The Sweet Spot:
Combining Authentic Local Knowledge and Bespoke Travel Software to Build a Successful Business

Let us tell you a story about a bag of sweets that changed everything.

Picture this: Samuel Rojo Gil, a successful Madrid lawyer, carrying caramels in his backpack as he explored hidden corners of Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Those simple sweets became his secret weapon for opening doors, starting conversations, and uncovering the authentic experiences that guidebooks never mention.

“These sweets were always the best way to make first contact with the local people, to get to know them and to learn about their stories and traditions.

 

“Over the years, I realised that my bag of caramels was the reason I had found all of these unique experiences, hidden places and special people.” 

Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

Fast forward to today. That same philosophy of sharing, connecting, and discovering has built Carameltrail into a thriving luxury travel agency.

But here’s the real lesson. It was never just about the caramels.

It’s about protecting the spark that first lit your business and making that spark your true advantage.

It’s about scaling something deeply human.

The 3 obstacles faced by bespoke tour operators and DMCs

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager at Carameltrail, understands the daily realities of luxury travel sales better than most.

 “We try to provide an answer to every lead within 24 hours. Being quick is important.”

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

However, providing quick responses while maintaining quality is genuinely challenging. 

Most agencies face three fundamental obstacles:

The Market Shift Carameltrail Saw Coming

Angela has watched luxury travel evolve over the years, and what she’s seeing now represents a fundamental shift.

“People are looking for something more local, less known.

 

“Right now, people are more interested in looking for that and not in visiting places that are already crowded.”

Angela Vigil, Travel Expert, Carameltrail

Travellers increasingly want to be “the first ones in that place.” They’re moving away from Instagram-famous destinations toward authentic, story-driven experiences that feel like genuine discovery.

The New Reality

Local expertise is now more valuable than broad coverage. Authentic storytelling commands premium pricing, and hidden gems generate word-of-mouth referrals.

Carameltrail’s Spanish roots, combined with years of building relationships throughout Portugal and Morocco, have positioned them perfectly for this trend. 

But to capitalise on this trend, they had to solve those three fundamental challenges without compromising on quality.

How Carameltrail Refused to Compromise

To capitalise on this market shift, most agencies would have made a choice. Maintain handcrafted quality and accept slower growth, or scale up quickly and lose the personal touch.

Carameltrail chose a third path. 

Here’s how they did it:

Building the Foundation

Carameltrail’s competitive edge starts with genuine expertise. They specialise exclusively in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. Their team knows these destinations intimately. Which beaches get crowded when, which restaurants tourists never find, and which experiences create lasting memories. 

“Our offices are based in Madrid, but we are constantly travelling around Spain, Morocco, and Portugal sourcing the best operators.

“We ensure we offer our travellers new and exciting travel experiences.”
Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

This constant field research means Carameltrail’s recommendations come from actual experience, not outdated guidebooks or supplier catalogues. When they suggest a restaurant in Sevilla or a guide in Marrakech, it’s because they’ve been there, met the people, tasted the food, and verified the quality themselves.

But deep knowledge alone wasn’t enough. They needed systems that could match the pace of modern travel enquiries without sacrificing their handcrafted approach. 

“We’ve been Tourwriter clients for a long, long time.

 

“We could make quotes very quickly in the previous Tourwriter platform, and now with the new, relaunched platform, it is even quicker. It’s super easy.”
Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

The key was finding technology that enhanced rather than replaced their human expertise. That’s where Tourwriter stepped up.

Samuel adds that with Tourwriter, “Carameltrail have been able to improve what we can offer our potential travellers, build better proposals, and save a lot of time building itineraries.”

The 24 Hour Commitment

Carameltrail made a bold commitment.

“We provide the price alongside a proposed itinerary within 24hours of receiving the traveller’s enquiry.”

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

The psychology matters here. Fast responses build confidence. Delays suggest disorganisation. When potential clients receive a thoughtful, detailed proposal within 24 hours, it signals professionalism and attention.

“For an online business, fast answers are one of the ways to earn potential travellers’ trust and grow our business.”

Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

Many agencies promise quick responses but deliver generic templates. Carameltrail delivers genuinely personalised proposals quickly, powered by Tourwriter.

