Startup costs for a home travel agency
Many beginners want to know what it will cost them to “get started” as a home-based travel agent. It’s a somewhat tricky question to answer, because everyone is different, with different goals and different needs. I like to say that the initial investment to getting started can range from pocket change to several thousand dollars. But no matter what business you’re in, keeping business start up costs to a minimum is vitally important. Let’s take a closer look.
It is actually possible to start for “free.” The quotation marks are there to indicate that even what’s free can cost you something in time, energy, postage, phone calls, shoe leather, business fees, transportation, and any number of other miscellaneous expenditures. But the fact remains that it is possible to become an outside agent with no “upfront fee.”
The classic way to do that is to find an agency, usually a local agency, to take you on as an outside sales representative. No money changes hands. You agree to find clients and book their travel. The agency agrees to allow you to use their IATA number with suppliers and to collect and disburse commissions to you according to an agreed-upon formula, which is negotiated when you and the agency draw up your contract.
The problem with this scenario is that it can be difficult to find an agency willing to take you on. It’s a little different, of course, if you are an experienced agent with an inside track record and (preferably) a following. But even experienced agents can find it hard to locate an amenable local agency. Another issue (it’s not quite a “problem”) is that the commission splits offered in this situation are typically lower than the splits you can find elsewhere.
My very first association with a host agency was under an arrangement like this and it didn’t cost me a penny. If you’re interested in pursing this strategy, my home study course surveys the pros and cons and offers advice on how to “sell” yourself to an agency.
Most fledgling home-based travel agents, however, start out by paying a fee to a host agency that specializes, to a greater or lesser extent, in dealing with outside agents (or “running an outside agent network” as it’s sometimes referred to in the trade). The fee can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to nearly $10,000.
I suppose one reason for this is that many new agents don’t know there’s any alternative. But there are a number of very good reasons to take this route. In fact, many experienced agents and even former agency owners have chosen to start their home-based ventures in this fashion. I examine the reasons in some detail in the home study course but among the most important are:
* It’s fast. You can be up and running in a matter of days in many cases.
* You get a better commission split. I have found that commission splits of 60/40 and 70/30, with no hidden costs, are pretty common with a moderate upfront fee. Commission splits of up to 80/20 are possible (although these deals usually come with some strings attached).
Beginners should be leery of 100% commission offers. Usually those deals will only make financial sense to experienced agents who can produce volume quickly.
Why do the upfront fees vary so widely? In theory, the more you pay the more you get – in terms of training, support, and miscellaneous hand holding. That’s the theory. In some cases, it seems that the host agencies are charging a given fee because they think they can get it.
The host agencies, to give them their due, have a valid interest in discouraging those who will not become productive agents and a high sign up fee is a good way to do that. A productive agent will quickly amortize his or her upfront investment.
In addition to any costs of signing up with a host there are an array of miscellaneous expenses that are common to starting up any business, although a home-based agent can keep those to a minimum.
Probably the must-have accessory is a business card and these are very cheap. You should also register with your local and/or state government if that is required. Surprisingly, many people don’t bother. However, once you want a business checking account (and you will sooner or later) you will have to register with the county courthouse in your business name. I did that recently, after a move, and it cost me all of $7.
Many of these “additional” business expenses can be spread out over time so as to keep your upfront cost to a minimum. Hopefully, many of these initial outlays will be quickly recovered in commission income.
I suppose I could say that one essential start up cost is my home study course and that, at just $139, it is a true bargain. But would I be that presumptuous?
Seriously though, it is a small price to pay for knowledge that will put you on an equal footing with the host agencies and suppliers with whom you’ll be dealing. The two modules on host agencies have the potential to save you thousands of dollars in sign up fees and earn you thousands more in the form of more generous commissions.
On top of that, I offer the most generous guarantee in the industry.
Get Paid to Plan Travel
Become a Travel Consultant or
Start Your Own Travel Agency
Imagine having an exciting job that lets you use your creativity to plan travel. Welcome to the world of travel consulting!
