Consultants Foresee Rising Sales Amid Higher Consumer Demand for Their Expertise

As the travel industry continues to thrive, advisors are riding a wave of confidence into 2025. A new survey of advisors affiliated with TRAVELSAVERS and NEST agencies finds 79 percent predict their revenues will grow even further next year.

Demand for Expertise Will Fuel Sales

Driving this anticipated growth is a shift in consumer behavior: Travelers will increasingly turn to a professional consultant for a superior vacation experience. Ninety-three percent of the respondents envision that consumer demand for working with advisors will remain steady or grow further.

“We are clearly in the era of the travel advisor, with the highest demand from consumers that we’ve ever seen,” said Kathryn Mazza-Burney, TRAVELSAVERS Chief Sales Officer and NEST President. “Travelers continue to enthusiastically embrace the guidance of a professional consultant. They’re coming to advisors in record numbers, as they know an expert advisor can customize a vacation for them and turn it into an amazing lifetime memory.”

Despite two years of healthy sales increases and an industry-wide shortage of consultants, most – but not all – advisors would still welcome a boost to their business. Seventy-nine percent expressed a desire to add clients, while 19 percent are satisfied with their current numbers. Just two percent would prefer to downsize their clientele.

AI Adoption Gains Momentum

Another major trend reshaping the industry is the rapid adoption of generative artificial intelligence. The survey revealed a significant uptick in AI usage among advisors:

• 12 percent now use it frequently, up from eight percent last year
• 20 percent use it occasionally, compared to 14 percent in the 2024 survey
• Nine percent say they don’t and won’t use it, down from 24 percent last year
• Despite the wide exposure AI has received recently, 29 percent say they are still not familiar enough with it

Advisor perceptions of AI are also more positive:

• 29 percent now say it’s a great tool, compared to 16 percent last year
• Negative sentiment has dropped from 13 to seven percent
• 24 percent say they’re still not familiar enough with AI

AI Tailored for Travel

To capitalize on this shift, AMG has introduced a proprietary AI tool that empowers advisors to market to clients and prospects in minutes instead of hours. AI Connect will integrate exclusive partner offers into marketing materials such as social media captions, blog posts and landing pages. Trained specifically for the travel industry, the tool learns each advisor’s unique tone, delivering materials that are on brand and on target. 

“If 2024 was about getting to know AI, 2025 will be about embracing it,” said Mazza-Burney. “It’s inspiring to see how, in just a year, advisors don’t feel threatened by AI and are instead harnessing its benefits. With tools like AI Connect, advisors can become more efficient and free up time to capture sales as a result of the increased consumer demand they’re experiencing.”

Survey Results

2025 Sales

• 52% predict sales will increase somewhat
• 27% predict sales will increase significantly
• 18% predict sales will stay the same
• 4% predict sales will decrease somewhat

New Client Prospecting

• 38% looking to grow clientele substantially
• 41% looking for a few more clients
• 19% not looking for more clients
• 2% would like to reduce the number of clients

Consumer Attitudes Towards Advisors

• 53% say consumers will be more likely to work with advisors
• 40% say consumers will work with advisors in the same numbers as last year
• 7% say consumers will be less likely to work with advisors

AI Usage

• 12% use it frequently
• 20% use it occasionally
• 11% have tried it
• 15% plan to try it 
• 9% don’t and won’t use it
• 29% aren’t familiar enough with it
• 3% no opinion

AI Attitude

• 29% say it’s a great tool for advisors
• 24% say it has potential for advisors
• 9% say it’s neither good nor bad
• 3% say it’s not good for advisors
• 4% say it’s a threat to advisors
• 24% aren’t familiar enough with it
• 6% no opinion

Advisors from TRAVELSAVERS and NEST agency affiliates in the U.S. and Canada took the survey from Oct. 29 to Nov. 16, 2024. 

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About TRAVELSAVERS
Founded in 1970, TRAVELSAVERS is an international marketing leader of more than 3,000 independently owned agencies in over 35 countries. Thanks to the buying power of $20 billion in annual sales, its more than 25,000 advisors are able to offer their clients inspirational travel experiences at the best value. With a global reputation for excellence, TRAVELSAVERS leisure and corporate agencies maximize sales and profits with cutting-edge products and services that cater to all needs. Through an exclusive protected territory system, strong supplier relationships, comprehensive marketing suite, innovative booking technology, specialized training and networking, and personalized business coaching, TRAVELSAVERS advisors are empowered to find, retain and delight clients. For more information, visit www.travelsavers.com.

About NEST

The Network of Entrepreneurs Selling Travel is the industry’s first and only marketing group exclusively for independent home-based travel agencies. The company empowers home-based advisors to achieve greater success financially, professionally and personally by championing best practices, solutions and opportunities. NEST helps home-based travel entrepreneurs build their business, keep their identity and maintain control. The network delivers what home-based advisors need to increase their competitive edge and profitability, including a high level of personalized support, award-winning marketing, preferred partner portfolio, education, exclusive networking and events, and innovative technology. NEST also helps suppliers reach the rapidly growing home-based distribution channel with training, motivation, offers and compensation. For more information, visit www.jointhenest.com.