Dugan's Travels, a host agency founded in 1997, is making deliberate investments to enhance the support system for its independent travel advisors. The agency, led by owner Jennifer Dugan, is focusing on strengthening its internal team, refining educational programs, evaluating technology, and deepening supplier relationships. This initiative comes as the travel industry continues to evolve, and the agency aims to better equip its advisors for long-term success.
At the core of this effort is a reassessment of the support structure behind the scenes. Dugan's Travels is reviewing how responsibilities are divided among team members including Christina, Shari, Tracy, Joleen, Cecily, Barb, and Jennifer. The goal is to align each person's strengths with key areas such as advisor education, new-agent support, supplier relations, events, and peer-to-peer learning. Jennifer Dugan emphasized the importance of recognizing individual strengths: "We have talented people with very different strengths. Part of my responsibility as a leader is recognizing those strengths and figuring out where each person can make the biggest difference." This approach is intended to result in clearer communication and more effective support for advisors.
Education remains a cornerstone of the agency's strategy, but the focus is shifting from simply offering more training to providing actionable learning opportunities. Dugan's Travels is strengthening its webinar program and continuing to develop the Five Star community for established advisors. Simultaneously, there is a commitment to helping newer advisors build strong foundations. Peer-to-peer learning is also gaining prominence through the "Hear From Our Peers" series, where advisors share real experiences and strategies. An upcoming session will feature an advisor discussing how her passion for Scotland evolved into a travel specialty, illustrating how personal interests can become business niches.
The agency is also enhancing its Dugan's University (DU) events, which bring together advisors, team members, and supplier partners for education and networking. Future planning includes giving support team members ownership of specific event components to make DU more impactful. "The goal is to make DU not simply an event advisors attend, but an experience that helps strengthen relationships and provides ideas they can take home and use in their businesses," the agency stated.
Technology is another area under review. Dugan's Travels is evaluating CRM options, focusing on functionality, usability, cost, and the practical needs of independent advisors. The agency is cautious about adopting new tools, with Dugan noting, "We want technology to solve problems, not create new ones." This pragmatic approach ensures that any technological investment genuinely improves the advisor experience.
Supplier relationships are also being deepened through the Inner Circle program, which fosters partnerships with suppliers who actively engage with the advisor community. These partnerships create opportunities for education, marketing, and business development, with planning already underway for the next year.
Importantly, Dugan's Travels recognizes that improvement does not always mean adding new initiatives. The agency is focusing on refining existing processes, clarifying roles, and eliminating inefficiencies. "We already do a lot," Dugan said. "Our next chapter isn't about seeing how many more things we can add. It's about looking at everything we're doing and asking: Is this useful? Is it working? Is the right person handling it? And does it ultimately help our advisors?"
As the travel industry changes, Dugan's Travels remains committed to its founding principles of supporting people and relationships. The agency's investments signal a strategic commitment to quality over size, aiming to build a stronger foundation for its advisors. For more information about Dugan's Travels, visit their website.