As a travel consultant (also known as a travel agent), you can combine your love of travel with a flexible and profitable career.
When you become a travel agent or start your own travel agency, you'll get paid to recommend your favorite vacation destinations, secluded hotels, and luxurious cruise lines to grateful clients.
Plus, you'll learn about the hottest new travel destinations, have exclusive access to discounted "agent-only" travel offers, and you will always get the best deals and rates for your own travel adventures, too.
While there are still traditional job openings in travel agencies, recent changes in the industry have seen many consultants start home-based travel businesses, working flexible hours and earning lucrative commissions.
You can choose to specialize in whatever type of travel that attracts you the most:
Adventure travel
Business travel
Cruises
Golf trips
Honeymoons
Eco-tourism
Luxury travel
Family travel
Spa getaways
Special lifestyles
Winery tours
Or many other types of travel experiences
As long as you have the desire, you can become a travel consultant or start your own travel agency. No special education or experience is necessary to break into travel consulting and succeed.
If you would like to get a travel consulting job or start a travel agency business, the FabJob Guide to Become a Travel Consultant is for you! In this guide you will discover how you can get started and succeed in the exciting career of professional travel planning.
Guide author Julie Botteri is a self-taught travel consultant whose own travels have taken her from Italy’s wine country to teaching scuba diving on Caribbean cruises. In this guide Julie shares with you her own experiences as well as insider tips and expert advice from other successful travel industry insiders.
The guide covers topics of vital importance to anyone who wants to become a travel consultant in the United States or Canada, plus helpful advice for starting a travel agency in any country. It includes:
How to Plan Travel
What you need to know about how the travel industry works
How to do a client consultation (includes a list of sample questions to ask clients)
How to get exclusive access to "agent only" discounts (plus get the best deals and rates for your own travel)
How to advise your clients about everything from cultures to currency to climate conditions
How to have profitable professional relationships with suppliers of:
air travel
train travel
cruise lines
accommodations (e.g. hotels, resorts)
car rentals
tour operators
Computer software that can help you plan travel
Information about visas and travel documents
The steps to making a booking for your client (includes a sample travel itinerary)
Getting Hired as a Travel Consultant
Where to find travel consultant job openings
Tracking down unadvertised positions
How to develop the skills you will need to get hired as a travel agent
Developing job-hunting materials for the travel industry (includes sample resumes)
Interview tips and sample questions to expect
Information about salaries and standard commissions in travel agencies
How to negotiate the best pay option for you
Insider tips to maximize your income
How to Start a Travel Agency or Travel Consulting Business
Working from your own home versus opening a retail travel agency
An overview of options for your travel agency business:
Buying an existing travel agency (including how to find travel agencies for sale)
Buying a travel agency franchise
Opening a new travel agency
How to partner with a host agency (an established travel agency)
How to create a business plan for your travel agency (includes a sample travel agency business plan)
Choosing a name for your travel agency
Where to get start-up financing for your travel agency business (includes sample start-up budgets)
Information about business matters affecting a travel agency company including insurance, licenses, legal structures, etc.
What to consider when choosing a retail location for a travel agency, including information about permits and leases
Equipment and supplies you need to start a travel agency and where to get what you need
Getting Clients for Your Travel Business
Ways to attract clients to your travel agency through advertising and low cost publicity
Creating a website for your travel consulting business
Effective selling techniques to close sales
How to increase your income by selling travel packages
How to deal with difficult customers
How to market travel planning services to corporate clients
Targeting special-interest groups to maximize your income
Strategies to help you get repeat business
How to get paid for your services
Commissions from suppliers plus ways to increase your commissions
Service fees from clients with advice on what you can charge for and typical fees
Methods of payment (and which are best)
Plus you will find even more resources and advice, including:
Information about popular trends in travel, including:
Eco-tourism
Luxury travel
Adventure travel
Valuable samples and checklists, including:
Sample questions to identify clients' travel plans
Sample travel itinerary
Sample booking confirmation sheet
Sample credit card authorization form
Sample business plan for a travel agency
Sample resumes for a travel agent
Sample lease agreement
Sample budgets for a travel agency
Supplies checklist
Checklist to evaluate potential locations
And more! (including free updates)
You can have all this and more for an incredible price. It can cost hundreds of dollars to take courses on starting a business, and chances are they will not include specific information about how to open a travel agency. The FabJob Guide to Become a Travel Consultant contains some of the best business advice you could get from other sources, plus much more.
