Embark on a journey of self-discovery with the guidance of travel coach extraordinaire Sonia Cruz Oro, who joins us to illuminate the transformative power of travel. We're not just talking about any vacation; we're discussing life-altering adventures that challenge your perceptions and foster personal growth. Sonia imparts her unique approach to planning travel with intention, emphasizing the deeper meaning behind each trip and how carefully curated experiences can serve as a catalyst for change. Our conversation ventures into the less-trodden paths of the travel industry, revealing how to align your inner purpose with outward adventures for an impactful and enduring transformation.
This episode offers a treasure trove of wisdom on how to cultivate richer travel experiences that resonate long after the suitcase is unpacked. We examine the value of including clients in the planning stage to create a sense of anticipation and emotional connection to their upcoming journey. Drawing from cultural resources like literature and film, travelers can begin their odyssey even before stepping out the door. Moreover, Sonia shares insights on the crucial role of post-trip reflection in solidifying the transformative effects of travel. Whether you're navigating life transitions or seeking a profound shift in perspective, this discussion promises a fresh outlook on how travel can redefine the contours of your life.
Embark on a journey of self-discovery with the guidance of travel coach extraordinaire Sonia Cruz Oro, who joins us to illuminate the transformative power of travel. We're not just talking about any vacation; we're discussing life-altering adventures that challenge your perceptions and foster personal growth. Sonia imparts her unique approach to planning travel with intention, emphasizing the deeper meaning behind each trip and how carefully curated experiences can serve as a catalyst for change. Our conversation ventures into the less-trodden paths of the travel industry, revealing how to align your inner purpose with outward adventures for an impactful and enduring transformation.
This episode offers a treasure trove of wisdom on how to cultivate richer travel experiences that resonate long after the suitcase is unpacked. We examine the value of including clients in the planning stage to create a sense of anticipation and emotional connection to their upcoming journey. Drawing from cultural resources like literature and film, travelers can begin their odyssey even before stepping out the door. Moreover, Sonia shares insights on the crucial role of post-trip reflection in solidifying the transformative effects of travel. Whether you're navigating life transitions or seeking a profound shift in perspective, this discussion promises a fresh outlook on how travel can redefine the contours of your life.
So this kind of conversation, you know, let it flow. It's natural read between the lines. I agree that it's not easy. It's about listening and you know listening sometimes to what is not said, and it's a skill that you develop over time. But it's important to have this honest conversation and, of course, the client needs to be open as well to ask you this information and as well as the last year with this information.
Speaker 2:
Welcome to the Travel Masters podcast. We're here to help travel advisors and travel agency owners get what they really want from their business. I'm Morris Sims and I'm going to be your host for our podcast. I'm an ex-chemical engineer turned life insurance agent. I've got to tell you, selling life insurance was a lot more fun for me than being an engineer. After a few years, they asked me to teach other people how to do what I was doing. And well, long story short, we wound up in New York City for 20 years. That was quite a change for a young Alabama boy. I retired after 20 years as the vice president and chief learning officer, where my team and I trained over 12,000 agents and their managers to be independent business owners and sales professionals. Now I'm not one to stop working, so I started my own business and I was blessed to find a sweet spot with travel professionals that I was able to help. Now I've got several travel agency consulting clients and I'm the co-founder of the Travel Masters Learning Community, where we provide opportunities for travel professionals to become more effective, efficient and to get what they want from their business.
Speaker 2:
On this podcast, I'm going to be interviewing guests that I believe are going to have a message that can be of help to you. Our travel professional community and I'll do some solo episodes as well with some other stuff that I really think can help you in your business. So, with all that said, hey, let's get this party started with today's episode. What do you say? The travel industry and travel in general all over the globe nowadays has become more I don't want to say complicated, but it certainly is more. There are more options. Let's put it that way. Let's just put it that way. A lot more options, a lot more things to think about as you're beginning to put your travel plans together and your clients are beginning to put their travel plans together with your help advisor to travelers, and she's got some great information to share with us today. So welcome Sonia Cruz Oro to the show.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much for taking the time to be with us today, my pleasure. Thanks for inviting me.
