The journey begins here: why these pros became travel advisors

Ever wonder what drives someone to swap a conventional 9-to-5 job for a life of worldly itineraries, airline codes, passport stamps (and the occasional travel hiccup?)

We asked, and travel advisors delivered.

Drawing from PAX’s popular Monday Minute column—a regular Q&A feature where front-line advisors dish out insights, opinions, and advice about the state of our ever-evolving industry—we peek behind the curtain to discover why intrepid pros chose this career path.

The answers are as diverse and human as the journeys they plan. Here’s what people had to say: 

Devyn Perry of Devyn Perry Travel (Toronto, ON)

“After spending 15 years working in corporative advertising and “saving the world, one lipstick at a time” I finally realized I wasn’t happy. The impact that travel has on people’s lives was something I was always drawn to and so one day I walked into my husband’s office and said, “What if I want to start a travel company?” And here I am.”

Aaron Baynton of Wired For Travel (Guelph, ON)

“Truth told? I'm a small-town gay boy from a working-class family. International travel wasn't in the cards for us outside of a couple of Florida road trips to Disney and Universal. When I graduated from the University of Guelph in 2015 (with two degrees I had no intention of using properly – seriously, what does one do with a BA-H in classical studies and history?) I knew I wanted to explore. With my extensive customer service and retail experience, I figured, why not dive into a new challenge? Enter Flight Centre Travel Group and my first role as a 'newie' advisor.”

Sonya Orr of TTI Travel (Vancouver, BC) 

“I moved to South Africa at the young age of four, visiting Copenhagen and Rome along the way. Then, moving back to Canada at age 15, my family stopped in Rio de Janeiro. It was fascinating. My parents have always been adventurous and love to travel. This left an impression on me and I have never felt more suited to anything than being the best travel advisor I can be. Travel is in my blood. It’s important to love what you do and do it with passion, and I can honestly say I do.”

Bruce Holt of Heart of Oak Travel Agency (Ottawa, ON)

“I have always enjoyed travelling and planning trips. I worked at a business intelligence software company for almost 35 years, was a tech lead in global support, and finally ran my own company as an IT consultant. I worked through the pandemic, and suddenly as the world was coming back, all the jobs that required that software dried up. Not wanting to retire, I pivoted and became a travel advisor. I should have done it sooner.”

Faith Sproule of Niche Travel Group (Dartmouth, NS)

“I finished my degree in Western Literature and Civilization, travelled the world for three years, and settled down in Nova Scotia where I opened a small fruit and flower stand. Flight Centre opened a storefront across from my little business, and a staff member mentioned that they were always looking for university-educated salespeople with extensive travel experience. I thought, "That's me.”

Jennifer Meyer of Elevated by Jen (Ilderton, ON)

“I took my first trip when I was nine months old. I went with my parents to visit my Grandmother in England and must have picked up the travel bug early. My real inspiration was my Grandmother. She loved to travel. She lived very modestly and spent all her money on travel and had some incredible adventures. She loved to tell the story about sitting on John Travolta's lap at a bowling alley in California. I wish she was still alive because now that I'm older, I have so many questions about that story!”

Laura Kelly of Elsewhere by Laura (French River, ON)

“I grew up reading National Geographic Traveler with my father, which opened my eyes to the world and sparked my curiosity in learning about faraway places and cultures. Our family travels added fuel to the fire and my passion grew from there, embarking on my own solo journeys after graduation and taking the leap into the industry following my move to a new city.”

Shalene Dudley of Latitude Concierge Travels Ltd. (Oakville, ON)

“I wanted to go to Ryerson [University] as I was interested in their hospitality program. Instead, I graduated with a BA in Interior Design and focused on hospitality. My first job was as an Imagineer for the Walt Disney Company. Many years later, after a life-altering event, travel was the escape I needed to reset my life and mindset. When it was time to get back to work, I decided I needed a major career change and I turned to what I always loved: the travel industry. Coordinating group trips with my friends had always been enjoyable. I found it easy to learn how to make it a lucrative business because I already had the product knowledge.”

Scott Waldron of Gravitate Travel (Kemptville, ON)

I worked for a theme park in Florida in 1995. The hospitality training provided is known worldwide and I just loved it. Making people happy, thinking of the little things they may not think of when they travel. I wanted to show the world to clients using my experiences and connections to enhance their travels.

Stephen Brunetta of Envoyage (North Vancouver, BC)

“A passion for sales. In university, I sold lawn and driveway care packages door-to-door one summer. There were unforgiving days where you could see 100 doors slammed in your face before someone would allow you the time to give your pitch and make the sale. That feeling of earning a ‘yes’ kept me excited to come into work for each 10-hour day on this entirely commission-based job. Granted that working with inbound sales as an advisor is less about selling and more about using travel knowledge and experience to guide clients through the planning and booking process. But you’re still competing with the internet and other agents to present the best possible product to your client to get that ‘yes.’ Coupled with the customer service element to help people solve problems with budgeting and logistics associated with international travel, it’s a perfectly rewarding career choice.”

Want to be profiled in PAX's Monday Minute column? Contact us at newsroom@paxglobalmedia.com!

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.