Monday Minute: Tracy Sinclair of Ultimate Destination Weddings

The Monday Minute is a weekly feature in PAX that highlights the movers, shakers, leaders and rule breakers of Canada's travel advisor community. Wanna be profiled? Wanna nominate someone? Email newsroom@paxglobalmedia.com!

Name: Tracy Sinclair

Name of business: Ultimate Destination Weddings

Where do you live?
Brantford, Ontario.

How long have you been a travel advisor?
Wow, I guess it’s been almost 30 years now!

What is your specialty?
Destination weddings are my specialty. I’ve been specializing in them since 2009, helping couples plan everything from intimate celebrations to large wedding groups with well over 100 guests.

What inspired you to become a travel advisor?
My love for travel started in my teenage years. The more I travelled, the more curious I became about the world, different cultures and the experiences that travel can create. That passion inspired me to pursue a career in the industry.

I enrolled in the Travel & Tourism program at Mohawk College in Hamilton, and it quickly confirmed that I’d found the right career path. I’d also previously completed a small business management course, which I didn’t realize at the time would become incredibly valuable when I launched my own agency, Ultimate Destination Weddings, in 2015.

Looking back, it’s funny how everything came together. What started as a love for travel eventually grew into a career that has allowed me to help thousands of clients create some of the most meaningful memories of their lives.

What’s the first trip you ever took?
The first big trip I ever took was to Spain when I was 16. It was also my first time flying. It was an incredible experience and opened my eyes to the excitement of exploring a new country.

A couple of years later, I travelled to Switzerland and France with my Girl Guide group after fundraising for the trip. We stayed at one of the Girl Guide World Centres in Switzerland, and that experience truly sparked my love of travel. From that point on, I knew I wanted to see more of the world.

What travel trends are you seeing these days?
One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the destination wedding industry is that couples are planning much further in advance. We already have several destination wedding groups confirmed as far out as November 2027, and we’re receiving a growing number of inquiries for 2028.

I think couples want to secure their preferred wedding date, resort and group pricing early, and we’re encouraging them to do exactly that. We’re also continuing to see very competitive group rates despite the added fuel surcharge, making it a great time for couples to start planning.

Of all the bookings you’ve made, which itinerary and/or travel package are you most proud of?
I would have to say some of the destination wedding groups I’ve planned that have ended up exceeding 120 guests. Seeing that many family members and friends travel together to celebrate with a couple is incredibly rewarding.

While they’re exciting, they’re also among the most complex bookings to manage. Coordinating flights, room assignments, guest questions and special requests while ensuring everything runs smoothly for such a large group takes months of planning and organization. Knowing that I helped create a seamless experience so the couple could simply enjoy their wedding day and celebrate with all their loved ones is something I’m incredibly proud of.

Those are the bookings that remind me why I love what I do.

What’s the most memorable trip you ever took?
Without a doubt, it was a privately guided tour through Egypt and Jordan in 2015. It completely opened my eyes to different cultures and ways of life, as well as the incredible history of the region.

Standing before the Pyramids of Giza, cruising the Nile River, exploring ancient temples and connecting with local people left a lasting impression on me. It gave me a deeper appreciation for history, culture and the privilege of experiencing the world beyond what we see in books or online.

Where do you see your business one year from now? What are your future goals?
I see our team continuing to grow as we expand the services we offer through our new sister company, Ultimate Travel. While destination weddings will always be our focus, we’re excited to help more clients with leisure travel and non-wedding group travel as well.

I’m also looking forward to bringing back The Ultimate Destination Wedding Show in February 2027. After several successful years before the pandemic, we’re excited to host it once again at Toronto’s Palais Royale, bringing together engaged couples and our trusted travel and wedding partners.

Above all, my goal is to continue growing our destination wedding business, creating unforgettable experiences for our couples and their guests and building a team that’s passionate about exceptional service.

What’s one new skill you’ve acquired recently?
One of the biggest skills I’ve developed this year is social media marketing. Before taking it on myself, I had very little experience creating reels or planning content, so it was well outside my comfort zone.

It was challenging at first, but through plenty of trial and error, I’ve learned so much along the way. Since taking over our social media, we’ve grown our audience, increased engagement and connected with more couples beginning to plan their destination weddings.

What’s one thing you would change about the travel industry?
I’d love to see a greater emphasis on mentorship and structured training for new travel advisors entering the industry.

Meeting TICO’s requirements is only the beginning. Becoming a knowledgeable travel advisor takes experience, ongoing education, firsthand travel and learning from experienced professionals.

As our industry continues to grow, it’s important that new advisors receive the guidance they need to build confidence and develop the skills required to properly support their clients. Loving to travel and selling travel are two very different things.

Our responsibility is to ask the right questions, understand our clients’ expectations and recommend the experience that’s right for them, not simply the one that fits a budget.

When advisors are well trained and supported, clients receive better guidance, have better travel experiences and gain confidence in the value of working with a travel professional.

What’s the secret to being successful in this business?
I think the secret to being successful in this business is being your authentic self, treating your clients like friends and taking care of them the way you would want to be taken care of.

When you genuinely care about people, it creates lasting relationships based on trust. Those relationships naturally lead to repeat clients and referrals because people remember the experience you gave them.

I also believe in focusing on what you do best and giving it your all. Stay positive, trust the process and know that every challenge presents an opportunity to learn and grow.

Finally, never stop learning and travelling. There is nothing more valuable than sharing your own firsthand experiences with clients and using that knowledge to help create unforgettable journeys.

What is your motto?
My family knows my motto all too well: “Always be prepared!” When I read this question to my son, he answered without hesitation: “Always be prepared!” I like to think it’s taught him the importance of thinking ahead.

Being prepared has become one of my greatest strengths, both personally and professionally. In the travel industry, especially when planning destination weddings and coordinating large groups, being prepared and anticipating the unexpected helps ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

What is your number one piece of advice to other travel advisors?
Find your niche and become an expert in it.

The travel industry is incredibly broad, and you don’t have to be everything to everyone. Early in my career, I chose to focus exclusively on destination weddings, and that decision shaped the business I have today. By specializing in one area, I was able to truly master my craft, build strong supplier relationships and become known for what I do best.

Don’t be afraid to say no to opportunities that don’t align with your expertise. Instead, focus your energy on continually learning, travelling and becoming the best in your chosen niche. Clients value specialists, and when you’re passionate and knowledgeable about what you do, your confidence shows — and so do the results.

I believe success comes from staying true to your strengths, delivering exceptional service and continuing to grow professionally.

Where are you travelling next?
Next up is Jamaica! This November, I’ll be travelling with my team on our annual private FAM trip, hosted by Palladium Hotel Group.

It will be our team’s first trip to Jamaica together, and I’m looking forward to experiencing the destination and resorts firsthand. It’s a great opportunity to strengthen our knowledge so we can better serve our destination wedding couples. Spending a few days in the Caribbean with an amazing team is always a bonus!

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