Speaker 2:
So tell us a little bit about what you do and how it all works, and how you go about helping people who are traveling and traveling, I assume, all over the globe. By the way, Sonia is in a little place called Ireland. She's joining us today. All across the big water, Sonia is with us. So thank you, Sonia again. Tell us a little bit about you and about what you do.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, so I'm a travel coach and I specialize in transformational travel. What I do is I work with people who want to make a positive change in their life, usually in the areas of wellness or personal development, and they want to use travel as a vehicle to achieve this change. It's like using travel as a rite of passage. So I created Travel Awakens, which is my business, to help them to achieve these transformations, these changes.
Speaker 2:
Oh, that's interesting, it's very interesting. And then you advise them and they travel all over the world. I guess right.
Speaker 1:
Yes. So with the coaching support that I helped them prepare before the travel experience, we walk through all the steps from where to go, why they want to travel, what kind of activities, everything. So we go through all the ticks of the preparation practice. But also after the trip, I help them to integrate and incorporate the learnings, benefits and insights to their life, which I think this is very important as well.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, definitely, especially when they're going with that purpose, when they're going with that objective in mind, for sure. So tell us what are some of the challenges that folks have that caused them to come to you for your help and your guidance.
Speaker 1:
So I believe that nowadays, travel has become too. It has lost the meaning. Yeah, so it's too accessible, it's too easy Everybody can book a plane, a flight, an hotel and the website, and that's good. But it has become. It has lost the excitement as well of what travel used to be Some of the risk, because it's relatively safe nowadays.
Speaker 1:
So people are looking for some emotion, some feeling when they want to travel and, of course, they want a change out of this experience. But I think helping them to go deeper in the preparation of the trip is important, because otherwise they just go, and this is what happens nowadays, I believe, with the travel industry. It's become over-touristic and these places just people tick boxes and don't really go deeper, don't really learn about the culture, don't really, you know, be involved with the experience. They just see it as a spectator. They just go there, take pictures and okay, I've been there, that's it Next, right. So I think this is some important crisis we are facing in the tourism industry that we as professionals, as travel professionals, we could address and help people to get these feelings and changes they are seeking using travel, which is very powerful catalyst.
Speaker 2:
What do you think is the key to what you do? I mean, obviously there's a lot of communication that's going on. There's a lot of understanding that has to be transferred to you from your client. How do you go about doing that and getting down deep into what they really need and want?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I think it's. Don't be afraid to go deeper with the exploration phase. When somebody comes to you because they want this travel experience, Instead of leading with destination or where do you want to go, what's the budget, I lead with the why. I think it's important to know the reason. And when you really know the why, you can advise them better about all the other steps. So why they want to travel and what's the reason behind the reason, Because sometimes they give you just the basic, superficial answer out of the head. But if you dare to go deeper, you will really find the deeper reason of why this person, what they need, what they are. You know hoping travel will bring them in their life what they are I don't want to say running away of, but you know trying to separate or having a break from, or what they are trying to get closer to, and then you can advise them better in the rest of the job that you are here meant to do.
Speaker 2:
That's a difficult thing to do. What you just described pardon me, is, I believe it's a very difficult skill to develop. It's what we call I would call when I'm helping travel agents is the discovery phase, where we're asking the right questions and trying to go deeper. Can you share with us, Sonia, some of the questions you might use If you were advising me? How would you go deeper? What questions would you ask me if I came to you and said, Sonia, I'm overwhelmed, I just need to get away for a while. I need help to go to the right place. What do you recommend? Where would you start with me and how would you go deeper?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I use something called the why tree. Right, this is a tool that I help my clients to find the reason behind the reason, which is asking why or why this is important. Okay, so if they say, why do you want to travel? Well, I'm just bored, right and OK. And why you are bored, ok, I don't know. I don't have friends, I don't have people to talk with or to do anything activities with what they need actually out of this experience. So you know these questions of what changes or outcomes they expect out of the trip.
Speaker 1:
If we were to talk after your trip we have a conversation again after your experience what would you like to tell me? That has happened? You know to be satisfied with your results. So this kind of conversation, you know, let it satisfied with your results. So this kind of conversation, you know, let it flow. It's natural Read between the lines. I agree that it's not easy. It's about listening and you know listening sometimes what is not said, and it's a skill that you develop over time. But it's important to have this honest conversation and, of course, the client needs to be open as well to trust you with this information.
