We made it.

We survived the peak booking season, the deposits are paid, and we’re officially shifting into the busy travel season. Right now, your clients are dusting off their passports, unzipping their suitcases and getting ready to head out on the adventures you spent months meticulously planning. And while the booking cycle never truly sleeps, this is the time to think about the potential momentum we can build on.

Because, as we know, just because the booking is done it doesn’t mean your job is. In fact, the most fun part is just beginning. How do you stay relevant once they’ve left the airport or are standing on top of a remote mountain pass? How do you ensure you’re the first person they call for their next trip? And, not just the person they call if they need support on a trip.

Angkor Wat at sunrise with G Adventures

In an era of seamless digital transactions and AI-generated itineraries, the purely reactional travel agent is at risk of becoming a ghost. If you were just the person who processed their credit card and sent the booking confirmation, you’ve become a utility, like electricity or WiFi. People value a utility, but they don’t love it. They don’t tell their friends stories about their electricity provider.

At G Adventures, we have a core value we weave into everything we do: Embrace the Bizarre. We don’t just put it on the office walls; we live it. To stay relevant in 2026, you need to live it, too. You have to lean into the one thing an algorithm can’t replicate: your own beautiful, human uniqueness.

I’m talking about the personalization and the quirks that make you an actual character in their travel story rather than just a footnote in their inbox. We often spend so much time trying to look professional and polished that we accidentally sand off the very edges that make us interesting.

Staying relevant while your clients are on the road doesn’t mean sending a generic ‘have a great trip’ email. Instead, be the person who tells them about the family-run mezcaleria in Oaxaca where the ‘sign’ is just a specific coloured ribbon on a gate. Be the person who challenges them to find the unmarked wooden door in a Bangkok back-alley which leads to an Auntie who’s been stir-frying the same family recipe for 50 years – all without a single social media handle to her name. It’s about sharing those ‘out there’ moments that create a true Ripple Effect, where their joy turns into a story they tell for the next decade.

Embracing the bizarre means being brave enough to give a recommendation that might not be for everyone, but will be everything to that specific client. Whether you’re obsessed with local street art, an expert on regional snacks or a lover of strange folklore, your uniqueness is your gift. That’s how you build a brand that gets repeats; you stop being a vendor and you start being a mentor.

Even your Out of Office message is prime marketing real estate for your brand. Stop wasting it on beige, corporate-speak. If your OOO says, ‘I am away from my desk,’ you’re missing a trick. Make it a vibe-check. Make it fun. Remember, we’re supposed to be embracing the bizarre here. Tell them you’re currently testing a theory that the espresso in Rome tastes better if you’re standing up (it does), and that you’ll be back once your ‘research’ is complete. It reminds them that you don’t just sell travel, you live it.

As your clients depart over the next few months, don’t be afraid to be a little less polished and a whole lot more personal. Ask them to find the weirdest souvenir possible. Challenge them to learn a local joke. Create something fun that makes them WANT to report back.

Disembarking at LUA in Nepal

By embracing the unexpected, you aren’t just booking trips but anchoring yourself in their memories. You’re proving that the heart of this industry isn’t in the technology, but rather the humans who know that the most bizarre experiences are the ones that change our lives the most. And then take it one more step! Encourage your clients to tag you in their social posts, so that you can reshare their memories. Become part of their story and let your clients introduce you to their network. A happy client is always happy to refer you to their family and friends.

Let’s get them out there, and let’s make sure they come home with stories that start with: “You’ll never believe what my travel agent told me to do…”

G Adventures’ VP Customer & Sales Operations and Managing Director, Canada, David Green, shares his industry insights, anecdotes and wisdom every month in his monthly column, ‘G in 3’. It’s a 3-minute read running exclusively in Travelweek Daily.

Lead image caption: “You have to lean into the one thing an algorithm can’t replicate: your own beautiful, human uniqueness,” says David Green (top pic), G Adventures’ VP Customer & Sales Operations and Managing Director, Canada