It can save you many hours of research, help you avoid some costly mistakes, and give you information you need to become a successful travel consultant and open your own travel agency.
This guide has been selling for up to $39.95 U.S. for an e-book alone. SPECIAL OFFER # 1: If you buy the e-book today, Monday, April 16, 2012 you can have this valuable insider information for the incredible price of only $29.97.
SPECIAL OFFER # 2: Although this guide has previously only been available as an e-book you can now get a print copy together with a CD-ROM that includes sample checklists, forms, travel itinerary, and more. This 2-in-1 Book and CD-ROM Set is only $5 more (plus $5 shipping). Plus, as a bonus, you will also receive an e-book so you can read it immediately.
NOTE: Only a very limited number of copies of this popular guide have been published in print, and are available on a first come first served basis. Most FabJob print books sell out, so if you would like to have a print copy, we strongly suggest that you purchase it immediately.
You will earn back the price of the guide your first day in business. Plus this guide can help you become a travel agent and start a travel consulting business much more quickly and profitably.
If you believe you deserve to have the career of your dreams, this guide is for you. It gives you what you need to know to become a travel agent or start your own travel agency business.
Don't miss the opportunity to have the career of your dreams. If you are undecided, take advantage of our guarantee. Buy the travel consultant guide, read it, and if you are not satisfied, your money will be refunded.
Ordering is fast, easy and safe. You will receive your e-book within minutes.
An e-book is an electronic book which you can immediately read on your computer. It includes photos and you can adjust the type size to make it as pleasant to read as possible. You can also print a copy from your own computer. FabJob.com donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each guide to planting trees and protecting the world's rain forests.
Many beginners want to know what it will cost them to “get started” as a home-based travel agent. It’s a somewhat tricky question to answer, because everyone is different, with different goals and different needs. I like to say that the initial investment to getting started can range from pocket change to several thousand dollars. But no matter what business you’re in, keeping business start up costs to a minimum is vitally important. Let’s take a closer look.
It is actually possible to start for “free.” The quotation marks are there to indicate that even what’s free can cost you something in time, energy, postage, phone calls, shoe leather, business fees, transportation, and any number of other miscellaneous expenditures. But the fact remains that it is possible to become an outside agent with no “upfront fee.”
The classic way to do that is to find an agency, usually a local agency, to take you on as an outside sales representative. No money changes hands. You agree to find clients and book their travel. The agency agrees to allow you to use their IATA number with suppliers and to collect and disburse commissions to you according to an agreed-upon formula, which is negotiated when you and the agency draw up your contract.
The problem with this scenario is that it can be difficult to find an agency willing to take you on. It’s a little different, of course, if you are an experienced agent with an inside track record and (preferably) a following. But even experienced agents can find it hard to locate an amenable local agency. Another issue (it’s not quite a “problem”) is that the commission splits offered in this situation are typically lower than the splits you can find elsewhere.
My very first association with a host agency was under an arrangement like this and it didn’t cost me a penny. If you’re interested in pursing this strategy, my home study course surveys the pros and cons and offers advice on how to “sell” yourself to an agency.
Most fledgling home-based travel agents, however, start out by paying a fee to a host agency that specializes, to a greater or lesser extent, in dealing with outside agents (or “running an outside agent network” as it’s sometimes referred to in the trade). The fee can range anywhere from a few hundred dollars to nearly $10,000.
I suppose one reason for this is that many new agents don’t know there’s any alternative. But there are a number of very good reasons to take this route. In fact, many experienced agents and even former agency owners have chosen to start their home-based ventures in this fashion. I examine the reasons in some detail in the home study course but among the most important are:
* It’s fast. You can be up and running in a matter of days in many cases.
