The Heart of a Travel Advisor...

The Heart of a Travel Advisor...
And the Reality Behind the Scenes

Being a travel advisor isn’t just a job for me - it’s a calling, a craft, and very much a full-scale business that I’ve built with purpose. When people hear “travel advisor,” they often picture someone casually planning vacations, flipping through brochures, or answering the occasional question about cruises or resorts. But behind the scenes, it’s a whole different world - one filled with structured hours, meetings, research, responsibility, and yes, a lot of heart.

I always like to tell people:
I’m not just a travel advisor. I’m a business owner who orchestrates travel experiences from start to finish.

I take this responsibility seriously...My days are full of set hours, team meetings, client calls, supplier trainings, continuing education, and juggling multiple trips at a time - some planning simple weekend getaways, some preparing for multi-layered international journeys where every transfer, every detail, every moment matters. But whether a trip is big or small, it deserves the exact same dedication. Every traveler who comes to us is trusting us with their time, their money, and often their once-in-a-lifetime memories. That’s not something I ever take lightly.

What Most People Don’t Realize About Travel Advisors

One of the biggest misconceptions about my profession is how we’re compensated. Many people assume we’re like traditional service providers - that we charge clients directly or receive payment up front for our time. But a lot of travel advisors, including my team and me at Sundowner Travel Dream Vacations, don’t charge booking or service fees at all.

Here’s how it actually works:
We only get paid if you book your trip through us.
And often, we’re not compensated until after you’ve traveled.

Our commission comes directly from the travel suppliers - cruise lines, resorts, tour companies, hotels. It’s already built into the price you see online. So whether you use a travel advisor or book on your own, the cost is the same. (sometimes we can even offer a perk or two that is available only though a TA)

That means one thing -
By not using a travel advisor, you’re leaving a valuable service on the table… a service you’ve technically already paid for.

And here’s the part most people never realize:
When you take our advice, use our research, and then book it yourself or book direct - we don’t get paid.
All the time spent comparing options, answering questions, researching dates, reviewing promotions, and guiding you through possibilities… becomes unpaid work. We don’t charge for our time, so if we aren’t the ones who book it, we’ve essentially worked for free.

It’s a small detail most travelers don’t think about, but it makes a big difference for small businesses like ours.

We’re Here to Serve - And We’re Proud of the Work We Do

Sundowner Travel Dream Vacations has been in business for 5 years now, and those years have been full of growth, learning, and the joy of helping travelers explore this incredible world. Today, we’re a team of 11 dedicated associates, and together we maintain a proud 5-star rating.

We don’t just plan trips.
We guide.
We protect your time and investment.
We help you navigate a thousand little decisions you may not even see.
We simplify the complicated, untangle the overwhelming, and bring your dreams into focus.

But most of all, we care.
Every traveler matters. Every detail matters. Every experience matters.

Because being a travel advisor means being part planner, part problem-solver, part advocate, and part storyteller. It means showing up for our clients whether they’re in the early dreaming stages or halfway around the world needing help with a flight hiccup.

Why Choosing a Travel Advisor Matters

In a world where everything seems designed to be “DIY” or automated, the human touch stands out more than ever. A real person who knows you, listens to you, and wants your trip to be nothing short of amazing? That’s hard to replace.

So going forward, if you’re planning a vacation, cruise, family getaway, or bucket-list adventure - I hope you’ll consider using us as a travel advisor, and supporting a small business at the same time.

At Sundowner Travel Dream Vacations, we’re dedicated to helping you see the world - with confidence, ease, and a whole lot of joy.

After all, travel is more than a booking.
It’s memories waiting to be created.

Our Memories - No AI...

To see some of the places we’ve traveled visit TammyDoucettePhotography.com. These images aren’t generated — they’re lived. We’ve stood in these places, breathed in these views, and captured them so you can experience the world through our eyes.

Thank you!

Tammy & James Doucette
Owner/Travel Advisor
Sundowner Travel Dream Vacations