was also the first war in which America’s military fought overseas, the name was changed to Memorial Day to honor the men and women who gave up their lives – both on foreign and domestic ground. However, we honor the living veterans that have stepped into those sacred uniforms as well. Every Memorial Day, Americans (and millions around the world) wear a red poppy to symbolize the blood shed by servicemen and women, and the American flag is both vigorously and solemnly raised to full-staff, lowered slowly to half-staff, and then returned back to full-staff at different times throughout the day. At 3 pm, there is a one-minute, moment-of-silence, prayer, and quiet reflection throughout the country, and on this Day, the President also places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
When Memorial Day officially became a holiday in the late 1960s, the Uniform Monday Holiday Act allowed it to permanently take its calendar place on the last Monday in May. Legislatives thought this act would be an added benefit for Americans by making it a paid holiday. Those who worked on this day would get “holiday pay,” and many others would have a 3-day weekend to honor loved ones who serve/have served, spend money, go on short vacations, and stimulate the economy. This is how Memorial Day also became synonymous with picnics, parades, and the unofficial start of the summer travel season. The liberty to reflect, honor our loved ones in peace, and travel “on a whim” are just a few of the things for which our brave men and women have given their own lives and freedom.
Not surprisingly and despite the unfavorable gas prices, millions of Americans still take these freedoms seriously. According to AAA, 39.4 million people are predicted to be on the roads during Memorial Day Weekend this year – an 8% increase from 2021!
It’s not too late to inspire some last-minute weekend getaways for your clients. If you are not able to take advantage of using Memorial Day as inspiration for your marketing content, no worries! You can always start planning for next year. Now is the perfect time to remind your clients to solidify summer vacations before the it’s over. We all know how quickly it flies by.
And, if you haven’t already, it’s time to make the decision. Have you checked out Wanderlust Social yet? It just may be the perfect answer for you. We’ve taken all of our own advice and created bundles which are “turnkey” ready. Wanderlust Social provides marketing content and destination resources for US-based vacation and international travel. We also create special content on topics and events like Memorial Day.
Wanderlust Social provides everything you need to entertain, inform, and empower your potential client.
Join us on Facebook where we share pro tips for marketing and cheer each other on. See you there soon, and we hope you have an honorable Memorial Day!
Implementing travel planning fees can bring more profit into your business and get rid of clients that waste your time.
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