Whether you’re launching a new career in the travel industry or are considering changing the way you run your business, partnering with a host agency offers many great benefits to independent travel advisors. As the sector evolves, host agencies can bridge the gap between advisors and travel suppliers, offering scalable infrastructure, marketing savvy, valuable tools and resources, and a strong sense of community that help drive business growth.
As a travel franchise owner, you’ll get the best of both worlds — being able to run your own company while accessing added support and supplier networks. For a low initial investment, franchisees also get other support such as business development advice, mentorship, and ongoing training — all designed to drive growth in the industry. With so many options available, here’s how to cut through the noise, ask potential host agencies key questions and find the best fit for you.
Will you get the support and training you need at a price you can afford?
Choosing your new business partner takes some due diligence, as luxury travel advisor Nick Pena discovered. Eager to establish a home-based travel business after years in pharmaceutical sales, Pena did plenty of homework before joining Cruise Planners in 2014.
“The CP franchise model changed my life — I went from a laptop, a pullout table and some paper clips to running a multi-million-dollar agency,” says Pena, who was drawn to the low initial investment required to gain access to a turnkey operation.
Figure out what kind of assistance you’ll need: Do you want a coach? Accounting services? Lead generation? Hosts offer different resources and levels of support, so be sure to ask.
Luxury travel advisor Valerie Dorsey, located in Royal Palm Beach, Florida, also came from a corporate background and found the franchise business model intriguing.
“Having a franchise with IT support, marketing, a community of peers — all the things you don’t have when you’re just starting out — was essential for me,” says Dorsey.
“I believe having a backup of support and services who you can reach out to assist with solutions is very important for success.”
Be sure to evaluate how an agency will simplify administration – things like handling commission payouts, regulatory compliance assistance and supplier relations.
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What kind of educational opportunities will you have?
Because many advisors still work a full-time job when they first start out, Pena notes it’s important to look for a host that offers a variety of training and onboarding opportunities to improve your skills as you scale your business.
“Ask about the timeline: What kind of events do you offer — boot camps, regional or very targeted — and what’s the frequency?” he suggests.
Dorsey notes that a good franchise should promote learning, sharing ideas and celebrating differences.
“Advisors should always take advantage of these offerings, be prepared to take good notes, but take one bite at a time because the level of information can sometimes be daunting,” she cautions.
“You must be willing to be self-motivated and pursue your own training. Join industry associations such as ASTA; attend tradeshows, understand the market, build relationships with vendors, and learn, learn, learn.”
Is the host agency aligned with your goals and target markets?
One way to start is looking for a franchise that caters to the type of travel you sell — whether it’s African safaris, family trips or cruises.
Dorsey suggests new advisors thinking of investing to first figure out your business objectives.
“To succeed, you need to find your niche and figure out what structure you want as a business model,” she says.
“A franchise should provide a great framework but it’s your business. Some advisors prefer to not follow a specific structure so being completely independent is best for them.”
Find a franchise that fits your personality, she adds. If you’re looking for strong leadership within the business structure with a vast membership in niche markets, then ask about those attributes.
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Will you expand your professional network?
Dorsey notes that another essential asset of belonging to a franchise is the camaraderie it provides.
“There needs to be a backdrop of relationship-building that’s collaborative and not competitive,” she explains, adding that a host agency should offer meetings, forums and other avenues to get together with peers and mentors.
Pena advises selecting a host agency with a structure that helps connect you to other franchisees.
“I was able to call real people within the network, speak to the actual franchisees, and get their experience as well,” he says.
Travel advisor Chandra Brown switched to the franchise model after struggling for her first few years. Starting at the lowest commission level made it hard to earn enough, and she had no support.
“Every single thing I needed to manage my business cost me money,” she explains, referring to all the apps, services, and tools she had to pay for. Over time, as the monthly fees started adding up, she joined Cruise Planners five years ago.
“I now have a great network of friends who are also peers and colleagues that have enabled my business to really thrive.”
Can you access innovative technology tools?
Dorsey says teaming up with a host agency that prioritizes technology — everything from user-friendly booking platforms and CRM software to mobile apps so advisors can work from anywhere — is vital.
“It must be easy to use, beneficial in helping you get work done and it should be seamless,” she explains.
“And, when you’re running into issues, there must be support at your fingertips to assist you. This is your business, which you’ve invested a lot of time and money into so having that backroom must prove its value.”
Some tech tools to look for include group registration tools, virtual on-demand training, branded vendor pages and your own customized website. Advisors can also benefit from a host agency’s online client portal and collaborative tools so your customers can manage their trips and communicate with their travel companions in real time.
What kind of marketing muscle does the host provide?
Rather than do everything yourself, partnering with a host agency means leveraging their marketing resources, so ask what’s included in your membership before committing. Will you get digital-only items, physical mailers or something else? Pena says being able to customize marketing materials and solutions means the right piece goes out to the right person.
“As my business grew, I started to niche more into the luxury space, so it was very important that my branding was consistent,” he explains.
Ask about which marketing programs are free versus which ones you can unlock based on sales volume, he adds.
How will your business benefit overall?
Pena says joining a host agency helps him be part of something bigger that he can be proud of.
“I have all these tools and marketing that I’d otherwise have to hire a team of 10 people to do. The more my business grows, the less I would ever want to leave the model because I appreciate the flexibility and work-life balance it gives me. I know that if I was on my own, I’d be doing a lot of the stuff this technology does for me,” he says.
“Make sure you feel at home wherever you’re going. It’s so important to belong to a place where I don’t feel like I’m just a number or another franchisee. I really feel like I’m part of the family and that I add value. My biggest advice to advisors is when you get that feeling, listen to that.”