Gadabout Travel
Gadabout Travel is a family-owned, full-service travel agency in Palos Hills, Illinois, specializing in destination weddings, cruises, and Ireland/European itineraries for individual consumers and small groups across the U.S. Midwest, earning revenue through supplier commissions rather than client fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1975
- HeadquartersPalos Hills, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gadabout Travel does
Gadabout Travel, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned travel agency founded in 1975 and headquartered at 10552 S. Roberts Road, Palos Hills, Illinois. The firm operates as a full-service consumer travel concierge with specialty practices in destination weddings (primarily in Mexico and the Caribbean), cruise booking across all major ocean and river lines, and Ireland/European itineraries extending from its founding focus. Distribution is traditional and relationship-driven: clients engage via phone (708-974-1300), email, in-person office visits, and a website contact form, with hours of Monday-Friday 11AM-4PM and Saturday by appointment. The service model emphasizes bespoke itinerary creation, a price-match guarantee against internet prices, no client service fees, and bilingual (English/Spanish) coordination with foreign hotels and wedding coordinators.
Gadabout earns revenue exclusively through supplier commissions from cruise lines (Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, MSC, Uniworld, Avalon), resort brands (Iberostar, Sandals, AMResorts/Now Resorts, Hyatt), Apple Vacations, and the Globus tour consortium, with no service charges billed to clients. Authorized agent status across approximately a dozen core suppliers confers access to perks such as Preferred Club upgrades, private check-in, and inaugural sailing experiences. The team comprises seven named advisors led by owner Pam Carroll, who purchased the business on August 27, 2000, after joining in 1986. The firm is a member of MAST Travel Network, based in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois.
There is no proprietary technology, no mobile application, no online booking, and no disclosed AI or automation layer; the offering is built on personal advisor expertise and direct supplier relationships. The business has been recognized with consecutive Daily Southtown "Best of Chicago's Southland - Best Travel Agency" awards (2023, 2024, 2025), a MAST Million Dollar Travel Advisor Sales Award, and a Globus Premier Agency Partner designation. Operating geographies are concentrated in the U.S. Midwest, with destination services extending globally through supplier partners.
Gadabout Travel firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gadabout Travel
- Legal name
- Gadabout Travel, Inc.
- Website
- https://gadabouttravel.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1975
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Gadabout Travel is a family-owned, full-service travel agency in Palos Hills, Illinois, specializing in destination weddings, cruises, and Ireland/European itineraries for individual consumers and small groups across the U.S. Midwest, earning revenue through supplier commissions rather than client fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gadabout Travel industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Travel Agency Services
- NAICS
- Travel Agencies (561510), All Other Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services (561599)
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Leisure & Generalist Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Inbound/Local Retail Travel Agencies (Destination Booking Offices) (THAKABAH), Group & Small-Group Custom Itinerary Planning (THAKAOAF)
Keywords
Where Gadabout Travel is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Palos Hills
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Gadabout Travel business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Travel Agency Commissions: Gadabout Travel operates as a traditional travel agency earning commissions from travel suppliers (cruise lines, hotels, resorts, tour operators). They charge no service fees to clients, functioning as a free concierge service for customers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | No service fees - free concierge service |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Gadabout Travel product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gadabout Travel is a full-service travel agency that provides personalized trip planning, booking, and concierge services for individual consumers and families. The agency specializes in destination weddings (especially in Mexico), cruise bookings across major cruise lines, Ireland and European itineraries, and vacation packages to Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The agency earns revenue through supplier commissions while charging no service fees to clients.
Product overview
Gadabout Travel is a full-service travel agency offering a unified portfolio of travel planning services. The company operates as a single integrated travel service with specialty areas including Gadabout's Groups (custom group travel and annual cruises), Ireland specialty travel (their founding expertise), Destination Weddings, River Cruises, and destination-specific services for Hawaii, Mexico, Caribbean, Europe, Family Getaways, and general Cruise bookings. The company differentiates through personalized service, first-hand destination knowledge, and bilingual capabilities (English/Spanish) for international hotel communications.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Destination Weddings Full-service destination wedding planning including resort selection (primarily Mexico properties such as Iberostar Paraiso del Mar, Iberostar del Mar, Now Sapphire), coordination with local wedding coordinators, group travel arrangements for guests, and bilingual communication with international hotel staff. Targeted at couples planning destination weddings.
- Cruises Cruise booking services across all major cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Norwegian, MSC, and Disney, with access to inaugural sailings and supplier perks. Targeted at individual travelers and families seeking ocean cruises.
- River Cruises River cruise booking services through authorized partnerships with Uniworld River Cruises (RCC Specialist status) and Avalon Waterways. Targeted at travelers interested in European and inland waterway cruising.
- Ireland Specialty Travel Specialized Ireland travel services positioning Gadabout as Ireland experts, including intricate European itineraries with Ireland as a primary focus. The agency's founding specialty, recognized with the Illinois Irish Business of the Year award.
- Europe Travel Intricate European itinerary planning covering destinations such as Ireland, Italy, France, Spain, and Greece. Includes Globus Premier Agency Partner arrangements and CIE Top Producer recognition.
- Hawaii Travel Specialized Hawaii travel planning covering all Hawaiian Islands with personalized recommendations based on firsthand staff experience, including Hyatt Maui and other properties.
- Mexico Travel Mexico vacation planning including resort bookings, destination weddings, and travel coordination. Bilingual Spanish/English staff communicate directly with Spanish-speaking hotel staff on the client's behalf.
- Caribbean Travel Caribbean island vacation planning including resort recommendations, cruise options, and Sandals Resorts bookings (Sandals Montego Bay, Sandals Royal Bahamian).
