For those of us who love all things travel, there is nothing more exhilarating than planning a new adventure. And the lucky ones do it for a living.
If you’re the go-to travel expert in your friend group, a role as a travel advisor can be a fun and rewarding career.
“I love being a travel advisor because it truly doesn't feel like ‘work,’” Fora Advisor Danielle Fisher said. “I get to help others while doing something I'm passionate about and enjoy.”
If you’re just getting started, you’ll quickly discover that there is a lot to learn about the ins and outs of running a successful travel advisor business. From understanding industry lingo (like what an IATA number is) to scaling your business, there’s certainly a learning curve.
At Fora, we offer a comprehensive digital curriculum and live Zoom-based, hands-on labs so you can transform your passion for travel into a serious business.
"From the day I started building my business as a Fora Advisor, I had all of the tech tools and educational resources available to help launch my new career," Fora Advisor Jennifer Lopez said. "I have also had the support and advice of all of my fellow Fora Advisors, which is an invaluable help when I am booking travel to places that are unfamiliar to me. With all of those elements, I was able to hit the ground running and make bookings from day one.”
Read on to learn more about how Fora’s dynamic training equips you every step of the way.
What sets Fora's curriculum apart?
Our approach to training is rooted in flexibility, community and learning by doing.
Flexible programs
Whether you’re starting off as a part-time travel advisor or diving in full-time, our training program is designed to meet you where you’re at.
We offer both live and recorded training so that you can learn at your own pace. Advisors can dive into Fora’s library of videos in the advisor portal anytime — perfect for asynchronous learning. You’ll also find daily programming for live workshop sessions (called labs) with our in-house experts.
“The live labs are awesome, but it's great that I can always go back and watch something I've missed, or even re-watch something that may be relevant to a new trip I'm working on,” said Fora Advisor Danielle Fisher.
Easy to navigate
As a Fora Advisor, you’ll have access to your advisor Portal, which includes access to your full library of training programs which are constantly refreshed with updated content.
In addition, you’ll find Sidekick, Fora’s AI assistant that gathers information from all of Fora’s resources, including the Fora Advisor Portal and Forum (our community app). This tool is available to all advisors and helps direct advisors to specific content related to their searched terms and questions.
“The learning curve of travel advising is steep — and ongoing,” Fora’s Co-Founder Evan Frank said. “So we launched our AI chatbot, Sidekick, to provide even quicker answers to our community. Since its late February 2024 launch, over 23,000 questions have been answered by Sidekick.”
Community-based
Because we grow and learn better together, you’ll learn alongside fellow Fora Advisors peers when you participate in our training. Connect with fellow advisors who are cheering you along, whether that is virtually in your training workshops or in person by participating in Fora Chapters, local groups of Fora Advisors that meet regularly to network, problem solve and share experiences. You’ll be able to support one another as you get started with your new careers.
We also created Forum, a community app for Fora Advisors to give and seek expert advice. Forum is an invaluable source when researching trips, asking for business tips or troubleshooting itineraries. Forum provides the sense of community through a digital app that’s available at your fingertips. Each advisor brings their unique experiences to the conversation, enriching and building up their peers.
Learn by doing
Learning by doing is one of the best ways to gain new skills. Fora’s learning opportunities are structured to meet advisors’ needs as they progress through the curriculum.
Because there is a lot to learn, we have tools at the ready so Fora Advisors can meet their clients’ requests in real time while continuing in their education. From bite-sized bursts of content to extended tutorials, we have built our programs in a common sense way that works for the modern travel advisor.
To support advisors at every stage, Fora also hosts daily Office Hours during the weekdays to tackle those burning questions about destinations, bookings, finance, marketing and more. Topic-specific office hours range from closing your first booking and how to talk to clients to finance questions and marketing.
What do you learn from Fora's curriculum?
Fora's training in Portal, our integrated travel advisor platform
Fora’s training pillars in our initial certification for new advisors include:
Bookings & Logistics. From your very first booking to a complex group itinerary, recorded lessons and live workshops tackle the nuances of successful bookings. Our Booking Bootcamp program connects new advisors with a Fora HQ team member for hands-on support to discuss and brainstorm how to lock in those first bookings.
