Your front desk decides if the $350 trip fee was worth it

A travel advisor charging $350 to plan a trip is no longer unusual. The real news is that the hotel, without asking for it, has become the judge of that invoice. As Hospitality Net points out, the moment of truth isn't in the itinerary, it's at the front desk. If the guest arrives and the receptionist knows nothing about their bookings, their preferences, or the reason for the trip, those $350 vanish into thin air.

Here's where hotels have an opportunity that few are seizing. The advisor already did the job of selling the experience. The front desk just needs to nail it: recognize the guest, have the room ready, add a small touch for a special occasion. That turns an expense into an investment. And those who do it well win a customer for life.

My take: instead of seeing the advisor as an intermediary who takes a cut, hotels should treat them as an ally who brings in a guest who is already convinced. Those who get this will charge more per room and earn the loyalty of someone who pays for a well-cared-for experience.