Personalisation Without Starting from Scratch

“We’re able to change the information for each particular itinerary,” Angela explains. 

“For example, in a tour in Sevilla, you can write specific information to tailor that exact product offering to what the client has requested.”

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

Every proposal reflects the specific interests, preferences, and questions of the client. Interested in flamenco history? The Sevilla section includes context about authentic tablao venues and the art form’s evolution.

Travelling with elderly parents? Accessibility details and pace considerations are woven throughout, thanks to Tourwriter. “Searching through suppliers and products in Tourwriter is very quick and easy,” Angela notes.

The efficiency of the Tourwriter platform freed them to focus on what really matters. Understanding each traveller’s unique interests and crafting an experience that speaks directly to them. The technology handles the mechanics. CaramelTrail’s team handles the magic.

Professional Presentation That Matches Their Expertise

“The way information is displayed in Tourwriter is very clear, very nice, and visual,” Angela says. CaramelTrail recognised that their proposals were doing double duty, communicating the itinerary details while also conveying their professionalism and attention to detail.

Their proposals include integrated pricing with no hidden costs, no separate documents to download, and no delays that create friction in the sales process. Everything a potential client needs to make a decision is presented clearly and transparently.

This level of presentation quality, combined with 24 24-hour turnaround, sends a powerful message. If CaramelTrail puts this much care into a proposal, imagine how much care they’ll put into your actual trip.

The Philosophy Behind Their Success

The Results of Refusing to Compromise

After years of refining their approach, CaramelTrail has built something sustainable.

They consistently respond to every inquiry within 24 hours, complete with detailed, personalised proposals. They’ve grown steadily over 9+ years without sacrificing quality or customer satisfaction.

“We can serve more potential travellers since we can build itineraries faster, and ultimately, we have been able to increase our sold trips.”
Samuel Rojo Gil, Founder, Carameltrail

The real achievement isn’t just the growth. It’s that they’ve grown while staying true to their founding vision. They haven’t become a factory. Every traveller still gets that caramel moment of authentic connection. That’s the kind of growth Tourwriter was built for.

Lessons from Carameltrail’s Journey

Choose Your Expertise and Own It Completely Carameltrail’s focused geographic expertise allows them to offer insights and experiences that generalist agencies simply can’t match. They’ve made peace with turning away business outside their speciality. That focus allows them to maintain standards and knowledge depth that would be impossible with broader coverage.

Make Speed a Strategic Advantage. Setting a 24-hour maximum response time requires systems, discipline, and commitment. Modern travellers often contact multiple agencies. The first detailed, professional response often gets the booking, not because it’s first, but because speed suggests competence and reliability.

Use Technology to Protect Your Craft Carameltrail uses Tourwriter for routine tasks. Searching suppliers, organising information, creating professional layouts, and calculating pricing. This frees their team to focus on understanding what each traveller truly wants and crafting experiences that deliver it.

Make Your Proposals Reflect Your Values Your proposals are often the first substantial interaction potential clients have with your brand. CaramelTrail treats them accordingly.

The Deeper Lesson

Carameltrail’s journey from Samuel’s bag of caramels to a thriving travel business demonstrates something important about sales growth in travel agencies. The caramels Samuel carried weren’t magic.

They were a tool for connection. A way to show respect, spark conversation, and build trust. In the same way, technology isn’t magic. It’s a tool that, when used thoughtfully, lets tour operators create more connections without losing authenticity.

Carameltrails is built on a foundation of genuine expertise and authentic relationships. When they needed to scale, they didn’t abandon that foundation. They found ways to build on it.

“We’re able to provide super-fast answers to every lead we receive. In the end, being quick is important, but so is being authentic.”

Angela Vigil, Sales Manager, Carameltrail

That balance is what makes Carameltrail’s story worth telling.

Looking Forward

Carameltrail continues to refine their approach, always balancing efficiency with authenticity.

They’re already confirming itineraries for the year ahead, applying the same philosophy that guided Samuel through Moroccan souks and Spanish villages. Share generously, connect authentically, and help people discover something special.

They haven’t lost sight of why Samuel started carrying those caramels. They’ve just found ways to share them with more people.