Communications & Client Development. Part of building a book of business is communicating your value as a travel advisor to your clients, as well as fostering close relationships with travel partners. Fora provides templates for emails that advisors can customize, plus sessions on implementing communication best practices. These resources will serve as the foundation for outreach to new clients. Learn more about how Fora helps you build your book of business.
Business & Entrepreneurship. Success doesn’t just happen. Advisors learn how to start thinking strategically about their business, creating a roadmap with short- and long-term goals. Business-focused workshops include topics like Measuring & Refining Business Goals, How to Leverage Marketing Data and How to Close a Sale. Live workshops are offered weekly to tackle social media strategies, email marketing and content creation.
Once you complete your foundational lessons, you will take a test so that you can officially become a Certified Fora Advisor. Then, we have more ongoing learning opportunities for you to level up your travel advisor business.
Related Article: How to Become a Travel Agent
What does it mean to be a certified Fora Advisor?
Fora’s curriculum offers different levels of certification to help you launch and grow your travel advisor business.
An advisor’s Fora journey begins with the Certified program, moving through the crucial foundations of entrepreneurship, the travel industry landscape, client development and the booking process. The mix of live labs and recorded lessons equips advisors to pass the Certified test. Learn more about travel agent certification with Fora.
Once you are Certified, you’ll have access to more training and milestone-based programs to take the next steps with your career. We also have additional niche-specific opportunities, like our Cruise Badge, DMC (destination management company) training and Preferred Partner certifications.
“I think training at Fora is one of the best parts of becoming a Fora Advisor,” Fora Advisor Sequoia Armstrong said. “The training was instrumental in making me feel welcome, seen and heard.”
Fora’s certification levels are structured so you can set your own pace. Have a lot of free time? Complete multiple lessons in a day. Only have a few hours a week? Plan out your lessons with the asynchronous option. You control your advisor journey, with Fora supporting you along the way.
What other ongoing lessons are available?
Partner training
Fora’s extensive network means advisors have access to live partner training multiple times a week with property managers, tour operators and industry experts. These touchpoints keep all advisors up to date on travel trends, recent hotel openings and new partnerships.
“I love the hotel spotlights, especially for properties I’m not able to see in person,” said Fora Advisor Jacque Williams. “The team does a great job of educating us on detailed selling points. This allows me to expand my horizons so that I can craft detailed recommendations for clients.”
Destination Debriefs
These hour-long sessions dive deep into a selected destination, providing advisors with insight into the type of client who would be best suited to the experience, advice on how to build the best itinerary, and detailed intel on neighborhoods, hotels, restaurants and activities. Offered weekly, these live trainings are invaluable for current details on the hottest properties, up-and-coming communities and new partnerships.
Advanced certification
Continued support for Fora Advisors comes in many forms. After becoming Certified, Fora Advisors have the option to achieve Advanced certification. Fora’s Advanced lessons are the next step for advisors who already know the basics, have worked with clients in multiple destinations, and are ready to take their business to the next level. In keeping with Fora’s learn by doing approach, Advanced certification is available to advisors who have established systems, structures and routines that enable them to scale their businesses and increase their impact with clients. Advisors at this stage may also have a stated niche or area of focus, like planning retreats, specializing in a destination or focusing on a travel style. To earn Advanced certification, advisors must participate in the training, pass a test, complete a portfolio and also hit milestone-based achievements, such as a minimum number of bookings.
Higher levels at Fora
After completing Certified and Advanced training, Fora Advisors who continue to build their book of business can hit higher statuses, including Pro and X (which are higher levels of certification based on milestones). Each program is training and milestone-based, and is designed to equip you with the tools and network to expand your business.
Related Article: Travel Agent Training
Become a Fora Advisor
Fora believes that we are all constantly learning no matter how long you’ve been in the travel industry. From newly certified advisors to seasoned experts, Fora has developed several avenues to uplift the advisor community, providing resources and facilitating business growth.
Fora’s curriculum guides you through the steps of becoming a travel advisor, then supports you with relevant training as you and your travel business evolve. We know there is power in community and can’t wait for you to join ours!
Ready to begin your journey? Apply to become a Fora Advisor today.
