- Joe O'Connor
- Aug 28
- 9 min read
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Honeymoons often mark the beginning of a new chapter in a couple’s life, but for Erica and Shanticleer Graham, theirs sparked a whole new story.
Fresh from the highs of a hot air balloon ride in Morocco, they found themselves wondering what it would be like to share their unique travel experiences with others.
In a way, they’d already been doing it for years on Instagram. But, what if they could turn their love of travel into a business by helping others plan the same kind of adventures?
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Scratching an itch
Back then, both Erica and Shanticleer were grinding it out in the corporate world, “overworked, underpaid and stressed out,” as Erica puts it. Although they traveled regularly with their jobs, Erica never felt the same thrill as when she was discovering new and far-flung places.
Shanticleer encouraged Erica to put together a plan on how to start a travel business. On paper, it made perfect sense. Erica’s social media followers were frequently reaching out to her for travel advice, while her community in Georgia was crying out for a travel agent they could trust.
“I was thinking, I should be getting paid for this information instead of answering emails and DMs,” says Erica. “Travel is life for me. So, it was a natural progression to go into the travel business. There was nothing else that I wanted to do.”
But the newlyweds didn’t jump in right away. Instead, they paid off their personal loans and became more financially independent in the months that followed. They also put some of their travel business ideas to the test, hosting group trips and exploring ways to make money as a travel agent.
Once Erica and Shanticleer realized the potential, they decided to go all in on starting a business.
Naturally, the couple needed a travel business name. They’d already been tagging their personal travel photos with #paperplanesandpassports, so when they found that domain available, the name was decided.
Papers, Planes and Passports had taken flight.
Democratizing travel
In the nine years since, Paper, Planes and Passports has organized once-in-a-lifetime trips for hundreds of clients—many of whom have never owned a passport, let alone traveled abroad.
As a full-service travel agency, it books trips for clients and even offers hosted trips, where the couple joins the tour and manages the group on the ground. To date, Erica and Shanticleer have visited five continents and 60+ countries, building strong partnerships with local tour operators and hotels along the way.
Their planned trips for 2025 and beyond scream ‘adventure’ and include destinations like Colombia, Thailand and even Antarctica.
Erica’s travel credentials are impressive, yet she’s most proud of the trust her clients have placed in Papers, Planes and Passports and the doors that have been opened for minority communities to travel the world.
“One of the reasons why I started Papers, Planes and Passports was to provide more opportunities for people to travel,” she says. “Some have only dreamed of going places across the globe, but having our travel agency has allowed us to help not only people get their first passport, but take their first trips with us, and then do it independently afterwards. Seeing that progression is very rewarding.”
A business not for the faint-hearted
When Paper, Planes and Passports started out, Erica and Shanticleer both had passports full of stamps. But not even their extensive travel experience could have prepped them for their company’s first big client trip.
Eight days before they were due to travel to Thailand, flights for their 12 guests were canceled. Worse, the dates were set in stone.
“I basically had to find a new destination for 12 people in seven days within the same budget, because I didn't want to ask people for more money,” explains Erica.
The couple quickly researched other options for the same period, settling on Egypt as an alternative. While Erica was apprehensive about telling her clients, they all trusted her judgment and agreed to come on board.
“The flights worked out, and I believe it ended up being a more meaningful trip,” says Erica. “Ultimately, we had grown men shedding tears inside the first pyramid ever built because they had touched the hieroglyphics on the walls. They couldn't believe that they were actually there to experience it. For me, that was a very emotional moment.”
It was also a crash course in staying flexible. “Anything can happen in this line of business,” warns Erica. “It’s up to you to move quickly on your feet, especially when you’re dealing with other people’s finances and time off. People don't get those things back.”
Whenever Erica needs a reminder of how well she can handle a crisis, she thinks back to that Egypt trip. “That was probably one of the worst situations I've had so far, and I handled it well,” she says. “I mean, I did cry and almost pulled my hair out several times, but we made it through.”
Bid to build the best travel website
While Erica already had a large following on social media before Paper, Planes and Passports, she knew they needed a website to promote their trips and be their “home base.” She’d also seen what happens to business owners who rely too heavily on one social media platform, like when talk of a TikTok ban in the U.S. left some exposed.
Erica had experience creating online portfolios on Wix from her modelling days in the 2000s, so when it came to finding the best travel website builder for her business, Wix was her first choice. “I've seen the progression of what you can do with Wix over the years—and it's crazy,” she says.
Inspired by her favorite travel and tourism websites, Erica had a list of must-have features to include: an authentic About section, seamless integration with social media, client testimonials, an informative FAQ page, an eye-catching image gallery and a logical flow.
Her planning paid off. The website today is easy to explore, dynamic, visually stunning and a compelling landing point for visitors looking to plan their next adventure.
Erica and Shanticleer know how to make their marketing tools count and have used emails, automations, analytics and subscriptions to keep the business thriving. They let clients know about upcoming trips with blast emails and tap into analytics to identify the destinations that are in demand.
The couple has also been able to open up new revenue streams with subscriptions and let clients manage their bookings with ease through a members area. To top it all off, they share their insider tips and travel inspiration on their travel blog.
