Fora Advisor Gaya Vinay
Is being a travel agent worth it? Below, we break down the pros and cons of being a travel agent. Before we get to pros and cons, let’s cover the basics Travel agents — a.k.a. travel advisors — earn money by booking and planning trips for clients. Travel agents can book hotels, cruises, rental cars, travel insurance and a variety of other travel experiences. Our article on what travel agents do has more details about what an advisor’s day-to-day looks like. But if you’re here, you’re probably weighing your options.
How to become a travel agent
To become a travel agent, you’ll want to find a travel agent host agency. Host agencies confer legitimacy and equip you with their IATA number, which enables you to earn commission on the bookings you make. You’ll then participate in comprehensive training to learn the ins and outs of the role. From there, you’ll work to build your book of business as a travel advisor over time.
Pros of being a travel agent
Let’s focus on the positives first. Here’s the upside of becoming a travel agent.
Pro: You don’t need extensive experience to get started
Fora Advisor Fallon Alexandria
Many (but not all) host agencies offer training when you join their network. This allows you to learn and grow as you build your career in the travel industry. In other words, you don’t need a travel-related background or degree to become a travel agent. What you do need is dedication, a willingness to learn and a proclivity for hard work and grit.
At Fora, we offer comprehensive travel agent certification plus ongoing educational opportunities. Our travel agent training covers everything from booking basics to how to market your travel business like a pro, including how to leverage your own network (family, friends, existing coworkers…) and utilize social media for marketing. The entire training program is offered online so you can learn at your own pace.
Pro: Travel advising is a flexible career (and fully remote)
You can work as a travel agent part- or full-time. As an independent contractor, you’re free to run your business largely as you see fit. It’s a career that you can build up over time — at Fora, anyway — which means that you can start part-time and then transition into a full-time role (or stay part-time!) as your book of business grows.
“As an avid traveler who felt trapped in the rigid schedule of a traditional healthcare worker, Fora gives me the opportunity to grow my passion for travel into a business at my own pace while still working full-time and eventually make the leap to travel advising full-time when I'm ready,” Fora Advisor Alexandra Vigilante Chamberlin said. “I probably would not have gotten started down this path without them!"
As an independent travel agent, you’ll be your own boss, too. You can work as much as you want, when you want. Another one of the perks of becoming a travel agent online is that you never have to commit to an office space (unless you want to, of course). As a travel agent, you can work from anywhere.
"I needed an agency that could offer me the flexibility to balance my responsibilities, including being a mom and juggling another work gig,” Fora Advisor Timadge Berkhadley said. “Choosing Fora as my host agency was an easy decision. Fora's approach allowed me to seamlessly manage my other responsibilities while still booking dream vacations for my clients."
Related article: Here's Why Being a Fora Advisor is One of the Best Part-Time Jobs for Moms & Dads
Pro: You can build a career doing something you love
Fora Advisor Rabia Malik
Working as a travel advisor is a fun and rewarding career in many ways. You get to build a travel business on your own terms, all while helping others relish life’s most special moments (one Fora HQ member, herself an advisor, is known among her clients as “the babymaker”) .
The career benefits extend beyond making memories. You might be wondering how much travel agents make. Income varies widely from advisor to advisor, but you get what you put in. Advisors who concentrate on high-end travel or specific niches (weddings, corporate travel, groups) tend to generate greater earnings from higher-volume and higher-value bookings. Many of our Fora X Advisors (agents who’ve surpassed an annual booking minimum) earn well into six figures each year.
Pro: You can choose your niche (or skip one entirely)
The ability to control your business also means you get to control the type of travel you sell. There are so many different travel agent niches to explore.
Want to make reservations at glamorous hotels in Dubai for discerning travelers? Perhaps becoming a luxury travel agent is in your wheelhouse. Want to help your clients enjoy the magic of Disney or Universal Studios? How about helping your clients embark on voyages on the high seas to scenic, tropical destinations? It’s entirely up to you. (Learn how to become a Disney travel agent or how to become a cruise travel agent — or both.)
Pro: You get to work in an exciting field that makes people happy
For many, being a travel agent is worth it simply because you’re helping clients plan memorable vacations. Whether you’re sharing the best places to visit in Spain, the most gorgeous Bahamas resorts or the top hotels in Downtown NYC, you’re planning trips to amazing destinations around the world, helping to create some of your clients’ fondest memories.
Pro: You get to meet other travel experts
We always say that travel people are the best people. When you work as a travel agent, you’re constantly meeting other industry professionals, forging connections with local hotels and meeting fellow travel advisors.
At Fora, we pride ourselves on our welcoming community. You’ll be able to connect with fellow Fora Advisors online (learn about our community app) as well as in-person through conferences, familiarization trips and more.
"I love that I can essentially run my own travel business while also working with so many talented and helpful people,” Fora Advisor Jennifer Lopez said. “As I tell my clients, no one is an expert on all travel destinations. One of the biggest benefits for my clients of my being a Fora Advisor is that I can tap into the knowledge and expertise of the Fora Advisor network to help me plan the perfect vacation."
