Wave Season

The Learning Lounge

Where IV Agents come to learn, grow, and stay in the know.

December 4, 2025

GETTING READY FOR WAVE SEASON

Every year at the start of the new calendar, the travel industry enters a special booking period known as wave season. Originally a cruise-industry term, wave season now impacts nearly every corner of the travel business.

What is wave season?

Wave season traditionally spans January through March, when travelers filled with new-year motivation begin planning and booking vacations for the coming year (and beyond). In the cruise industry it was once almost exclusively this “big booking moment” when operators offered deep deals and extra perks.

How it has evolved

While wave season started as a cruise-industry phenomenon, it’s no longer just about cruises. Booking windows for many types of vacations — sailings, land-based resorts, river cruises, all-inclusive packages — are shifting earlier, promotions are stretching out, and savvy agents are capitalizing on the same “early-year momentum” for multiple travel products. The best deals often launch even before January and luxury and expedition travel are entering the wave season conversation. Also, because client travel planning is happening earlier and deals are more complex, being ready is more important than ever!

What This Means for Travel Agents

This is one of the year’s highest-opportunity windows: clients are actively looking, budgets may be refreshed, and booking momentum is strong.
Product availability and perks (the “extras” clients love) are often best early in the year.
Being ahead of the wave means you position yourself as the go-to advisor when the client’s conversations shift from “should I travel” to “where should I go and who should I talk to.”
This is a great opportunity to reconnect with clients and follow up on warm leads.

How Travel Agents Can Prepare for Wave Season

Review past inquiries and upcoming travel plans – Look at clients who reached out early this year or in late 2024, anyone who said “maybe next year,” or travelers who especially love cruises or all-inclusive resorts. They’re often the first to book during wave season.
Build your outreach and content ahead of time – Use your social channels, email list, and network to create excitement. Share helpful content like “Why January is the time to book” or “Top destinations you may not have considered” so you’re top-of-mind when clients begin booking. Most importantly, educate your audience. Your knowledge builds trust, and people are far more likely to watch or read something that genuinely helps them rather than scroll past yet another sales post.
Set up your workflow for success – Get your workspace and digital tools in order. Bookmark your go-to preferred supplier portals, gather current promotions, update your templates (quotes, credit card authorizations, travel insurance declination, booking lifecycle emails), and make sure all your materials and online spaces reflect the correct year—update your website, documents, and any automated messages as we head into 2026. Review your notes from recent trainings. A little prep now ensures you’re ready to respond fast when clients reach out.
Maximize your rewards – With the surge of bookings during wave season, it’s easy to forget to log your sales with supplier rewards programs. Take a moment after each booking to submit it. Many programs offer valuable perks — from gift cards to free nights to bonus commission opportunities — but only if you record your bookings.
Commission tracking – Be sure to log your commissions as soon as possible. It’s much easier to record everything while the details are fresh. Double-check that you’re entering the correct confirmation numbers and upload all required backup documentation at the same time. A quick, consistent process now will save you time and prevent headaches later. Plus, seeing your commissions add up can be a pretty great motivator. 😉
Pro-Tip – Join reputable Facebook travel agent groups such as Travel Leaders Network Community, Vacation Express Travel Agents , Carnival Funnel Faves Travel Advisor Forum, The Resorts of the Riviera Maya, Mexperts (paid membership required) and many more! These types of groups can be a wealth of information when used correctly. Start by searching past conversations about the topic you need help with, chances are another agent has already asked the same question, and the comments may include answers, helpful tips, and occasionally even contact information you won’t find publicly. Always verify the information before presenting it to a client.

Wave season works best when you’re ready for it. Take time now to organize your tools, review preferred suppliers promotions, and brush up on the destinations and products you want to promote. Revisit past inquiries, reconnect with warm leads, and make sure your marketing channels are active and up to date. When the momentum hits in early January, you’ll be positioned to move quickly, present strong options, and capture bookings while availability and promotions are at their best.

EXCLUSIVE IV AGENT DISCOUNT: If you are interested in signing up for a Mexperts membership, use the code: INTERNATIONALVACATIONS for a 15% discount! You can sign up using this link: MEXPERTS MEMBERSHIP SIGN UP