- Family Getaways Family vacation planning services catering to all ages, from infants on cruises to family trips to destinations such as Jamaica, Disney, and tropical islands.
- Gadabout's Groups Group travel packages organized by Gadabout Travel, including their own yearly group cruises, family reunions, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. Targeted at organizers of group travel for special occasions.
Quantifiable outcome
- Clients receive preferred perks including room upgrades, private check-in, and reserved amenities
Companies that use Gadabout Travel
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Gadabout Travel technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Gadabout Travel partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- Apple VacationsminorGadabout Travel books Apple Vacation packages as an authorized agent. They promote Apple Vacations through their website with affiliate agent ID 14665932.
- Royal Caribbean CruisescoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Royal Caribbean, with staff having participated in inaugural sailings and private island visits (Cococay).
- Celebrity CruisescoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Celebrity Cruises, with Pam having sailed on Celebrity Reflection and Celebrity Summit.
- Princess CruisescoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Princess Cruises.
- Norwegian Cruise LinecoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Norwegian Cruise Line, with Pam having experienced the Norwegian Bliss inaugural sailing.
- MSC CruisescoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for MSC Cruises, with Pam having experienced the MSC Seaside inaugural sailing.
- Uniworld River CruisescoreGadabout Travel is an RCC Specialist and authorized agent for Uniworld River Cruises.
- Avalon WaterwayscoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Avalon Waterways river cruises, with staff having experienced Avalon river cruises firsthand.
- Iberostar Hotels & ResortscoreGadabout Travel books Iberostar properties in Mexico including Iberostar Paraiso del Mar and Iberostar del Mar for destination weddings.
- Sandals ResortscoreGadabout Travel is an authorized agent for Sandals Resorts, including Sandals Montego Bay and Sandals Royal Bahamian.
- Hyatt HotelsminorGadabout Travel books Hyatt properties including Hyatt Maui, featured in staff travel photos.
- Globus ToursminorGadabout Travel holds Premier Agency Partner status with Globus tour operator for European itineraries.
- MAST Travel NetworkcoreGadabout Travel is a member of MAST Travel Network, a sales and marketing travel agency trade group based in Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois. Rosario Perez received the Million Dollar Travel Advisor Sales Award through this network.
- Now Resorts (AMResorts)minorGadabout Travel books Now Sapphire and other AMResorts properties in Mexico.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Gadabout Travel competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Vincent Vacations: Small US retail travel agency specializing in destination weddings, honeymoons, and all-inclusive resorts. Very comparable niche and scale to Gadabout, with similar commission-based revenue model.
- Cruise Planners: Cruise-focused travel agency franchise network selling ocean and river cruises across the US. Directly comparable to Gadabout's cruise specialization, though operating at much larger scale via a franchise model.
- Travelmation: US host travel agency specializing in Disney, cruises, and all-inclusive resorts, with a network of independent agents. Directly comparable product mix and target customer to Gadabout's family vacation and cruise business.
- Avoya Travel: Hosted travel agency network in the US with a large independent advisor base selling cruise, resort, and tour packages. Comparable agent-based commission model with similar supplier relationships.
- Liberty Travel: US retail travel agency chain selling vacation packages, cruises, and destination weddings through brick-and-mortar and online channels. Closely comparable business model and customer base to Gadabout.
Broad incumbents
- American Express Travel: Premium US travel agency serving Amex cardholders with luxury vacations, cruises, and destination services. Overlaps Gadabout's premium-customer focus but with significantly larger marketing and supplier leverage.
- Travel Leaders Network: Large US travel agency consortium with thousands of affiliated agents selling leisure and corporate travel. Comparable agency-network structure to MAST (Gadabout's consortium) but at much broader scale.
- AAA Travel: Travel agency division of AAA serving millions of US members with packaged vacations, cruises, and tours. Overlaps Gadabout's product mix but at vastly larger scale and with a captive membership customer base.
- Expedia Group: Global online travel marketplace offering flights, hotels, cruises, and packages. Represents the dominant digital alternative that competes with traditional agencies like Gadabout for self-service travelers.
Emerging players
- Fora Travel: Modern US travel advisor network with a tech-enabled platform connecting independent advisors with clients for hotels, cruises, and bespoke trips. Represents the digital-native evolution of the traditional agency model Gadabout operates.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gadabout Travel social profiles
Digital presenceGadabout Travel financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gadabout Travel leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Gadabout Travel funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gadabout Travel M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gadabout Travel
What does Gadabout Travel do?
Gadabout Travel is a full-service travel agency that provides personalized trip planning, booking, and concierge services for individual consumers and families. The agency specializes in destination weddings (especially in Mexico), cruise bookings across major cruise lines, Ireland and European itineraries, and vacation packages to Hawaii, the Caribbean, and Mexico. The agency earns revenue through supplier commissions while charging no service fees to clients.
Is Gadabout Travel a public or private company?
Gadabout Travel is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Gadabout Travel founded?
Gadabout Travel was founded in 1975. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Gadabout Travel based?
Gadabout Travel is headquartered in Palos Hills, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gadabout Travel make money?
One revenue line is on record: travel Agency Commissions.
Who are Gadabout Travel's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Vincent Vacations, Cruise Planners, Travelmation, Avoya Travel and Liberty Travel. Broad incumbents are American Express Travel, Travel Leaders Network, AAA Travel and Expedia Group. Fora Travel is listed as an emerging player.
Does Gadabout Travel have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gadabout Travel.
What industry is Gadabout Travel in?
Gadabout Travel's product category is Travel Agency Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAKABAA, Leisure & Generalist Retail Travel Agencies, with a secondary code of THAKABAH, Inbound/Local Retail Travel Agencies (Destination Booking Offices). Its NAICS code is 561510 and its SIC code is 4700.