Speaker 2:
So you're building a relationship as you're asking these questions and you continue to ask, why? More than once. Right, you know, gee, Sonia, I want to travel. I just got to get out of here. Well, why do you want to travel more? Well, I just I need to get away. Where do you take it from there? What question do you ask next?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, away from what, right? And then it's true that the answer will come Maybe it's work, that they are overwhelmed. So if the person is burnt out at work and they are trying to get a break from that, that's great. But if they just have a break, they will go back to where they are, unless they are more aware, right? So if you try, if you help them to see, ok, something else needs to change, rather than this temporary relief that you will have with your weekend spa away, but something else needs to change with your behavior or the patterns that you are doing. So, when you help them the person to realize because sometimes they are not even aware oh my God, right. This is, of course, travel will help you, but you need to do something different when you are back, and this is where it's key that you are going to use this powerful platform as a way to gain more awareness, healing, clarity, whatever you're seeking.
Speaker 2:
So what you're saying is that when you have that feeling and let's assume for a moment that it is work you go on this trip, you take a break and you come back. If you continue doing the same things you've always done, you're going to continue to get the same things you've always gotten right.
Speaker 1:
Definitely.
Speaker 2:
Definition of insanity last time.
Speaker 1:
I checked it right.
Speaker 2:
Yeah exactly.
Speaker 1:
Sometimes, you know, we try to that miraculously will disappear just because we take a break and we will feel better. But why we don't use this for something more lasting, a lasting change?
Speaker 2:
And this goes a lot deeper, obviously, than someone who's just simply trying to help them find the right place and and and be a great travel advisor. Uh, you're taking it a step deeper into what they really need and want and desire for their lives, but in the meantime, you've asked enough questions to find out what kind of a trip is really important to them, right?
Speaker 1:
Yeah. So I think there is a longing for something deeper and more meaningful, even if people are not aware. So, as travel professionals, we can help this person to really, you know, go deeper with the preparation as well, because when they go to the travel agent, they want to delegate everything and just need to show up. But I think it's important to involve them in the preparation because if they don't invest on that, they will value it less as well. So, helping them with resources I also offer them resources which can be videos, maybe reading a book of the place they are going to visit, documentary, even songs, music of the place, documentary, even songs, music of the place help them to be more involved and feeling like they are already there. Before the body arrives there, the soul is already there. So I think this is part of the journey. The journey starts much earlier, well before departure.
Speaker 2:
You know, that's very interesting to me because in the United States, with the travel industry the travel agents that I work with in the agencies we're very focused on many times on trying to take away the stress of building the trip, try and take away all the stuff that has to be done, try and make it so that all you have to do is show up and enjoy the trip, and that, I think, is a good thing.
Speaker 2:
It is a positive thing. But what you're saying here is making a lot of sense to me If we can involve them in learning more about where they're going, learning more about what's going on when they get there and how it's all going to come together, and more information that's going to help them get excited about traveling, that in and of itself, I think, is a very positive thing. So if we can devise a way as travel agents to say you know we're going to take care of all the details for you, but here's some things that you might like to look at to learn more about where you're going, it's going to help you have a deeper experience when you go to Paris or Washington DC or Dublin or wherever you're going to go. That's a neat idea, sonia. Thank you.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, and of course it's going to be also this client that only wants the weekend away, and that's fine. But for the person who really wants something more meaningful, that they want to feel something. Because otherwise what happens if you travel superficially, if you stay in the superficial aspect of travel, trip after trip after trip, eventually all the trips blur between each other. You don't know where you've been, you, you know it's like it has no emotion. So if the trip does not move you, it's not gonna change you, it's not gonna do. You know, stay with with you in your heart. It's just gonna be some nice memory that you have in your book, you know. But, um, yeah, the pictures you're gonna have in your book and you're gonna show off, or that, that's uh, that's also, that is gonna be there for sure. But for those people who really want something more, I think it's important that we get them involved and we help them to anticipate the feeling of anticipation.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, yeah. You asked another question that I thought was very important and one that I like to think. I help people learn how to do, and you were asking them what's going to be different when you get home. You know what's going to make this a great trip. What's going to cause you to come home and call me and say, man, that was a wonderful thing that you did. It's a wonderful trip, boy, that was great and wonderful. If you can find out what's going to cause them to do that before they travel, then you can build a better trip experience for them, right.
Speaker 1:
Yes. So if you know what they want out of this experience, you can help them, of course, help them with activities, destinations, what kind of accommodation, all this, for sure. But also what's important is this time, when they will come back after the trip, that you will meet them again. I do meet them again. I know everybody do, but I think it that you will meet them again. I do meet them again.