Pro: Startup costs are minimal (at Fora, anyway)
Fora Advisor Kerry Boyd
Just about any independent business is going to have startup costs: equipment, office space, licenses… you get the idea. To become a Fora Advisor, these pricing costs are minimal. Our membership fee is $49 monthly or $299 annually. Your subscription covers everything you need to run a successful travel agent business, including comprehensive training, best-in-class technology, a user-friendly CRM, commission tracking, in-person networking events and more. Think of Fora as your business in a box.
Pro: Experienced agents unlock travel perks
There are many travel opportunities successful agents can take advantage of, including exclusive events and conferences and, as a Fora Advisor, familiarization — or FAM — trips, which allow you to get acquainted with certain hotels, destinations and other experiences. Disney, for example, offers free tickets and other incentives to travel agents who reach certain milestones, like selling a specified number of family vacations. Many expenses you incur can be written off as business expenses, too, since you’re traveling in a professional capacity.
The cons of being a travel agent
We find that the pros of being a travel agent far outweigh the cons. But you should know what you’re getting into, and we’d be doing you a disservice if we said that professional travel planning is for everyone. Here are some of the cons of becoming a travel advisor.
Con: Consider the startup costs
Fora Advisor Kerry Boyd
It can be hard to spend money on a business when you’re just getting started. Costs vary with different host agencies and training programs (Fora charges a monthly or annual subscription fee). Another startup cost is time. Building a business is hard work. At Fora, we’re with you every step of the way, but it takes time to learn the ropes and mold your new career.
Con: There’s a learning curve
When you’re just getting started as a travel advisor, there’s a lot to learn. There’s a whole side to the travel industry you might never have heard of (for example, understanding industry lingo like what a destination management company is).But as you book, you’ll gain confidence and speed. Over time, working as a travel advisor will become second nature. Fora is here to support you every step of the way on your journey to become a successful travel advisor.
"I had never booked travel before, so the certification trainings from Fora were invaluable,” Fora Advisor Timadge Berkhadley said. “It gave me the jumpstart and confidence I needed to dive right in and begin booking. The destination trainings were particularly helpful, as they gave me insights into countries I hadn't visited before."
Con: Some clients can be high-maintenance
Sometimes clients can be extra (we love them, though!). You will have to be patient as a travel advisor, and prioritize extending the white-glove service. Travel planning is a customer-facing role, and many clients expect attentiveness and professionalism. The good news is that most clients simply want to work with a friendly advisor who takes their needs and goals seriously. A good portion of travel planning is simply listening. Over time, you’ll find that confidence comes naturally.
Con: Most travel agents earn income from commissions and planning fees (i.e., there’s no base pay)
It’s worth considering the financial implications of becoming a travel advisor before you dive in. As an independent contractor, you’re forgoing a traditional salary. This is the trade-off for being your own boss and setting your own schedule. On the flip side, this also means your earning potential is unlimited. A good travel advisor is an excellent salesperson and knows how to transform this “con” into a “pro.”
Con: Some travel agents are always on-call (including during holidays)
Your clients will often expect you to be available in case something goes awry — even if they’re on the other side of the world, in a completely different time zone. And since so many people travel during holidays, you may find yourself busy during your own celebrations. As with any trip, life happens, and you’ll have to navigate cancellations and some mishaps along the way. Fora offers plenty of training and support to help you navigate difficult situations if something does go sideways. (Read a few of our tips in our guide on four things advisors can do when there’s a travel snafu.)
Con: Your own travel might turn into work trips
Fora Advisors participate in a workshop at Live Forum 2022, our annual conference
More than a few of us have taken detours on our vacations so that we can check out a hotel property on our bucket list. As travel agents, we love our jobs, and we admit it can be hard to separate business from pleasure. This isn’t necessarily a con, though, and many Fora Advisors love this aspect of the business.
Con: Standing out as a travel agent can be difficult
Like any business, it can be difficult to break through and earn clients. Travel agents compete with other travel agents, direct bookers and online travel agencies such as Booking.com. Of course, travel agents offer more value than the latter two, and Fora fosters a cooperative community. We also provide the aforementioned tools you need to stand out. That said, any new business is going to face competition to carve out a market share. Restaurant owners, HVAC technicians, freelance accountants and any other new business owner has to put in effort to build a book of business.
Is being a travel agent worth it?
If you’re up for hard work, being a travel agent is worth it many times over. It’s a career path where you get to set your own schedule, make people happy, live out your passion for travel and make a living. It does take effort and commitment, but the work is fun and rewarding in so many ways.
"I had never booked travel for anyone other than myself before joining the Fora community,” Fora Advisor Alexandra Vigilante Chamberlin said. “I had been dreaming about a career pivot for a while but always felt stuck on how to make it happen. It never occurred to me that travel advising could be my calling until I stumbled across Fora. And I’m so glad I did.”
Apply to become a Fora travel advisor
Fora's Head of Travel Operations Leslie Overton leads a workshop at Live Forum 2023
Fora has everything you need to get started as an independent travel agent. From training, tech, community and more, we're a one-stop shop to build your business as a travel advisor. Learn more and apply to become a Fora Advisor today.
More travel advisor resources
We have more resources on becoming a travel advisor:
