Interview: VacationPort’s Vision for Simplifying Success in Travel Advisory

From Rebranding to Reinventing Advisor Tools: How VacationPort Is Simplifying Success for Modern Travel Professionals

 

Interview By: Andy Ogg, CTIE – TravelProfessionalNEWS

Interviewing: Andrew Borst, Chief Technology Officer & Sarah Bauman, Vice President of Product Management – VacationPort

 

It is with great pleasure that we share this exciting discussion regarding VacationPort, previously Passport Online Inc. Andrew and Sarah are fantastic ambassadors of the VacationPort brand and I am thrilled to share the exciting and innovative work they have been so busy with!

 

Andy: First and foremost, thank you for the time today and I am thrilled to sit with you for this chat! 2025 has been a busy year for you all and I can’t wait to hear what you have been working on! We have always been a fan of the Passport Online, now VacationPort suite of products and through the years, have been honored to work with you more closely through a variety of ways.

 

Andrew: Thank you! We’ve really appreciated the ongoing support and partnership with TravelProfessionalNEWS.  2025 has definitely been a busy and pivotal year for us.

 

Sarah: Thank you so much Andy, we truly love working with you and are happy to that we get to talk to you about the exciting new things we have been working on.

 

 

Andy: Completing a re-brand is no easy task, can you share why Passport Online decided to move over to the new name of VacationPort?

 

Andrew: Absolutely. While “Passport Online” has been well-known in the industry for nearly 30 years, it has caused quite a bit of brand confusion because we weren’t affiliated with passports or passport services in any way.  A constant struggle was having to explain to new clientele and prospects “We don’t do passports.”  When the U.S. Government introduced the ability to renew passports online, it became nearly impossible to find our company through a basic web search.

 

The new name “VacationPort” more clearly reflects what we do.  We’re a central technology hub for leisure travel solutions.  The name better represents our role in the industry and the value we bring to travel advisors and suppliers.

  

Andy: Understandable, on top of the re-brand, what other parts of the business and its functionality has been improved during this transition?

 

Andrew: The rebrand gave us the opportunity to take a step back and evaluate everything about the company. We updated the design of our corporate website, improved the look and usability of several products, and made infrastructure upgrades that improve reliability and performance. One major focus was streamlining how we process and deliver supplier content, which powers many of our tools.

 

 

Andy: I know that Travel Advisors find great use of your products, what’s new there?

 

Andrew: This year we’re relaunching AgentPort as its own standalone product.   AgentPort is designed specifically for travel advisors who want quick access to offers, marketing content, and supplier information, but it was always packaged as a companion app to our other products. It’s currently in open beta as we prepare for a full release targeted for September.

 

The most exciting part is that the new AgentPort is going to be released free to advisors. We wanted to remove as many barriers as possible and make it easy for any advisor to access quality supplier content and digital marketing tools. We know advisors are juggling multiple platforms and responsibilities, so we wanted to create something that delivers immediate value without adding financial pressure.

 

We’ve also made upgrades to NexCite websites to incorporate the latest web design trends and styles. For existing customers, we have been offering website makeovers to give older sites a fresh, polished look.

 

Our ESP social media tool continues to provide unique content options and we have some big updates planned for it later this year.  We’re working hard to make all of our tools modern, faster, and easier to use across the board.

 

Sarah: I am very excited to see how AgentPort has transformed throughout its product life, and looking forward to seeing the value that it can add to advisors with this newest iteration. So many of the features within AgentPort allow advisors to find things quickly, and easily, within one portal. Personally, the interests section within AgentPort (and the rest of our products) is my favorite area. The ability to find trips that match very specific and unique activities and travel styles is so powerful. We all see so many interesting trips that sometimes it can be hard to remember who offered that really neat tour of Madagascar with a chocolate workshop when you have a client that it would be a perfect fit for. With AgentPort you can simply pop in, choose the “Chocolate Tastings & Makings” interest, and pick Madagascar for the destination and there it is! No having to hunt around of various supplier websites, or trying to remember the exact terms to find it through a search engine, (And that is example is a real one, it’s a trip from Interpid! And it sounds like such a neat experience!)

 

 

Andy: When Travel Advisors get started with you all, what three things would you recommend for them to dive into to make the most out of the new relationship?

 

Andrew: First, explore AgentPort. Check out the destinations, interests, and suppliers to get a sense of the variety of content available.  

 

Second, complete your profile and preferences. This helps us tailor the content and tools you see to better match your specialties and business style.

 

Third, take advantage of the built-in marketing tools. Every AgentPort account includes a free micro-website you can use to share offers, brochures, and side-by-side comparisons directly with your clients or your social media accounts.

 

Andy: What is the best way for a Travel Agent to get started with VacationPort?

 

Andrew: The best way to get started is by signing up for a free AgentPort account.  AgentPort is currently in open beta and scheduled for public release in September 2025. Travel advisors interested in early access or updates can visit signup.vacationport.com.

 

If you’d like to learn more about our full suite of products, including NexCite and ESP, visit us at www.vacationport.com.