When clients tell you they are planning a romantic trip, where does your mind immediately go? Maybe it is an adults-only all-inclusive in the Caribbean, an overwater bungalow in the South Pacific, or a beautiful European escape. Those can all be incredible choices, but the destination shouldn’t be the first thing you decide.
Before you start recommending where your clients should go, find out what romance actually looks like to them. One couple may picture doing absolutely nothing but sitting on a quiet beach together for five days, while another would be bored by day two. They may want to explore Italy, take a cooking class, try local restaurants and fill their days with experiences. Another couple may want adventure, nightlife, or a resort where there is always something happening.
That is what makes romance travel such an interesting market. There really is no single version of a romantic vacation.
Ready to turn meaningful celebrations into opportunities to grow your business? The Travel Institute’s NEW Romance Travel Specialist course explores the different types of romance travel, helping you better match couples with the right experiences and build the confidence to become their go-to advisor for life’s special moments.
Qualifying romance travelers should go much deeper than asking where they want to go and what their budget is. Start with why they are traveling. A honeymoon couple may have very different expectations than a couple celebrating their 25th anniversary. A destination wedding comes with an entirely different set of needs, while other clients may simply want a few days away together with no special occasion attached.
From there, ask questions that help you picture the trip through their eyes. What would their perfect day on vacation look like? Do they want to relax or explore? How important is privacy? Do they prefer adults-only resorts? Are they foodies? Do they enjoy nightlife? Would they rather put more of their budget toward an incredible room or toward experiences they can have together?
You also can learn quite a bit by asking about trips they have already taken. Find out what they loved, what they would do differently and what they absolutely would not want to repeat. Sometimes those conversations will lead you toward a completely different recommendation than the one you originally had in mind.
It’s not about finding the perfect resort—it’s about finding the right fit for this trip. Start with a few non-negotiables, decide the vibe you actually want, and narrow it down to three to five strong options that all feel like a win. Consider the purpose for the trip, the budget, and who they’re traveling with, and you’re 90% of the way there.
—Jay and Becca Dill, Owners, The Travel Junkie
That idea of finding the right fit is especially important with romance travel. Once you understand what matters most to the couple, you don’t need to overwhelm them with every resort or destination that could potentially work. A carefully selected handful of options based on their priorities can make the decision easier and reinforce the value you bring to the planning process.
Your clients can search “most romantic resorts in the Caribbean” or “best honeymoon destinations” and have hundreds of suggestions in seconds. Your job isn’t to give them another generic list. It’s to take all those possibilities and narrow them down based on the two people actually taking the trip.
Even the little touches we tend to associate with romance are personal. Champagne waiting in the room, rose petals on the bed, and a private dinner on the beach may sound perfect to one couple. Another couple might much rather have reservations at an incredible restaurant, tickets to a concert, or an excursion they’ll still be talking about years later. Understanding the difference comes from getting to know your clients rather than making assumptions about what a romantic vacation should include.
There is a business opportunity here, too. The couple whose honeymoon you plan today could come back to you for an anniversary, milestone birthday, vow renewal, or simply their next vacation together. Taking the time to understand how they travel as a couple can help you personalize those future trips, too.
So when a client comes to you looking for a romantic getaway, don’t start by deciding which resort has the best honeymoon package. Start by getting to know the couple.
The best romance travel recommendations aren’t based on what everyone else considers romantic. They are based on what will make these two travelers look back and say, “That trip was so us.”
If Romance Travel is a niche you want to explore, check out the new Romance Travel Specialist course today, and be sure to attend next month’s webinar, Grow Your Romance Travel Business, presented November 18 at 2:00 pm (EST) by Stacey Cabell, CTIE, Senior Learning & Development Manager, The Travel Institute.
