Author: Yomi-4291
Source: articledashboard.com
If your thinking of becoming a home based travel agent you might want to consider the following things. Most home-based travel agents are independent contractors who work with a host agency. You use the host agencies resources and established relationships to tap into their network of travel vendors and suppliers. When considering a host agency you want to know things like your commission split when profits come in from your bookings. Will your commission be paid in a timely manner? Find out how long your host agency has been in business and if they are reputable.
Getting up to date on the best places to travel, tourism, and how to fulfill the needs of your customer is vital to your travel business. Find out if the company offers comprehensive training and courses on various travel services, products, marketing, etc . You want to develop a good expertise and become a knowledgeable resource for you customers. For some host agencies, taking a course or training is necessary to be eligible for certain travel credentials, although it is not required to book travel. As a home based travel agent you will need certain credentials like the CLIA card. CLIA stands for the Cruise Line Industry Association. This industry recognized credential allows you special agent rates on discounted cruises and offers a whole array of benefits to you and your customer. To be recognized as a travel agency most host agencies are usually bonded and accredited through ARC/IATAN. ARC was established by the travel industry to provide prompt, efficient, and secure distribution and settlement of travel purchased in the U.S. IATAN-International Airlines Travel Agent Network endorses travel agents and provides the IATAN ID card, which identifies you as a US based travel sales professional. Most agencies will provide you with their IATAN/ARC number for you to be able to use outside travel vendors and suppliers that don’t have established relationships with your host agency, however for some other credentials like CLIA, training is required but not a requirement to book travel.
Most travel companies offer some assistance with marketing your travel business. Check to see if they offer a turn-key website or online booking engine for your clients to book travel on. Do they have auto responders to handle email campaigns and promotions? Find out to see if they provide ready-made templates to print business cards, postcards, flyers, etc. These are all the tools in your marketing arsenal that will help you get the word out about your home-based travel business.
Most host agencies handle all the booking and travel details for your clients, but what happens if a name is misspelled on a plane ticket? Or your customer wants a refund? Find out what type customer support is available and read their policies. Do they offer 24hrs/day 7 days week telephone support? Is it email based? You want to know these things so you can provide a quick turn-around should a problem arise in the booking process or afterwards. Customers like to have speedy resolution to their problems so make sure you know what type of support is in place.
Since you will be working out of home and on your own, medical insurance plans or group coverages are sometimes offered. Check to see if they have group plans that you can buy into. There are relatively inexpensive and will save you a lot of money versus buying a medical plan on your own.
The opportunity to go on a FAM trip is the most appealing benefit to travel agents. Fam trips are short for familiarization. These are special trips specifically for the travel agent. These trips are offered by hotels, cruise lines, convention and visitor bureaus, and tour companies. The intent of the trip is to familiarize the agent with the product or service so that they can then sell the service or product to their clients. By experiencing the product, agents can sell it more effectively. These trips are either totally free or have a small cost involved to cover the expense of the trip. These fam trips are offered at a huge discount compared to what it would cost to the average consumer.
Owning your own travel business you can take advantage of many tax breaks. Deductions are allowed for you initial investment, home office expenses, cell phone and land lines, automobile, computer, fax machine, insurance, and other equipment. In addition from now on, when you travel anywhere in the world, it’s a business expense.
Overall becoming a home based travel agent has some major perks and benefits. The important thing is to find a good host agency and become familiar with your product so that you can offer the best travel experience for your customers. Doing this will keep a consistent flow of repeat and new business.