Dugan's Travels, a host agency founded in 1997, is making strategic investments to strengthen its support for independent travel advisors as it prepares for its next chapter. The agency is focusing on refining its internal team structure, expanding educational opportunities, evaluating technology, and deepening supplier relationships—all with the goal of providing more meaningful support to its advisor community.
Jennifer Dugan, owner of Dugan's Travels, emphasized that the agency's growth is not about size but about improvement. "We've never wanted growth just for the sake of being bigger," she said. "We want to be better. That means continually looking at what our advisors need, what our team does well, and where we can make improvements that provide meaningful support."
Central to these efforts is the support team behind the advisors. The agency is re-evaluating how responsibilities are divided among team members—Christina, Shari, Tracy, Joleen, Cecily, Barb, and Jennifer—to ensure each person's strengths are utilized effectively. This includes refining roles in advisor education, new-agent support, supplier relationships, events, Five Star advisor development, webinars, peer-to-peer learning, and internal processes. The aim is to create clearer communication and stronger support structures for advisors.
Education remains a cornerstone of the Dugan's Travels experience, but the agency is shifting from simply offering more training to creating actionable learning opportunities. The webinar program is being strengthened, and the Five Star community for established advisors will continue to provide advanced development. For newer advisors, the focus is on building foundational knowledge and confidence. Peer-to-peer learning is also expanding through the "Hear From Our Peers" series, where advisors share real experiences and strategies. An upcoming session will feature an advisor discussing how her expertise in Scotland became a specialty, illustrating how personal interests can be turned into business strengths.
Dugan's University (DU) remains a key community event, bringing together advisors, team members, and suppliers for education and networking. The agency is planning future DU events with a focus on shared ownership among support team members, enhancing new-agent activities, advisor gatherings, and supplier involvement. The goal is to make DU an experience that strengthens relationships and provides practical takeaways.
Technology is another area of focus. The agency is evaluating CRM options with an eye toward functionality, usability, and cost, ensuring that any new tools genuinely improve the advisor experience. "We want technology to solve problems, not create new ones," Dugan said. "There are always new platforms and tools available, but the question for us is whether they actually make things better for our advisors and our team."
Supplier relationships are also being deepened through the Inner Circle program, which connects advisors with partners who actively engage with the community. These partnerships create opportunities for education, marketing, events, and business development. Planning for the next year of Inner Circle partnerships is already underway, with an emphasis on providing meaningful value to advisors.
Importantly, Dugan's Travels recognizes that improvement doesn't always mean adding new initiatives. Sometimes it means refining existing processes, clarifying roles, improving communication, or eliminating unnecessary steps. "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?"
The agency's philosophy remains rooted in its founding principles of helping people build travel businesses with flexibility and support. As it moves forward, Dugan's Travels is committed to evolving while staying grounded in the importance of people, relationships, education, and support. "We're going to keep trying things, learning, listening, and adjusting," Dugan said. "What matters is that we're willing to keep looking at ourselves and asking how we can do a better job for our advisors and for the people who support them."
For Dugan's Travels, the next chapter is about becoming a stronger host agency, not just a bigger one. More information can be found at Dugan's Travels.
