Michelle Lanoue on how Flex Pay helps travel advisors thrive
One of the things that Michelle Lanoue, manager, agent growth for Flex Pay, will tell you is that: “Our goal is to make sure travel advisors feel confident, supported, and equipped – not just to use Flex Pay, but to use it as a tool to grow their business.” Read on to find out more.
Maybe you can start by telling our readers a little bit about yourself, how long you’ve been in the industry, who you have worked for and probably most importantly, why did you pick the travel industry for a career?
I’ve been in the travel industry since 2008, starting out as a business development manager for Unique Vacations, representing Sandals and Beaches Resorts. From there, I moved into a contract position with WestJet Vacations, continuing to build strong partnerships within the travel advisor community.
What drew me to this industry—and has kept me here—is the opportunity to help make dreams come true. Travel isn’t just about the destination; it’s about connection, culture, and contributing to local economies. I was fortunate to begin traveling at a young age, exploring much of the Caribbean and England, and those early experiences instilled in me a lifelong appreciation for how transformational travel can be.
You’ve been with Flex Pay for almost a year now – could you tell TC’s readers a little bit about Flex Pay and why you like working for the company?
Yes, I’ve been with Flex Pay for nearly a year now, and it’s been an incredibly rewarding experience. Flex Pay is a buy now, pay later solution built specifically for the travel industry. It gives clients the freedom to pay for their vacations over time with monthly payments—simple interest, no hidden fees, no compounding interest, and no surprises. For travel advisors, it’s a powerful tool to help close more bookings, increase trip value, and offer their clients greater financial flexibility.
What I love most about working at Flex Pay is that we’re not just offering a payment solution—we’re partnering with travel advisors to help them grow their business. The culture here is collaborative, fast-moving, and genuinely focused on empowering both our partners and their clients. It’s a great feeling to be part of a team that’s driving innovation in travel finance while staying deeply connected to the travel advisor community.
What does a manager of agent growth do? What does your job involve?
As the manager of agent growth for North America at Flex Pay, my role is all about helping travel advisors succeed. I work closely with host agencies, consortia, and individual travel professionals to educate, support, and empower them to integrate Flex Pay into their sales strategy.
My job involves everything from onboarding new partners and delivering training sessions to creating marketing resources and sharing best practices that help travel advisors grow their bookings and revenue. I also act as a bridge between our internal teams and the travel advisor community – making sure our tools, messaging, and support align with what travel advisors need in the real world.
Ultimately, my goal is to ensure that every travel advisor who uses Flex Pay feels confident, supported, and able to leverage our solution to close more sales and serve more clients.
So, what do you tell travel advisors about how working with Flex Pay will help them grow their businesses? What are the key reasons?
When I speak with travel advisors, I always highlight that Flex Pay is more than just a payment option – it’s a business growth tool. It helps them overcome one of the biggest barriers to booking: client hesitation around cost.
Here are the key reasons why advisors see results with Flex Pay:
- Close more sales: When clients have the option to pay over time with predictable, fixed payments, they’re more likely to say yes to the trip they really want.
- Increase trip value: Travel advisors can confidently upsell premium cabins or room types, longer stays, or added experiences as clients aren’t constrained by paying in full up front.
- Guaranteed full payment at time of approval: Once the client has accepted the loan, Flex Pay pays the full cost of the booking upfront – there’s no waiting or follow-up, making it seamless for both the advisor and the supplier.
- Stand out with added value: Offering Flex Pay makes the travel advisor more competitive by giving clients more flexibility and control without hidden costs or credit card surprises.
- Build client loyalty: Clients appreciate the flexibility and transparency—and that trust often translates into repeat bookings and referrals.
Ultimately, Flex Pay helps travel advisors serve more clients, build stronger relationships, and increase revenue—without adding extra work to their process.
For those advisors and agencies that are working with Flex Pay now, what kind of support do you provide them with? Can you be specific?
For travel advisors and agencies already working with Flex Pay, we offer hands-on, personalized support to help them succeed every step of the way. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
- Onboarding & training: We provide guided onboarding sessions to walk agents through how Flex Pay works, how to quote it, and how to position it with clients. This can be done one-on-one, in small groups, or through host/consortia-led webinars.
- Marketing & sales tools: Travel advisors receive access to a toolkit of ready-to-use pre-approved marketing assets, including social media graphics, email signatures, seasonal assets, and client-facing flyers to help them promote Flex Pay confidently and effectively. The assets are available in our Learning Portal: upgrade.com/flex-pay/learning/marketing-resources/
- Ongoing education: We host refresher trainings, Q&A sessions, and seasonal webinars to ensure travel advisors are up to date with product enhancements and sales strategies that work.
- Custom support: For agencies doing high volume or with unique needs, we’ll work together to create tailored training decks or co-branded assets—and support internal rollout plans when needed.
- Dedicated point of contact: Travel advisors never feel like they’re on their own. In addition to myself, we have a team of trained associates to reach out to for quick answers, troubleshooting, or even strategy sessions on how to better position Flex Pay with their specific clients.
Our goal is to make sure travel advisors feel confident, supported, and equipped – not just to use Flex Pay, but to use it as a tool to grow their business.
Last question… What do you like best about working with travel advisors?
What I love most about working with travel advisors is their passion, dedication, and genuine heart for what they do. Travel advisors aren’t just booking trips – they’re creating lifelong memories for their clients, often going above and beyond to make the impossible happen.
This is more than a job – it’s a calling, and I feel privileged to be part of it. Supporting travel advisors as they grow their business, serve their clients, and navigate an ever-evolving industry is incredibly meaningful. Their resilience, creativity, and unwavering belief in the power of travel inspire me every day.
Being in a position to contribute to their success and help make travel more accessible for their clients is one of the most rewarding parts of my career.