“Having a website has been non-negotiable for us,” says Erica. “It’s where we promote our trips, take payments and communicate. It’s also where we get a chance to understand our people and know what trips we should drop next.”
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Top tips on how to build the best travel website
Anyone interested in understanding how to make a travel agency website can learn a thing or two from Papers, Planes and Passports. Here, Erica shares six top tips:
Pro tip | What Erica says |
Have a strong About section | "To build trust, people need to know who you are." |
Create a clear and seamless journey to booking | "Make it easy for people to complete transactions, especially because most visitors will browse on their phone." |
Link to your social media channels | "Encourage visitors to learn more about you and hit 'follow.' It creates an ecosystem of your brand and services." |
Add client reviews | "If you're a services business, you must have a reviews page. People need to know that you are a reputable business and what others clients have experienced with you." |
Include a detailed FAQ section | "Our FAQ has been really helpful for me. It's a place where I outline everything and direct people to when I get a question." |
Choose professional imagery | "Getting those Instagrammable images by having a professional photographer on our trips with cameras and drones is very helpful for our content." |
Sharing knowledge
These days, Erica is not only opening doors for would-be travelers, but she’s also presenting opportunities for wannabe travel agents. During Covid’s travel restrictions, she decided to put her time to use and build a training program for travel professionals. The PPP Academy is a lot more hands-on than your traditional travel agency course, giving students access to real-world business scenarios, like sitting in on client and supplier calls.
The company now has four independent agents who graduated from the program working under the Paper, Planes and Passports brand.
Erica and Shanticleer plan to continue on that growth trajectory, expanding the training program and freeing up the founders’ time to work on bigger projects.
“Our more immediate goals are sharing our knowledge,” says Erica. “With over nine years in the travel industry, I have a wealth of knowledge, experience and accomplishments that I need to get out of my head and teach others how to be more compliant and successful in their travel businesses.”
Related:
Lessons from Erica on how to start a travel business
Every entrepreneurship journey is different, but there’s wisdom in learning from others. Here, Erica shares four key lessons learned from making in the travel business.
Switch your mentality
“As a business owner, you have to think differently when it comes to your finances. And as a travel agency, you get paid after the client has traveled. So, you need to learn fast how to budget differently in order to make your business self-sufficient.”
Document your processes
“Everything used to live in my brain, and that doesn’t work when you hire agents. If you're expecting to grow your agency, start documenting all of your processes, and then you can edit them as and when they change.”
Experience travel
“Honestly, a lot of travel agents don't travel because they work a full-time corporate job. Having that experience makes you unique and trustworthy.”
Get a mentor
“Being a travel agent is tough in the beginning, because you don't have clients and all the training is predominantly online. Having a mentor and someone to contact for advice is a good idea when you’re starting out.”
Starting a travel business FAQ
How do you start a travel business?
Starting a travel business doesn’t happen overnight. It involves a mix of creative vision and lots of planning. Here’s a step-by-step breakdown of how you can get your travel business off the ground:
Choose your niche: Instead of trying to be everything to everyone, focus on a specific angle that helps you stand out. Niche examples include selling luxury honeymoons, corporate travel, sustainable travel and heritage tours.
Do your market research: Understand your customers, where they search for travel info and what their pain points are. Scope out what other agencies are offering and see if you can do it better, cheaper or more uniquely.
Pick your business model: Determine how you will operate your travel business. Consider the option that best suits you, such as using technology to connect travelers with local experts, selling trips from other providers for commission or designing and running your own tours.
Get your legal requirements in order: Whether you’re an LLC, corporation or sole proprietorship, you’ll need to register your travel business. Depending on the country you’re operating in, you might also need to obtain relevant licenses.
Build supplier relationships: Operating a travel business requires building lots of connections. Build relationships with airlines, hotels, transport companies, local guides and other providers that serve your market. Negotiate rates and commissions and vet suppliers for quality and reliability.
Develop your brand: From creating a striking logo and choosing a memorable business name to building a strong online presence, branding could be the make-or-break of your travel business. Make sure you have a professional website, a social media presence and email marketing set up for company promotions.
Launch small: Start with a limited number of packages or destinations to test the market. Gather client reviews and testimonials early on that will help build trust. Adjust pricing and offerings based on feedback.
Ensure exceptional service: Focus on delivering a quality service to every customer to generate word-of-mouth referrals. Use booking software to streamline operations and train staff to the highest standards.
What is the most profitable business in travel?
The most profitable travel businesses vary based on location and niche, but highly profitable areas include luxury travel, sustainable tourism, corporate travel and accommodation services with strong technology integration. These trends reflect a growing demand for meaningful and high-value travel experiences.
Is travel a high-risk business?
The travel industry is generally considered one of the higher-risk business sectors, especially from the perspective of banks and investors. Cash flow uncertainty, slim margins, regulatory complexities, event-driven downturns and supplier dependency all contribute to the sector’s unpredictability.
How can I make my travel business stand out?
You can make your travel business stand out by going beyond simply selling trips. Create an identity, experience and value that’s hard for competitors to replicate. Some steps you can take to make your travel business break through the noise include building an irresistible brand story, targeting a niche market, turning customers into ambassadors and providing a hyper-personalized service.
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