Gifted Travel Network

Gifted Travel Network An elevated hosting experience for the luxury travel advisor. Elevated Education • Elevated Support

Our Chief Communications Officer, Sandy Saburn, is taking the stage as a keynote speaker at HAR*Wired 2026 next week. Th...
06/07/2026

Our Chief Communications Officer, Sandy Saburn, is taking the stage as a keynote speaker at HAR*Wired 2026 next week. This is the second HAR*Wired event hosted by Host Agency Reviews where they bring together tech leaders, innovators, and travel advisors to explore how technology is shaping the future of travel. Sandy's presentation will focus on the importance of strategy before systems in travel advisor tech.

To tune in, register at the link in the comment section below.

Recently, a few members of our team had the pleasure of representing Gifted Travel Network at the ASTA - American Societ...
06/06/2026

Recently, a few members of our team had the pleasure of representing Gifted Travel Network at the ASTA - American Society of Travel Advisors Conference in San Diego, California. Jen Cochrane (Chief Executive Officer), Meredith Calloway (Chief Membership Development Officer), Stephanie Jones (Membership Development Specialist), and Brianna Gosden (Partner Relations Specialist) were all in attendance.

This year also marked a meaningful milestone for Meredith. Having received the ASTA Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2016, she had the honor of presenting this year's award to Matthew Wade and Gabriel Gatete (Toggle Travel App).

Thank you to ASTA for welcoming our team and our advisors. What an incredible event to be part of!

06/05/2026

Meredith Calloway breaks down the market opportunity, the economics behind the shift, and why the most common barrier advisors cite (not having a built-in network of high-net-worth clients) turns out not to be the barrier they thought it was.

You have experience, an established brand, and a strong foundation, but you know something's missing. There's a gap betw...
06/05/2026

You have experience, an established brand, and a strong foundation, but you know something's missing. There's a gap between where you are now and what's possible. Blind spots you can feel but can't quite name. Strategic pieces that don't quite fit.

Ascend is designed for advisors on the cusp of luxury. Advisors who are ready to refine how they show up in their business and close the gap between selling travel and operating as a true luxury travel business.

This is a 12-month journey with ongoing mentorship, real support, and a community of advisors doing the same work you are. This is for those ready to move from competent to positioned, and from wondering what's possible to actually building it.

Learn more at the link in the comments below.

Spotlight: Alex HermsenAlex Hermsen has spent his career in finance cultivating the kind of client relationships built...
06/04/2026

Spotlight: Alex Hermsen

Alex Hermsen has spent his career in finance cultivating the kind of client relationships built on trust, attention to detail, and a commitment to exceptional service. Based in Boston, MA, he is now bringing that same standard to luxury travel advisory, with a clear intention to help clients experience the world in a way that is thoughtful, curated, and deeply personal.

For Alex, luxury travel is not about the destination alone. It is about crafting the kind of experience that stays with a client long after they return home, and that philosophy is what will set his business apart.

His bucket list reflects exactly the kind of travel he believes in. He is torn between an immersive journey through Japan, layered with skiing, culture, and food, and an East Africa experience that moves from the wildlife of the Serengeti to a remote conservation camp and finally to the beaches of Zanzibar. Two very different trips, united by the same desire for something extraordinary.

06/04/2026

Some places have a way of slowing your whole world down the moment you arrive, and Slovenia is absolutely one of them. Misty mornings settling over crystal clear lakes, waterfalls tucked inside forests that feel completely untouched, and castles perched on hillsides that make you genuinely wonder if you've wandered into the pages of a fairytale.

Our advisors had the privilege of experiencing all of it firsthand during a Top Producers Club rewards trip, and none of it would have been possible without our incredible partners at , who crafted every detail of this unforgettable trip.

Tag someone who needs Slovenia on their radar right now. 🇸🇮

Eight years building her travel agency on her own terms. Then Sheryl Jeffrey (Cashmere Touch Travel, LLC.) joined our Fe...
06/03/2026

Eight years building her travel agency on her own terms. Then Sheryl Jeffrey (Cashmere Touch Travel, LLC.) joined our February 2026 Travel MBA cohort. That's where things began to change.

It wasn't the mechanics. She knew how to book travel. It was the philosophy. At Gifted Travel Network, we teach what most hosts won't: travel is a commodity; you're the asset. Your positioning, brand, and ability to attract the right clients and build something that scales. That's the difference between running an agency and building a business.

Swipe through Sheryl's story. If you've felt like you were missing something foundational, or you're just starting out and want to skip the years of trial and error, this is what we do.

Hear more from our advisors or leave a review of your experience being hosted at Gifted Travel Network on Host Agency Reviews. Link in the comments below.

Most advisors enter the travel industry thinking that being good at selling travel equals being a successful business ow...
06/02/2026

Most advisors enter the travel industry thinking that being good at selling travel equals being a successful business owner. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way.

Booking trips and running a profitable business are two completely different skill sets. And that gap is what keeps so many advisors stuck. The problem isn't you. The problem is that no one taught you the business side of this industry.

Travel Business University exists to bridge that gap with a comprehensive range of professional development programs tailored to your specific stage of business growth. This June, we're bringing TBU Live for the first time ever, opening our doors to advisors who aren't yet part of Gifted Travel Network.

During this two-day virtual event, you'll get the opportunity to demystify the travel industry and understand what actually drives long-term, profitable growth. You'll learn how to build with structure and support, discover what it looks like to surround yourself with the right community, and see firsthand how experienced advisors continue to evolve their businesses.

Check the link in the comments below to learn more.

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Laura Young, founder of Laura You...
06/02/2026

This week on The Travel Business Unpacked podcast, host Meredith Calloway is joined by Laura Young, founder of Laura Young Travel and a 2026 Gifted Travel Network Momentum Award winner.

After more than 20 years in financial services, Laura made the decision to leave behind a stable corporate career and build a travel business that aligned more closely with the life she wanted. In this conversation, she shares what it looked like to start over while raising three kids, working full time, and learning an entirely new industry from the ground up.

Laura opens up about the uncomfortable parts of entrepreneurship, including learning patience, defining her ideal client, and figuring out how to trust herself through the transition. She also reflects on how relationships, referrals, and clarity around who she wanted to serve became the foundation for her rapid growth.

Laura’s story is an honest look at what it takes to reinvent yourself professionally and personally. For advisors navigating growth, career transitions, or the desire for more freedom, this episode offers both practical insight and meaningful perspective.

Podcast links in comments below.

Most travel advisors start their travel businesses by saying yes to everyone. Kerry Mooneyham of Midwest Travel Solution...
06/01/2026

Most travel advisors start their travel businesses by saying yes to everyone. Kerry Mooneyham of Midwest Travel Solutions realized that approach only takes you so far.

What set her apart wasn't picking a niche, it was deciding to go deep enough that the specialization became real. She invested in firsthand experience across the South Pacific, traveled to destinations most advisors only read about, and built knowledge that no algorithm or booking engine could replicate. The results were client relationships that run deeper, itineraries that honor complexity, and a business that's genuinely hard to compete with.

If you love hearing stories like Kerry's, read the full blog or tune into The Travel Business Unpacked podcast. Each episode dives deep into the real stories, practical strategies, and transformational moments that turn travel dreams into thriving careers.

🔗 Blog and podcast links below.

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