Travel Agent Chatter | Starting And Growing Your Travel Agency

Welcome to Friday 15! Today April chats about launching a new website and what to look for, why you should have social media, and rebranding or refreshing your brand.Helpful Resources:Young Leaders in Travel Council | allies.travel - https://www.allies.travel/young-leaders-in-travel-councilBuild a website on Wix - https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/wix-tutorialWebsite Option - https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agency-websitesSocial Media - https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-social-mediaRebrand/Refresh - https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/when-rebrand-travel-businessWe do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats about going with host website or third party (which has better SEO), which hosts offer training for noobs, and advice for selling destination weddings.We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!Today's Resources ----> (Use the drop down tag 'destination weddings' and 'groups' to find interviews with successful agents in these niches) (Co-Host Itzy's email address) (A shout out to ASTA's newly designed website!) (List of the different travel agency website options out there: 3rd party, build your own, industry sites, etc.) (Tutorial if you're looking to build your own website) (Make a website with Wix in under 7 minutes. We'll show you how!)[email protected] (If you're interested in learning more about Modern Destination Weddings' training program) (Find info about if host agencies take new adviso

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats about if a CTA certification is valid in Canada, step-by-step guide for optimizing a ship inspection, and if it's important to choose a host with a GDS?Helpful Resources: (What are the travel agent certification options out there?) (Get to know the Canadian provinces travel agent licensing rules) (Download HAR's free cruise ship inspection checklist---6 pages!---and read the article on how to optimize your next ship inspection) (The sister article and sister download to our cruise ship inspection download) (We haven't tried this out ourselves, but here's a paid course an agent put together on how to maximize the marketing you can do from a fam trip)https://www.myfamtrip.com/(A paid app to keep track of all your fam trips/ship inspections/guided tours. By travel advisors, for travel advisors.) (More on what's involved with becoming a corporate travel advisor) (We break down what exactly the GDS---global distribution system---is and why it's a tool specific to corporate a

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 74 Steph chats with Lori Speers, Owner & Founder of Levarte Travel about how much to spend on travel expenses your first year, if you can have clients outside the state your Biz is in, do you need to register your biz if you move to a new state, and they discuss if large hosts have more pull than small hosts.Helpful Resources: (Find ATTA events and many more on HAR's free event calendar!)https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-rates(Free download of over 200+ travel agent rates) (CruiseWorld event details) (Guide on how to select conferences that will meet your goals, get the most out of them, and stay on budget) (Info on seller of travel registrations/licensing)We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 73 Steph chats with Mira Anselmi, ATTA Global Community Director about ATTA: Do you need host to join it, ATTA and Travel Leaders Certification Program, Host agencies outside the US/Canada, When does an S Corp biz structure make sense?Helpful Resources: (Find ATTA events and many more on HAR's free event calendar!) (More about ATTA membership) (Find profiles and info, ask questions to Travel Leaders Network and other consortia) (Explainer of what a travel consortium is) (Find profiles and info, ask questions to hosts about their relationship with the ATTA)[email protected] (Reach out to the ATTA team with questions about agency membership) (ATTA's site) (Travel Counsellors' host agency UK host division) (Strong Australian presence and may have info on hosts for Australians) (Strong Australian presence and may have info on hosts for Australians) (If you're an S Corp, use the salary #s in this article to decide a reasonable salary to pay yourself as a travel advisor

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 72 Steph chats about live lead programs for travel agents, the HAR Dogs (and how they are so stylish), and caring for clients on a FAM trip.Helpful Resources: (Avoya Travel's profile on HAR) (Complete guide to travel leads for travel agents + comparison chart) (Check out the gorgeous dogs of HAR!) (Tips on building a network of other advisors you can lean on for questions, support, and more) (Best travel industry events calendar out there! Find FAM trips, upcoming conferences, trainings and more. Events are free to list.) (When you're out on a FAM, don't forget to use your out of office as a marketing tool. Here's some great ideas for fun out of office messages.)We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats about the difference between travel consortias, travel agent discounts, and why someone should use a travel agent.Helpful Resources: (List of the travel consortia. If you love your consortium, go ahead and leave a review to help others understand the value of your consortium!) (Great explainer of what a travel consortium/co-op is.)https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-rates(Download our list of 200+ travel agent rates you can access with your IATAN/CLIA/TRUE ID) (Great read to help understand the less tangible things a travel professional brings to the table.) (3 unique things travel advisors can do for their clients that online travel agencies cannot.) (One of the unique things travel agents can do is put airline tickets on hold in the GDS. Not sure what it is? Don't worry, this article will break it down for you!)We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and j