Speaker 1:
I know everybody do, but I think it's important to meet them again for feedback, but also this time for self-reflection of what has happened and what they can do after to ensure they implement, even if it's a small change, because sometimes we think about transformation is a big word and we think that they need to do a big change, but sometimes it's just implement something that they did during their trips that they were aware that they are missing in their life and then held them to be accountable and commit to implement. That thing even is is a you know, a work daily, walk in, it can be healthy habit of eating, it can be anything that for this person, oh, I really need that. So helping them to be accountable after the trip is also something important to make sure this person is not going to go back to status quo and help them to be satisfied with the results. So, actually, if you agreed that before the trip they want this out of the trip, that they actually get it and it's something that they will implement afterwards, it's not just something temporary.
Speaker 2:
How many repeat clients do you have, Sonia? I can imagine it's a good number.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, well, people, when they come to me, usually are for important, meaningful trips, sometimes career breaks or sabbaticals or some deeper you know, like spiritual trips, like pilgrimages. So usually these people are going through a life transition or career transition. So it's something I will not say is one on once a life, once in a lifetime, but it's something that is really specific. But if you do this with clients, that I also do, like events, like outdoor activities and events, and of course I have more people that are coming back often.
Speaker 1:
But for these trips that I am talking about, that I'm going deeper, is often something that happens when this person is going through a transition, maybe a divorce, maybe they have lost some significant other, they have the kids grown up and now it's like okay, what I do next with my life? Or they are not happy, satisfied with the career anymore. So it's that point, that is okay, now, what I do next, and I'm going to prioritize myself. I'm going to, you know, gift this trip to me. So it's something that it happens, you know, in these specific moments in their life.
Speaker 2:
I just was thinking, though, going as deep as you are and having these meaningful conversations with folks, and then the key of being able to get with them after they come home. I think that's a wonderful just getting with folks after they've come back from their trip and asking them about it and getting them to re-experience the fun and the excitement that they had when they were on the trip. That's going to continue to build relationships, and those relationships are what bring them back to come to me as a travel agent if I were a travel agent. That what bring them back to come to me as a travel agent if I were a travel agent. That would bring them back to me to plan their next trip if I built that relationship right.
Speaker 1:
So what they really do is they refer you. So they are so happy that they refer you to the friends and family who are going through a similar situation, but, of course, if they find themselves in another you know transition or moment that they really need something like that, they will come back to you because they're happy.
Speaker 2:
Yeah exactly, exactly, and it's not going to happen unless they've built that relationship. And you build that relationship by having those meaningful conversations which start with going deeper in the questions that you have to go deeper with. Going deeper in the questions that you asked to go deeper, would you agree?
Speaker 1:
Sonia. Yes, definitely Maurice.
Speaker 2:
Outstanding. Tell me this Is there anything, any one thing, that you can think of that if you had a group of you know, a thousand travel agents in your audience, what would you share with them to help them in their business?
Speaker 1:
from what you've experienced, so what I really believe that it helps with the businesses well, any businesses but I'm quite old-fashioned in this sense. I really believe in the word of mouth and networking, letting people know what you do and you know, being present in the community. I know marketing online and advertisement all this is you know, is modern and it works well, but for me, what it works is like having conversations with people and explaining why you are different from your competitor and why they should refer to you or travel with you. So I believe this is something that every business owner should do.
Speaker 2:
And if our travel agents have a need to find someone to go deeper with their clients and help them in that kind of transition in life, how do we get a hold of you? How do they get a hold of you to get you to help them with their clients?
Speaker 1:
Of course, they can reach out to me. My website is travelawakenscom. My name is Sonia Cruz Oro. I'm on social media. Feel free to connect and send me a message. I will be delighted to chat with you.
Speaker 2:
Sonia, that's great. That is just absolutely fantastic. Thank you so much for being on our show today. I've learned a lot, and I bet our audience has too, so thank you very much for being here.
Speaker 1:
I appreciate you. Thank you, Maurice.
Speaker 2:
Oh, you're very welcome, and everybody else out there. Hey, y'all, go out and have a great time. Go out and have a great week, enjoy yourselves, and I'll see you again next week right here. So come on back and bring a friend Talk to you then, take care, I'm Maurice Simms. You.