A Conversation with MJ Markham of MMarkham Travel
Every Friday, I interview a different traveler for my Instagram account and Facebook page. I also link to some of the longer interviews on my Conversations With Travel Pros page.
I love following along and sharing their journeys. Find the full recap below from my Q&A with MJ Markham of MMarkham Travel.
Background
I first learned about MJ and her travel advisory business from Christine Pittman, the founder of two high-traffic food blogs, Cook the Story and the Cookful, who interviewed me for her podcast, TMI with Christine. After hearing about MJ’s fascinating story from Christine, I asked for an introduction. Find the full recap of my conversation with MJ below.
On Becoming a Travel Advisor
Q: MJ, you have an impressive background. Can you tell me more about why you decided to become a travel advisor?
Like many travel advisors, I started becoming interested in this work because of my passion for travel and because I have always loved planning vacations for my family. For me, the research time that goes into planning an itinerary has always been incredibly fun and gratifying.
My background is in medicine, however—I’m a board-certified medical oncologist. In my many years of caring for people with cancer, one theme that I hear over and over again, especially when someone is too sick to travel anymore or nearing the end of life is regret over vacations never taken. This has resonated deeply with me in my personal life.
I want to help other people travel in authentic, meaningful ways so that they can live life to their fullest, explore this beautiful world, and make priceless memories with those they love.
I don’t want to have these regrets at the end of my life, so when I have opportunities to travel and make memories, I seize upon those. All of this has factored into why I became a travel advisor.
I want to help other people travel in authentic, meaningful ways so that they can live life to their fullest, explore this beautiful world, and make priceless memories with those they love.
How Travel Advisors Can Help & Where To Find Them
Q: Independent travel planning often takes hours. For people who do not love this process or the time it requires, how can an advisor help? How and where can they find a good advisor?
First and foremost, a travel advisor saves their clients time and headaches. For example, I do all of the research and groundwork for my clients’ vacations. I create personalized itineraries based on the individual travel style of the client and their specific wants and needs.
I have cultivated strong relationships with industry partners that allow me to create custom itineraries filled with immersive experiences from the best local guides, special VIP amenities, and personalized service from start to finish. Travel advisors have the knowledge and resources at their fingertips in order to help our clients sort out changing travel restrictions and COVID-related entry rules, and we are in your corner when things go wrong.
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) has a consumer-focused website (Travelsense.org) that is a great resource when looking for an advisor you can trust. You can search for ASTA Verified advisors this way. Another great resource is Virtuoso’s Find A Travel Advisor page.
Helping Clients Figure Out Where To Travel
Q: When your clients do not know where they want to travel, how do you help them decide?
Many people have decision paralysis when faced with so many amazing vacation destinations. After I receive an initial inquiry, I have a consultation phone call with a client to really delve into the travel style of the client.
During this call, I ask lots of questions that really help me to understand who my client is and what type of vacation may be right for them.
For example, I ask about what their most memorable travel experience was. I’ll ask about the most memorable hotel experiences, favorite activities, least-favorite activities, favorite types of foods, and more.
The answers to these questions help me come up with some vacation ideas for the client that I think would be just right for them.
MJ's Favorite Place To Travel
Q: Do you have a favorite travel destination? Where is it? And why is it your favorite?
I sometimes feel I’m betraying a destination when I list a different destination as a favorite. Silly, right? I have loved all of my vacation destinations, but my top of mind right now is Paris. This is the place I could visit over and over again and always find new things to explore, new ways to savor that city.
Where To Find MJ
Find MJ via her website MMarkham Travel, featured below. Or on either of her social media sites, also shared below.
Discover more traveler interviews here. Or sign up to receive my Discovery e-newsletter for more Q&As and helpful travel tips. You will receive a free trip budget calculator as a thank you for signing up.
Hi, I am Janice and and I run the Gather and Go Travel blog. I am a travel writer, blogger, and bookhound, specializing in family and group travel. I have traveled extensively domestically and internationally to 40+ countries. I am fascinated by other cultures, religions, and languages—and love to share what I have learned in my writing. For more on my background, read my bio, our story, and how to work with me.
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