Ask-an-Advisor: How Do I Strike the Right Balance Between My Budget Conscious Clients and Maximizing My Income?

This is 2025’s second edition of TMR’s Ask an Advisor series, a regular column where a team of travel advisors tackles questions from others in the industry. All questions from this series have been submitted by readers and vetted by the TMR editorial team. This question comes from an advisor struggling with balancing budget clients and upselling.

Dear Ask-an-Advisor, 

I’m an advisor who has built a solid business focusing on luxury travel, but I occasionally get inquiries from clients looking for budget-friendly vacations. While I want to help people travel, these bookings often take just as much time to plan — sometimes more — and the commission is significantly less. I worry that by focusing too much on these lower-budget trips, I’m limiting my earning potential. 

At the same time, I don’t want to turn people away who genuinely need my help. How do I strike the right balance between maximizing my income and being accessible to budget-conscious travelers?

Jessica Parker, Founder of Trip Whisperer

It’s hard to say no when we’re in the ‘can do’ and ‘yes’ business. However, our time is finite, so we can never help everyone that comes our way. 

Part of my process is to share an intake form to gauge a new client’s budget for a particular trip. I will typically take the complimentary discovery call to address the budget if I believe it’s too low for what they are envisioning. Sometimes, people actually don’t know what budget to say for the length of trip and destination. A good example is Italy. It’s more expensive this year and challenging with Jubilee to find space this summer. The more movements people make on an itinerary, the costlier it gets too. Africa safari is another tough one that people don’t often know what to budget for. It’s our job to guide them, so that their expectations match the trip you’d feel confident to plan. I provide a general daily per person budget to consider, and if they baulk or it’s drastically different, you will have to conserve your time and politely pass on the trip, unless they seem willing to come up. And not begrudgingly, because that’s a red flag and won’t turn out well. 

I always tell them that I have a minimum investment, since I have a limited amount of time and want to make sure I dedicate my full attention to my clients’ needs. I would suggest starting at $10k+ per couple for a week in Europe or $800-1,000 per person, per day for safari since it’s usually based on full board. 

On the complimentary call, I let them know I charge a planning fee based on the complexity of their trip if they aren’t already familiar with my process listed on my website (which you should have to keep people from casually picking your brain and take the inquiry seriously). At that point, most budget conscious folks that don’t see the value in hiring an expert will likely walk away anyway. That is another way to stop tire kickers. I don’t begin planning till the fee is processed. 

Right off the bat, I tell travelers that I can’t book Airbnb because it’s a liability or book with their points. They are able to accrue points with their card and loyalty numbers still. I suggest they use their cards’ Pay Yourself Back option for example or leverage points for the airfare. That sometimes deters people from using an advisor, which is fine and has done me a service down the line. 

You don’t want to take on a budget that you don’t think will reflect your value and turn into much more work. People who see your fee as a big expense will bring a lot higher expectations as well. In that case, you could offer an hourly travel session with a fee to talk them through what you would suggest and allow them to be confident in doing it themselves. You’ve provided help, however, you didn’t lock yourself into the full trip support. Some people just want that validation from an expert, and you’ve provided them a solution. 

Typically, I would suggest taking a River Cruise especially in Europe or joining a group tour that would help their budget go further. Those are easier to book and take care of the arrangements with a solid commission base. You can still provide value in sourcing the right options, insurance, pre-and post group arrangements, and more. 

If you have an IC that works under you or a new agent that is just starting out, you could provide an opportunity for them to receive some new business.

We can’t be everything to everyone, which is why we have to keep our focus on the ideal clients and growing our business!

Jessica Parker, Founder of Trip Whisperer, is a luxury travel advisor known for creating magazine-worthy journeys shaped by her two decades of experience. Her background includes working with top travel editors, organizing press trips worldwide, and gaining valuable insights from her time in-house at hotels. Fun fact: Jessica earned her RYA certification in barge school and dreams of retiring on her own hotel barge in France.

Sarah Bonsall, Founder of Latitude 21 Travel

Every advisor understands the struggle with budget travel. I’ve watched clients who started with modest vacation budgets grow into my biggest luxury spenders. If you’ve got the bandwidth, why turn away potential business? The key is smart prioritization: Luxury clients always come first, but don’t completely shut the door on budget travelers.

I recommend​ working closely with your consortia’s preferred suppliers—they can help boost your overall earnings. And don’t feel bad about being selective. If a budget client has completely out-of-whack expectations, it’s totally okay to professionally communicate that you might not be the best fit for their needs.

Your experience is your greatest asset. Some advisors will tell you to stick strictly to luxury, but I’ve found that magic happens when you’re open to different types of travelers. Remember, today’s budget traveler could become tomorrow’s luxury client, either because they grow their budget over time or refer others to you. Every big spender starts somewhere, and sometimes that somewhere is a carefully planned, budget-friendly trip with a travel advisor who truly meets their needs.

Trust your gut. Every travel business is different; what works for one advisor might not work for another. The goal is to create a business model that serves your clients—and your bottom line—in a way that feels authentic to you.

Sarah Bonsall, Founder of Latitude 21 Travel, is a seasoned travel advisor with nearly three decades of industry experience. Her background spans airline ticketing, government travel management, and call center operations, giving her unique insights into travel services. Sarah now uses that expertise to craft personalized travel experiences through her award-winning agency.

Anna Harrison, Owner & Travel Advisor of Travel Observations 

Congratulations on building a solid book of business and transitioning into luxury travel! I love that you have a heart for helping people experience the world while also recognizing the need to increase your average transaction size to maximize your earning potential. Travel is transformative, and all clients deserve the opportunity to explore it.  That being said, it’s important to find a personal balance between making travel accessible to all travelers while ensuring your business remains sustainable and profitable.

Here’s how I personally approach this balance:

1. Leverage Your Strengths – I focus on destinations where my expertise is strongest. For these, I’m happy to take on lower-budget clients because I can efficiently craft high-value itineraries with great experiences. (I still maintain a minimum budget to ensure I can include a quality hotel and key elements like train tickets or a walking tour.)  This way, my clients feel they’re working with a true expert who enhances their experience with insider tips and recommendations.

2. Set Boundaries for Less Familiar Destinations – For destinations where I lack deep expertise or don’t book frequently, I require a higher minimum budget and rely on in-country suppliers. If I know the clients are not a good match for these suppliers, I decline the request.  Otherwise, I’d spend too much time researching basic information rather than providing high-value, specialized guidance. This mental list of “no lower-budget” destinations keeps me firm in declining requests that aren’t the best use of my time or knowledge. 

3. Know Your Numbers – Run a data analysis on your average booking size and the cost trends for your most-booked destinations. This helps you determine your “ideal” starting budget while identifying reasonable exceptions. For instance, if you prefer a $15,000/week minimum but are particularly strong in Spain, you might occasionally take on a $5,000 trip for Spain because you know exactly how to make it work efficiently.

4. Recognize Reasonable vs. Unreasonable Budgets – The more experience you gain, the better you’ll distinguish between luxury, moderate, and unrealistic budgets. Consider moderate budgets only for destinations that you truly love booking.  And, avoid spending excessive time researching for clients whose budgets won’t allow you to provide quality service.

Your time is currency, and your future self will thank you for setting these boundaries! Wishing you the best of luck in growing your business while staying true to your expertise.

A travel advisor for 10 years and a Conde Nast travel specialist, Anna Harrison is part of the Top Producers Club at Gifted Travel Network and also gives back to the agent community through their mentorship program. She lives in Pittsburgh, enjoying parks, farmers’ markets, and sharing her passion for travel.