* You get a better commission split. I have found that commission splits of 60/40 and 70/30, with no hidden costs, are pretty common with a moderate upfront fee. Commission splits of up to 80/20 are possible (although these deals usually come with some strings attached).
Beginners should be leery of 100% commission offers. Usually those deals will only make financial sense to experienced agents who can produce volume quickly.
Why do the upfront fees vary so widely? In theory, the more you pay the more you get – in terms of training, support, and miscellaneous hand holding. That’s the theory. In some cases, it seems that the host agencies are charging a given fee because they think they can get it.
The host agencies, to give them their due, have a valid interest in discouraging those who will not become productive agents and a high sign up fee is a good way to do that. A productive agent will quickly amortize his or her upfront investment.
In addition to any costs of signing up with a host there are an array of miscellaneous expenses that are common to starting up any business, although a home-based agent can keep those to a minimum.
Probably the must-have accessory is a business card and these are very cheap. You should also register with your local and/or state government if that is required. Surprisingly, many people don’t bother. However, once you want a business checking account (and you will sooner or later) you will have to register with the county courthouse in your business name. I did that recently, after a move, and it cost me all of $7.
Many of these “additional” business expenses can be spread out over time so as to keep your upfront cost to a minimum. Hopefully, many of these initial outlays will be quickly recovered in commission income.
I suppose I could say that one essential start up cost is my home study course and that, at just $139, it is a true bargain. But would I be that presumptuous?
Seriously though, it is a small price to pay for knowledge that will put you on an equal footing with the host agencies and suppliers with whom you’ll be dealing. The two modules on host agencies have the potential to save you thousands of dollars in sign up fees and earn you thousands more in the form of more generous commissions.
On top of that, I offer the most generous guarantee in the industry.
Get Paid to Plan Travel
Become a Travel Consultant or
Start Your Own Travel Agency
Imagine having an exciting job that lets you use your creativity to plan travel. Welcome to the world of travel consulting!
As a travel consultant (also known as a travel agent), you can combine your love of travel with a flexible and profitable career.
When you become a travel agent or start your own travel agency, you'll get paid to recommend your favorite vacation destinations, secluded hotels, and luxurious cruise lines to grateful clients.
Plus, you'll learn about the hottest new travel destinations, have exclusive access to discounted "agent-only" travel offers, and you will always get the best deals and rates for your own travel adventures, too.
While there are still traditional job openings in travel agencies, recent changes in the industry have seen many consultants start home-based travel businesses, working flexible hours and earning lucrative commissions.
You can choose to specialize in whatever type of travel that attracts you the most:
Adventure travel
Business travel
Cruises
Golf trips
Honeymoons
Eco-tourism
Luxury travel
Family travel
Spa getaways
Special lifestyles
Winery tours
Or many other types of travel experiences
As long as you have the desire, you can become a travel consultant or start your own travel agency. No special education or experience is necessary to break into travel consulting and succeed.
If you would like to get a travel consulting job or start a travel agency business, the FabJob Guide to Become a Travel Consultant is for you! In this guide you will discover how you can get started and succeed in the exciting career of professional travel planning.
Guide author Julie Botteri is a self-taught travel consultant whose own travels have taken her from Italy’s wine country to teaching scuba diving on Caribbean cruises. In this guide Julie shares with you her own experiences as well as insider tips and expert advice from other successful travel industry insiders.
