The Travel Agent Newsletter, Both Ways

The trade newsletters to read, and how to write the one your clients will open.

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“Travel agent newsletter” means two different things: the trade newsletters advisors read, and the newsletter an advisor sends to clients. This page covers both.

Trade Newsletters Worth an Inbox Slot

Northstar Travel Today, the daily newsletter from the publisher of Travel Weekly, TravelPulse and their sister titles.
Travel Advisor Daily, ASTA’s daily email for travel advisors.
Travel Market Report and Skift for advisor news and business analysis; check each site for its current email options.
CoStar News (formerly Hotel News Now) if hotels are a big part of your business.
Supplier advisor emails from the operators, hotel groups and resorts you sell.

Treat newsletter subscriptions like inventory: review them every quarter and drop the ones you skip.

What to Skip

Not every email that lands in an advisor’s inbox is news. Be wary of messages that promise easy money from travel, ask you to pay to join a “club” for agent discounts, or forward a dramatic story without naming a source. Real trade newsletters name their publisher, link to the original story and make it easy to unsubscribe. If a claim matters to a client, find it in one of the publications on our travel trade news page or in the supplier’s own advisor portal before you act on it.

Writing Your Own Travel Agent Newsletter

A client newsletter is one of the oldest marketing tools in travel and still one of the most effective, because it keeps you in front of past clients between trips. A good one is short, personal and useful:

One destination or experience you know well, with a reason to go this year.
One timely note from the trade news, translated into what it means for a traveler.
One personal line about a trip you planned or took.
A clear way to reply or ask for a quote.

Follow the law. The FTC’s CAN-SPAM compliance guide explains the U.S. rules for commercial email. Only mail people who have agreed to hear from you.

For an example of a consumer travel deals newsletter, see the Official Travel Directory newsletter. Cruise sellers will find more email-marketing ideas on Sellers of Cruises.

Newsletter FAQ

Which travel agent newsletter should I subscribe to first?

Start with one daily trade newsletter and your association’s email. Add supplier newsletters only for the suppliers you actually sell, and unsubscribe from anything you have not opened in a month.

Do I need permission to email my clients a newsletter?

U.S. commercial email is governed by the CAN-SPAM Act, which the Federal Trade Commission enforces. Its rules include honest subject lines, identifying the message as an ad where required, a physical address and a working opt-out. Read the FTC’s guide and check any stricter rules for clients outside the U.S.

Build a Client List Worth Mailing

A newsletter needs clients to send it to. Learn how to start a home-based travel business and build one.

Become a Travel Agent