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats with Jenn Lee, VP of Industry Engagement & Support for TPI, about starting an agency without travel experience, how long to plan for a site inspection, and recommended PCI-compliant CC storage.RESOURCES:- How Travel Agents Can Make the Most of a Cruise Ship Inspection: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/how-travel-agents-can-make-the-most-of-a-cruise-ship-inspection- The Definitive Site Inspection Checklist: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/definitive-site-inspection-checklist- FAM with intention: https://www.famwithintention.com/- How to Properly Crowd Source: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/how-to-ask-questions-to-peers-on-social-media- Free Travel Advisor Forms: https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/free-travel-agent-forms-clients- Travel Planners International profile: https://hostagencyreviews.com/hosts/travel-planners-internationalWe do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats about going from hosted to a true number and all you need to know and best host for wheelchair travel.Helpful Resources:https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-license(All about seller of travel licensing/registrations.) (Breakdown and infographic of the different accreditation options for travel agencies, includes more details on the TRUE accreditation number)https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agents-need-eo-insurance(When moving from hosted to independently accredited, make sure your bookings under your new accreditation number are covered by E&O -- errors and omissions -- insurance if you were getting it through your host) (Podcast interview with an advisor that specializes in accessible travel) (Supplier that works with travelers and travel advisors that are booking travelers in a wheelchair.) (Blogger who travels in his wheelchair something like 200 days a year! A great source of info.)https://travelability.net/ (Travelability Conference connects

This quarter we sit down with a mom of seven who left a career in education to start a travel agency focused on educational travel just four years ago. She’s moved from being with a traditional host to a host-franchise hybrid and we dig into why. (Not sure what a host-franchise hybrid is? We cover that too.) If you’ve ever wondered the difference between an agency that belongs to a travel franchise, vs. one that doesn’t, we break down the main differentiators in layman’s terms for you. Not only has LaTonya sampled two different host structures, she’s also made the leap from home based to renting office space. We tap into her knowledge on how to get in as a vendor with schools and educational organizations, as well as the challenges and joys of focusing on educational trips for students of all ages. ****** Transcript + Show Notes: https://har.news/tac23 ****** Special thanks to our sponsor: Uniglobe Travel Center

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 68 Steph chats with April Swales, Marketing Director for Uniglobe Travel Center about working full-time while starting an agency, is $10k normal cost to start travel agency, and best host + trainings for groupsHelpful Resources: (Real numbers on the average cost to start a travel agency) (A great resources for different educational and training options for travel advisors.) (Travefy is mentioned in the podcast as a great itinerary builder -- and it is -- but there are a few more out there if you're shopping around) (Info on Uniglobe Travel Center's 3-month training program for new advisors.) (The most comprehensive travel industry event calendar out there! Find trainings, conferences, events, FAM trips, ship inspections, etc.)https://hostagencyreviews.com/travelagentchatterUse the podcast filter feature to find in-depth podcast interviews with successful agencies. Our podcast tags include: Accessible Travel, Branding, Building Community, Corporate, Destination Specialists, De

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 64 Steph chats with Lori Speers, Owner & Founder of Levarte Travel about working with more than one host, how much to earn in the 1st year to break even, cost of host educational programs, and are credit checks with hosts normal.Helpful Resources: (Love HAR's data? It comes from our survey and we need your help! Please take the survey today so we can continue to push out the valuable info to free to the advisor community.) (What to look for in your host contracts + red flags.) (More on why it's so important that a host agency is following the IC rules.) (The pros and cons of aligning with more than one host agency.) (What's the average startup cost for a travel agency in 2021? We've got the data!) (A great free resource to help you with financial projections. Fabulous for both new advisors and those taking another look at their business.)We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Frid

ASTA's board of directors election is coming up! Join us as we hear from the candidates unscripted, unedited, and super fun. :) ➡️MORE INFO + REGISTER FOR VIDEO RECORDING: https://hostagencyreviews.com/candidatechat

