Vibe Check: 3 Ways to Gauge and Improve Travel Trade Sentiment

Travel trade advisors remain one of the most powerful sales channels for destinations. While AI threatens to replace them, there are exciting reports that travelers are doubling down on working with humans instead of chatbots.

That’s the good news. But challenges remain. In a crowded market, it’s critical for DMOs to understand how their destination is perceived by advisors—the human ones—and take steps to improve that sentiment. Getting ahead of any problems is key to being a travel advisor’s go-to destination.

Sentiment can make or break advisor recommendations. A positive vibe leads to more confidence, more bookings and more long-term loyalty. Check in on your efforts with these three ways DMOs can both measure and enhance travel trade sentiment.

1. Listen to What Advisors Are Saying

Listening is the best way to understand travel advisor sentiment. But they won’t always be forthcoming with it.

Instead, be proactive. Employ surveys, focus groups and one-on-one check-ins to capture honest feedback. But don’t just ask about product knowledge. Strengthen your relationships by getting personal and asking how advisors feel about selling your destination. Ask if it’s easy or complicated, clear or confusing, and probe into their day-to-day challenges to understand better.

It’s also essential to monitor trade media, advisor forums and industry events for perceptions of your destination. A lot is said when travel advisors don’t think destinations are listening.

A great example of how to do this is to host annual advisory boards to keep a direct pulse on perceptions. It’s OK to be blunt in asking, but making a dedicated event out of it makes it feel like more of a give and take situation.

2. Analyze Engagement with Your Trade Marketing

So much of your own internal marketing data can reveal insight to travel advisor sentiment. If the engagement is low, it’s not just because they’re all busy. Your efforts are missing the mark.

Track open rates, click-throughs and engagement with newsletters, webinars, trainings and anything else you send out to travel advisors. Measure it to other destination campaigns you deem successful. If it’s not stacking up, you at least know your messaging isn’t resonating or isn’t relevant for a particular group of travel advisors.

And be sure to use CRM data to track which advisors are actually converting leads into sales. By knowing who is selling your destination, you can identify what’s different about them and find solutions for those who aren’t so successful.

3. Actively Improve Perceptions Through Relationships

Observations and data collection are only useful if destinations proactively apply the lessons learned. That means providing practical, easy-to-use sales tools like itineraries, training modules and client-ready assets. It also means offering responsive support with quick answers, helpful follow-ups and clear booking pathways. The more streamlined their experience is, the more likely travel advisors are to feel good about working with you.

And another way to improve travel advisor sentiment is simple: celebrate them however you can. You show advisors you’re invested in their success by spotlighting top sellers and building co-op opportunities. Destinations that invest in in-market events, roadshows or advisor fam trips see stronger sentiment because advisors experience support firsthand.

Measuring and improving travel trade sentiment isn’t optional—it’s essential for DMOs competing for advisor attention. By listening, analyzing and acting, destinations can build stronger relationships, strengthen their reputation and ultimately secure more bookings.

Positive trade sentiment means long-term growth in advisor-driven travel. And as long as human travelers keep seeking human travel advisors, that growth won’t slow.

Want to know more if your travel advisor sentiment is where it should be? Get in touch with Karyl Leigh Barnes at karyl.barnes@aboutdci.com to tap into DCI’s travel trade expertise.