You don't need a destination picked, a date locked in or a budget spreadsheet prepared before you reach out to a travel advisor. You just need to show up. Here's what the first conversation actually looks like — and why most clients say the same thing afterward: "That was so much easier than I expected."

You have a folder called "Vacation Ideas" full of tabs, screenshots and a note that just says "SANTORINI????" — and you are no closer to actually booking anything. Sound familiar? The problem isn't that you don't want to travel. It's that the internet gives you information without judgment. In this post, we break down the three biggest myths about working with a travel advisor, and explain what we actually do from that first conversation to your return flight home.

The No. 1 thing people ask before they reach out to us — before they tell us where they want to go, before they mention a budget, before anything — is some version of this: "What does this cost me?" It's a fair question. Here's the full answer.