If you’re hearing the voice in your head whispering “Do I really belong here?” especially as a travel advisor juggling bookings, margins and growing a business, you’re not alone. In this episode, we explore imposter syndrome through the lens of the travel industry, and walk away with real tools to reclaim confidence.

What is “imposter syndrome” and why does it matter

“Imposter syndrome” describes the persistent belief that you’re somehow a fraud, even when you have evidence of your success. Originally identified in high‑achieving women in academia, it’s now understood to affect people regardless of gender, role or accomplishment.

For travel advisors, this matters because you sit at the intersection of entrepreneurship + expertise. You’re both the brand and the destination expert. You’re expected to know things that no one expects you to know, and deliver service to clients who may feel like they’ve “done it all” already. As Kerry Dyer lays out, that setup creates a perfect breeding ground for imposter syndrome.

“Everyone feels that, oh my gosh, wait moment of whatever that is… do I deserve to be in this room?”
— Kerry Dyer

Why travel advisors face it in a unique way

Kerry points out several triggers that are very specific to our industry:

• There’s no official degree for being a travel advisor; clients often don’t see the years of learning behind the scenes.
• The product (travel) is accessible to everyone. Anyone can go online and book many of the same things you sell, which makes you feel like, “Why do they need me?”
• When you grow your business, you’re also dealing with entrepreneurial stress: margins, operations, scaling, delegating.

She shared how the more accolades or success you receive, the more anxious it may make you feel, because the goalposts keep moving. This aligns with what research shows: the more you achieve, sometimes the more imposter feelings creep in.

Identifying your version of imposter syndrome

One of the most helpful parts of Kerry’s talk was her breakdown of types of imposter‑feelings (drawing on the model from Dr. Valerie Young):

• The Perfectionist: Everything must be flawless. If it’s not, that feels like failure.
• The Expert: You believe you must know it all. Any gap = you don’t belong.
• The Soloist: You feel you have to do everything alone. Delegation feels like weakness.
• The Natural Genius: You think competence should come easily; if it’s hard, you’ve failed.
• The Super‑Human: You juggle many roles and feel you must excel in all.

Kerry gives an example of the “Expert” type: she asked Jennifer if she ever froze because she didn’t know something at an industry event (even though she’s clearly a high‑performer). That moment of doubt — “Maybe I don’t belong at ILTM” — is classic imposter syndrome.

Strategies to reframe self‑doubt and build confidence

Here are the practical tools Kerry shared (tailored for you as a travel advisor):

Delegate and let go of “perfect”

You don’t have to do every task yourself. Kerry says: “Allow yourself to let go of tasks and delegate … whether that is an assistant, your partner, your host agency.”
When you’re spending precious time doing visa apps that your client could manage (with your guidance), you’re playing yourself short. Let go of the broccoli on the side of your plate.

Define your expertise as your client, not just the destination

Kerry’s line: “You are not an expert in any one destination. You are an expert in the client.”
This is so powerful because it shifts the focus off the impossible standard (“know every inch of Italy”) to something you can control, your client’s experience, their behaviors and their travel goals. That’s real expertise.

Identify your “type” and pick one small tool to start

Kerry suggests: identify which type of imposter you are, then pick one tool to begin.
For example, if you’re a Perfectionist type: aim for “excellent” not “perfect” (echoing Michelle Obama’s quote: “They weren’t striving for perfect, but managed somehow to always be excellent”).
If you’re an Expert type: lean into your client‑expertise rather than trying to know everything about the destination.

Engage your community and trust the process

Kerry emphasizes the value of surrounding yourself with peers via mentor programs, Slack groups, host agencies: “If you don’t link into them, you’re leaving a lot on the table.”
Also, progress comes from reps. Crawl → Walk → Run. The first time you design a complex itinerary doesn’t have to be perfect. The next time is better.

Set clear boundaries: presence over productivity

Kerry gives a reminder that being present matters. She tells the story of being on her phone at a daughter’s recital, trying to respond to a client, and explains how she missed the moment when she went to serve the client. Her takeaway: choose presence. You’re in a 24/7 world, yes, but you’re still human, still the brand. Structure is great service. Set your boundaries. When you say: “I’m offline at 5pm; emergencies only,” your clients won’t think less of you. They’ll respect you for it.

Still not sure how to set boundaries? This masterclass gives you a foolproof method.

How to apply this in your travel business starting now

Here’s how to take action in the next 30 days:

• Pick one area where you feel the most fraud‑type doubt (e.g., “I don’t belong at that supplier dinner” or “What if the client knows more about the hotel than I do?”)
• Write a simple affirmation: “My value lies in how I guide my client’s journey from idea to memories.”
• Track one win each week (client feedback, referral, booking milestone) in a “wins journal” to counter the internal critic.
• Review your workload: delegate one task you’re doing out of habit, not expertise (visa coordination? pre‑trip document compilation?).
• Unplug for one evening this week. Set a boundary, choose presence over productivity.

Final takeaway

The truth is: you’re not going to out‑smart imposter syndrome. You’re going to out‑work it, out‑feel it, and out‑choose it. As Kerry says: “Nobody knows what they’re doing before they do it… growth happens outside of your comfort zone.”

You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be present, committed and willing to show up as the person your clients trust. If you keep doing that, you’ll build not just a thriving travel business, but the mindset that goes with it.