Family And Leisure Travel Agent: An In depth Interview

Looking for a little travel inspiration? Look no further! Megan from Sunburst Cruises and Travel, a family and leisure travel agent, took some time to answer a few family travel questions for me. If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to work with a family and leisure travel agent or travel with young children in general, read on!

Megan By the Numbers

After college I applied to be an Au Pair and was  matched with a family outside of Amsterdam! Being an Au Pair allowed me the opportunity to travel affordably throughout Europe while still having a homebase. I’ve been to15 countries, 37 states, and 3 continents!

I have two children, both under five! We also have a two-year-old Sheepadoodle named Margo who thinks she’s our third child. She loves coming with us to the Washington coast and swimming in the ocean.

Have you always loved traveling?

I come from a family of travelers. Both my grandfather and uncle worked for Piedmont airlines, and my father worked for US Airways, so I began flying at a very young age. However, my most memorable trip was to Europe with my mother at twenty. It was my first time to Europe, and we did a tour through France and Italy. I adored Italy. I couldn’t get enough of the culture, food, the people. I left that trip and swore that I would return to Europe, which eventually led to the Au Pair position years later.

How did you become a family and leisure travel agent?

 I would say that my personal life circumstances, a mother with two small children and a husband with a very demanding career, led me to specialize in family travel. I found myself planning our own travels, searching for the best kid-friendly destinations, researching for hours vacation rentals and resorts, creating itineraries with activities, playgrounds, and restaurants that my family would enjoy! I fell in love with the process and decided to make a career out of helping other families create the same type of travel experience.

As far as my interest in leisure travel, I enjoy helping travelers book trips that allow them the opportunity to explore new destinations at their own “leisure”, whether it be through cultural activities, relaxation, or recreation! Other types of leisure travel include beach tourism, health and wellness, adventure, and ecotourism. Ironically, family travel falls under leisure travel. I have yet to have a leisurely family trip. Kidding. Mostly!

What is it like working with a family and Leisure Travel Agent?

 I’m happy to just book the hotel, but I also offer complimentary activities and restaurant recommendations! If a client is doing a big trip – say Europe for two weeks, and wants me to book hotel, transportation, build an itinerary, and book tours, then I absolutely will help with that! Some clients like being more hands on with their travel planning, while others like to just show up and be wow-ed.

What are some benefits of working with a family and leisure travel agent?

My favorite client is one that has an idea of what they want, but no destination in mind! I love selecting the perfect resort, based on what I know about my client’s travel preferences. That is why the client- travel advisor relationship is so very important. I can be browsing through Travel & Leisure and see an article about a new hotel opening somewhere and think, “Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Smith would LOVE this property..”. When you have that type of relationship you can tailor to their expectations and save time by narrowing down to trips that would best suite them. And time is money in the travel world. Some of the most desirable destinations are booked at least 8-12 months in advance and by working with an agent who knows the ins-and-outs of the business you are more likely to get a room at your dream property!

Another added benefit are the relationships that form over time between agent and industry. Networking is invaluable in this business, and building relationships within the industry allows me to better serve my clients! It’s my job to know the brands that are most reputable for every price point.

What is the cost of working with a Family and Leisure travel agent?

My services are complimentary for all hotel, transportation, cruises, land tours, and excursions. However, I charge a fee of $250 per adult for any itinerary building. That includes planning all the hotels, transportation, activities, restaurants, shopping, wineries, kid’s museum, etc. I truly cover every aspect of the trip!

What is one myth about travel agents you’d like to clear up?

I think many people assume that it costs a ton of money to use a travel agent! Not the case, and often I can save you money. I repeat, my services for most trips are complimentary (!!!!) You’ve got nothing to lose!

What is one trend you are seeing in family travel?

In a post-pandemic world, we are seeing people saying YES to trips now versus waiting till they retire, or the kids leave the house. Travel is at a record high. Multi-generational trips are very popular, and we’re still seeing travelers who work remotely booking longer trips to further destinations! I think more people are making travel a priority and living into the “life is short” mentality!

How do you make time for travel?

Truth moment: our family makes travel a priority, but if we didn’t, then it would be VERY easy to put it off. Especially in this phase of life with small children. Some days I throw my hands up and think, “I can’t even make it out of the grocery store without a meltdown, why in the world would I pay money to take our kids on a trip.” But then the day passes, and I realize how much of who I am as a woman, wife, and mother is defined by travel. My husband and I bonded over travel when we first met- he lived abroad in South America and Africa in his twenties, and I was returning from a year in Holland. We took trips together, with little resources, but had these incredible experiences getting to know each other and building our future together. Our trips are what solidified our relationship. My travel-partner. We decided early on to not stop seeing the world once we had children. And we’ve stuck with it. It’s not easy, but now our daughter (4.5 years old) knows the drill. She grabs her travel backpack and is ready to go. I know our youngest will follow our lead because it’s part of who our family is. We’re explorers.

What advice do you have for families who are nervous to travel with young kids?

Plan the trip for where your family is right now, not where you hope to be. It’s setting yourself up for success. Start small and expand. Try a staycation if you’re nervous or go for a long weekend by car. And then start dreaming bigger, like flying to your next destination. I think the happiest family travelers are those that have realistic expectations and know their own family limitations.

Favorite Travel Destination and why?

This is like asking me to choose my favorite child!!! If I had to pick one destination.. London. I think it is the perfect, especially first-time, international destination for travelers. It is English speaking, often has direct flights from major cities, easily navigable with public transportation, a rich history and culture, incredible museums, theatre, pubs, sporting events, and I LOVE the Brits. I think they are witty and wildly entertaining. And if you want to add on you can take the chunnel to Paris, or the train to Edinburgh.  

Biggest mistake you’ve made traveling with kids?

There is always a delicate balance in family travel of planning for the child vs. planning for the parents. We always try to make sure we are doing something during the day that will enrich our children’s experience because in this case, the saying is “happy children happy trip”. If we can at least find one thing that is exciting for the kids, then usually they are more agreeable with things we like to do, hiking, wineries, etc.

Oh yeah, and naps. We try to stick to the schedule as much as possible without ruining the day. Even if it’s every other day we come back to our room for a solid nap vs going and exploring. And don’t forget the snacks.

I loved getting to know Megan more and learn a little bit about working with a family and leisure travel agent. I thought what she said about travel being an integral part of her identity was so profound. As moms, especially moms of young children, it is so easy to feel you lack identity. I love how she has managed to stay true to herself while becoming a mother.

If you’d like to learn more about Megan check out her Instagram profile . Looking for more travel mom inspiration, don’t forget to learn a little bit more about me too!