National Book Lovers Day is celebrated each year on August 9, making it the perfect time to think about an often-overlooked source of travel inspiration: books.
As travel advisors, we spend a great deal of time learning about our clients’ travel preferences, bucket list destinations, and vacation goals. However, some of the best clues about what may inspire a client’s next journey can come from the interests and hobbies they enjoy outside of travel.
Books are one example.
Many travelers develop a connection to a destination long before they ever visit. Sometimes that connection begins through the pages of a favorite novel. A reader may become fascinated with the Scottish Highlands after reading the Outlander series, dream of strolling through Savannah after reading Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, or become inspired to visit Mackinac Island after reading Somewhere in Time and learning about the iconic Grand Hotel featured in the story.
For these travelers, the destination is more than a place on a map. It is a location they have already explored through stories, characters, and imagination.
This creates an opportunity for advisors to think beyond traditional destination recommendations and focus on the interests that inspire travel in the first place.
PRO TIP: What is one piece of advice you would give travel advisors who want to create more personalized travel experiences based on a client’s passion for reading?
For me, it is not simply sending clients to a famous bookstore or a literary landmark. Instead, I try to connect the emotional themes from the stories they love to places, experiences, accommodations, and even restaurant recommendations. When travelers feel like they’re stepping into the world of the books that matter to them, the trip becomes much more memorable and meaningful. And with some simple searches online, through sites like Goodreads, you can quickly immerse yourself in the synopsis of the books they love so you can build them a dream trip, centered around a book, genre, or even a fictional location.
—Kim Motyka, Travel Advisor, Starstuff Travel, LLC
The answers advisors uncover through these conversations may reveal travel opportunities that would not have surfaced through a standard vacation planning discussion.
This type of discovery aligns with one of the most important skills advisors can develop: understanding the motivations behind why clients want to travel. When advisors uncover those personal connections, they are often able to create more meaningful and memorable travel experiences.
In fact, this concept is explored throughout the newly updated Customer-Focused Selling module included in the Certified Travel Associate,11th Ed. (CTA®) program. The module encourages advisors to move beyond simply matching clients to destinations and instead uncover the interests, motivations, and personal connections that help create truly customized travel experiences.
Books also can create opportunities beyond individual travel planning. Local book clubs, literary organizations, and community groups may be interested in traveling together to destinations connected to the stories they love. A club discussing a particular novel could potentially turn that shared interest into a themed travel experience, creating opportunities for advisors interested in expanding into group travel as well.
Ultimately, travel inspiration can come from many places, and sometimes the most powerful ideas are already sitting on a client’s bookshelf.
This National Book Lovers Day, consider looking beyond traditional travel conversations. The next time you’re helping clients build a bucket list, don’t forget to ask what’s on their bookshelf. You may discover that a favorite book is the starting point for their next unforgettable journey.