Welcome to our 67th Friday 15! Today Steph chats promoting suppliers (do you need permission?), How commissions work with a host agency, and affiliate marketing on site/email.Helpful Resources:**** HAR is hosting a Candidate Chat for ASTA's Board of Directors election --- Thurs, July 7th @12pm CT. It'll be so fun! Check out last year's Candidate Chat to get a feel for it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZ0R3KkPlrA **** (Great guide for new advisors on how to vet suppliers) (Guide to how travel agent commissions work and typical commission levels) (Wondering what a travel consortia/consortium is?) (If your agency is thinking of doing affiliate links, here's the FTC's rules for affiliate marketing and some examples of affiliate language)We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 66 April chats about educational programs, what are travel agent rates, and how to get travel agent rates.Helpful Resources:https://hostagencyreviews.com/page/surveyhttps://hostagencyreviews.com/7-day-set-uphttps://www.facebook.com/groups/1470400299678907https://asta.digitalchalk.com/learn/RoadmapToBecomingATravelAdvisor*Use code HAR149 for Roadmap Deal*https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-ratesWe do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! In episode 64 Steph chats with Lori Speers, Owner & Founder of Levarte Travel about working with more than one host, how much to earn in the 1st year to break even, cost of host educational programs, and are credit checks with hosts normal.Helpful Resources: (Love HAR's data? It comes from our survey and we need your help! Please take the survey today so we can continue to push out the valuable info to free to the advisor community.) (What to look for in your host contracts + red flags.) (More on why it's so important that a host agency is following the IC rules.) (The pros and cons of aligning with more than one host agency.) (What's the average startup cost for a travel agency in 2021? We've got the data!) (A great free resource to help you with financial projections. Fabulous for both new advisors and those taking another look at their business.) (New advisors, this is the data you need! Get an idea of what to expect your first few years in the industry.) (Banks, business cards, f

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats with Keith Waldon, Founder and Director of Departure Lounge, about the best travel conferences, why to join a virtuoso host for luxury travel, and what to know about merchant accounts.We do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!Resources we go over:https://hostagencyreviews.com/eventshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-commissionshttps://www.flywire.com/https://wise.com/https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/[email protected]://hostagencyreviews.com/hosts/departure-loungehttps://departurelounge.com/join-our-travel-advisor-team/

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats Jackie Friedman, President of Nexion Travel Group, about being a travel advisor with a fulltime job, best ways to market your business, non-US citizen abroad w/ US clients finding host, and what to do after you finish our 7-day setup.Here's a list of helpful resources for today’s episode:https://hostagencyreviews.com/[email protected]@nexion.comWe do this every week! If you have travel industry questions, HAR likely has an answer :) Submit your burning question here Har.News/Friday15 and join us this Friday (and every Friday!) at 12CT for travel agent tips!

Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats with Lori Speere, Owner and CEO, from Levarte Travel about hosts for LGBTQ+ niche, going from sole proprietor to LLC, IATAN or CLIA to book group cruise, and tips for booking cruise groups.Here's a list of helpful resources for today’s episode:https://iglta.orghttps://hostagencyreviews.com/7-day-set-uphttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-preferred-supplierhttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agency-business-structureshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agency-accreditationhttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/5-steps-to-finding-groupshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/supplier-want-you-know-booking-groupshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/group-booking-tips-travel-advisors-agentshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-certification

This episone first aired on May 6, 2022.Welcome to Friday 15! Today Steph chats with Lori Speere, Owner and CEO, from Levarté Travel about hosts for LGBTQ+ niche, going from sole proprietor to LLC, IATAN or CLIA to book group cruise, and tips for booking cruise groups. 00:00 | Welcome to Friday 15!02:15 | Which hosts are good for an LGBTQ+ travel niche?06:25 | How do I transition from a sole proprietor to an LLC business model?12:55 | Should I use CLIA or IATAN to book a group cruise? Here's a list of helpful resources for today’s episode:https://iglta.orghttps://hostagencyreviews.com/7-day-set-uphttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-preferred-supplierhttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agency-business-structureshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agency-accreditationhttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/5-steps-to-finding-groupshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/supplier-want-you-know-booking-groupshttps://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/group-booking-tips-travel-advisors-agentshttps://hostagencyrevi