Designer v. Advisor? Fee Transparency? Networking!

This week we’ve got Chelsea Martinez from Oasis Travel Network. Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! 1. I'm a relatively new travel advisor specializing in European FITs. I enjoy the researching and itinerary building aspect of it, but I find booking, managing the client's payment and passport details, finding the best prices across various platforms, etc. to be very stressful and honestly some of my clients would prefer to do that part themselves. Are there any travel advisors who charge a fee to just design an itinerary, and then the client can book it themselves and manage their own reservations? I guess more of a travel designer role than a travel agent. I know I wouldn't make as much money doing this as I wouldn't earn commission, but I was wondering if this is a business model some people use. Thank you, I love the podcast! - Emily2. & 3. A bunch of questions have surfaced over our first year in operation. Hoping you might be able to address these over the next few months, if you think they'd be helpful to others. Thanks. - Bill-Professional fees — pricing and transparencyWhat's the best way to describe the fees we charge clients—planning fees, service fees, consulting fees, or simply professional fees? And are there any good rules of thumb for pricing? We currently quote fees upfront, using a sliding scale based on how much research and coordination we anticipate. I've also noticed that some booking platforms allow advisors to build their fees into the trip price. I can see how that reduces friction, but it feels a little sneaky to me. Doesn't that undermine the whole idea of charging clients for our professional expertise?-Making the most of relationships with people who aren't prospectsWe're coming up on our first anniversary and have learned something interesting: We know plenty of people who travel frequently, often with generous budgets, but many of them genuinely enjoy doing their own research and planning. Others already have longstanding relationships with travel advisors. I'm beginning to think we should stop viewing these folks as prospective clients and instead look for ways to tap into their networks. What's the best way to approach that? How do we encourage referrals and introductions without making friendships feel transactional or stepping on another advisor's toes?RESOURCES:Travel Agent FAM Trips: What They Are + How to Find Them + Etiquette https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-fam-trip 3 ways travel agents save you money that OTAs can’t https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/3-ways-travel-agents-save-you-money Our free travel itinerary template for travel advisors https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/free-travel-itinerary-template-for-advisors Travel market research report data on travel agent fee charging practices: what they charge for, how much, fee structures and more. https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/travel-advisor-research-reports/ Host Agency Reviews 2026 Annual Report Reveal | Host Agency Reviews https://hostagencyreviews.com/travel-conferences-events/2026/host-agency-reviews-2026-annual-report-reveal HAR’s travel agent guide to charging fees https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agents-guide-to-charging-feesLeave rating for Travel Agent Chatter on Spotify (https://open.spotify.com/show/1447NIKUGzbRe1apiVJjcl) or Apple Podcasts (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/travel-agent-chatter-friday-15/id1187029258). Here’s instructions on how to leave a review on Apple podcasts (https://support.apple.com/guide/podcasts/rate-or-review-a-show-pod5facd9d70/mac).