Starting Your Own Travel Agency

When you become a travel agent, you are pursuing a career that allows you to share your love of seeing the world.

You can also either work for someone else or start your own agency. But before you open your own storefront or online business, remember that being a business owner comes with its own sets of challenges and rewards.

“Starting a travel agency can be a very fulfilling business opportunity, especially if you have a passion for travel and for working with people,” said Jackie Friedman, President of Nexion, LLC. “In many cases, you wear multiple hats, both as a business owner and as a frontline travel advisor.”

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Like any business, starting a successful travel agency starts with a solid plan.

“Give thought to the type of business you want to start,” said Friedman. “What product or destinations do you want to sell? What customer demographics or psychographics do you want to sell it to? Where are you going to find your clients? Do you want to open a storefront agency, or are you interested in working out of your home? Do you want to do it full-time or part-time? How much money are you prepared to invest to set up and run your business? How much annual income do you want to earn?”

Success in starting a travel industry is all about doing your homework.

“The travel industry can certainly be glamorous, but it is a lot of hard work to acquire and retain customers,” said Friedman.

If you don’t have a strong proven track record in sales or a true Type A personality, it could be a hard road.

“Relying on friends and family to be your main source of clients will not work,” said Brisky, owner of Beach Monkey Travel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. “You have to build a very tough outer shell because you will get your fair share of rejection.”

Brisky explained she’s not trying to dissuade anyone, but those realistic expectations should play in the decision to join this journey: “Trust me, it’s not all about jumping on airplanes and jet-setting somewhere cool. There are many days I easily spend 16 hours in the office. It requires a lot of discipline.”

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Of course, there are the financial considerations when starting a business too.

“There is the initial cost startup, the licensing and training, the overhead consideration and of course, time and effort,” said Chris Hornick, Dream Vacations Franchise Owner and Vacation Specialist with Vacations on the Sea in Pleasant Hill, Pennsylvania.

And opening a travel agency is not a get-rich-quick scheme.

“This career takes a lot of patience, trial and error marketing and advertising, and building your client base,” said Hornick. “These are all things that are not instant successes, and the most successful agencies are those that have been around for many years and took a lot of hard work, patience, and a little bit of luck.”

Debra Groh said that being a travel agent or travel professional is a rewarding and fun career choice. However, becoming a travel agent does not guarantee you free travel, nor is it a means for you to travel extensively without actually selling travel to others.

“Another thing to know before starting down this path is it takes time to get a Rolodex (virtual or otherwise) of repeat clients and a good marketing budget should be in order, as well as a solid business plan,” said Groh, Dream Vacations Franchise Owner and Vacation Specialist with Getaway Girl Vacations in Salisbury, Maryland.

“Lastly, it is a career of always and constant learning. Products always change and it is up to you to know it. Decide to specialize in one thing at first—usually the way you currently like to travel—until you get your feet underneath you as an agent, and then you can branch out with other things.”

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The number one advice that Liz Dominguez offers to new travel agents who want to own their own business is: “Double what you think you might need for operating funds for the first two years,” said Dominguez, Dream Vacations Franchise Owner and Vacation Specialist with Go There With Us in Jacksonville, Florida.

“Many new agents don’t realize just how long it takes for commissions to be paid or that they might be booking for two years in the future. You’ll never regret setting aside enough capital to pay bills your first two years in business, so double what you have estimated. I learned this firsthand.”

Finally, Stefany DiManno Ceccato advises those who want to start a travel agency to align with the right host agency, if they don’t want to go it alone.

“It brings a lot of value to advisors new to the business,” said Ceccato, an affiliate of Largay Travel in Waterbury, Connecticut. “Having access to Virtuoso and our global partners around the world through our host agency, Largay, is a huge help to us and draw new clients. We are able to offer them exclusive perks, excursions and benefits through our Virtuoso affiliation they cannot find on their own.”

That said, this might be a perfect time to start your own travel business.

According to reports, the travel agency industry in the United States is projected to generate 17.3 billion U.S. dollars in revenue by 2020.

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