The guide covers topics of vital importance to anyone who wants to become a travel consultant in the United States or Canada, plus helpful advice for starting a travel agency in any country. It includes:
How to Plan Travel
What you need to know about how the travel industry works
How to do a client consultation (includes a list of sample questions to ask clients)
How to get exclusive access to "agent only" discounts (plus get the best deals and rates for your own travel)
How to advise your clients about everything from cultures to currency to climate conditions
How to have profitable professional relationships with suppliers of:
air travel
train travel
cruise lines
accommodations (e.g. hotels, resorts)
car rentals
tour operators
Computer software that can help you plan travel
Information about visas and travel documents
The steps to making a booking for your client (includes a sample travel itinerary)
Getting Hired as a Travel Consultant
Where to find travel consultant job openings
Tracking down unadvertised positions
How to develop the skills you will need to get hired as a travel agent
Developing job-hunting materials for the travel industry (includes sample resumes)
Interview tips and sample questions to expect
Information about salaries and standard commissions in travel agencies
How to negotiate the best pay option for you
Insider tips to maximize your income
How to Start a Travel Agency or Travel Consulting Business
Working from your own home versus opening a retail travel agency
An overview of options for your travel agency business:
Buying an existing travel agency (including how to find travel agencies for sale)
Buying a travel agency franchise
Opening a new travel agency
How to partner with a host agency (an established travel agency)
How to create a business plan for your travel agency (includes a sample travel agency business plan)
Choosing a name for your travel agency
Where to get start-up financing for your travel agency business (includes sample start-up budgets)
Information about business matters affecting a travel agency company including insurance, licenses, legal structures, etc.
What to consider when choosing a retail location for a travel agency, including information about permits and leases
Equipment and supplies you need to start a travel agency and where to get what you need
Getting Clients for Your Travel Business
Ways to attract clients to your travel agency through advertising and low cost publicity
Creating a website for your travel consulting business
Effective selling techniques to close sales
How to increase your income by selling travel packages
How to deal with difficult customers
How to market travel planning services to corporate clients
Targeting special-interest groups to maximize your income
Strategies to help you get repeat business
How to get paid for your services
Commissions from suppliers plus ways to increase your commissions
Service fees from clients with advice on what you can charge for and typical fees
Methods of payment (and which are best)
Plus you will find even more resources and advice, including:
Information about popular trends in travel, including:
Eco-tourism
Luxury travel
Adventure travel
Valuable samples and checklists, including:
Sample questions to identify clients' travel plans
Sample travel itinerary
Sample booking confirmation sheet
Sample credit card authorization form
Sample business plan for a travel agency
Sample resumes for a travel agent
Sample lease agreement
Sample budgets for a travel agency
Supplies checklist
Checklist to evaluate potential locations
And more! (including free updates)
You can have all this and more for an incredible price. It can cost hundreds of dollars to take courses on starting a business, and chances are they will not include specific information about how to open a travel agency. The FabJob Guide to Become a Travel Consultant contains some of the best business advice you could get from other sources, plus much more.
It can save you many hours of research, help you avoid some costly mistakes, and give you information you need to become a successful travel consultant and open your own travel agency.
This guide has been selling for up to $39.95 U.S. for an e-book alone. SPECIAL OFFER # 1: If you buy the e-book today, Monday, April 16, 2012 you can have this valuable insider information for the incredible price of only $29.97.
SPECIAL OFFER # 2: Although this guide has previously only been available as an e-book you can now get a print copy together with a CD-ROM that includes sample checklists, forms, travel itinerary, and more. This 2-in-1 Book and CD-ROM Set is only $5 more (plus $5 shipping). Plus, as a bonus, you will also receive an e-book so you can read it immediately.
NOTE: Only a very limited number of copies of this popular guide have been published in print, and are available on a first come first served basis. Most FabJob print books sell out, so if you would like to have a print copy, we strongly suggest that you purchase it immediately.
You will earn back the price of the guide your first day in business. Plus this guide can help you become a travel agent and start a travel consulting business much more quickly and profitably.
If you believe you deserve to have the career of your dreams, this guide is for you. It gives you what you need to know to become a travel agent or start your own travel agency business.
Don't miss the opportunity to have the career of your dreams. If you are undecided, take advantage of our guarantee. Buy the travel consultant guide, read it, and if you are not satisfied, your money will be refunded.
Ordering is fast, easy and safe. You will receive your e-book within minutes.
An e-book is an electronic book which you can immediately read on your computer. It includes photos and you can adjust the type size to make it as pleasant to read as possible. You can also print a copy from your own computer. FabJob.com donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each guide to planting trees and protecting the world's rain forests.