Avoya focuses primarily on cruise, tour, and resort travel and promotes a lead program for its advisors. Fora is ideal for advisors building an independent business in general travel or establishing their niche, whether FIT, cruise, groups, or safari, and offers a modern booking platform.
Fora vs. Avoya: Quick comparison
*Fees may be waived based on current promotions and other factors.
Pricing, commission splits, and contract terms pulled from each host agency’s websites and industry trade reporting as of August 2026. Avoya does not state factors influencing waived fees or splits on agency-provided leads on its website.
Pricing and fees
Avoya’s pricing structure can work for fast starters, but Fora is a better fit if you want to build your business steadily without the pressure of a monthly fee.
It costs more upfront to join Avoya than Fora—$495, plus a $79 per month fee, according to Avoya’s website, vs. $299 per year or $99 per quarter with Fora. In some cases, Avoya may lower the startup or monthly fee, but the agency doesn’t specify what’s required to access lower fees on its website.
Avoya also notes optional add-ons on its website that come at an additional cost, like a travel advisor certification package for $399. Per the agency’s website, after your first year, you’ll pay a $150 per year renewal fee. If you’re confident you don’t need the add-ons and are able to secure fee waivers, Avoya could fit your budget.
Fora’s fee includes your access to CRM and booking technology, live and on-demand training, and marketing materials. Higher earnings unlock more benefits, like a Client Leads Program and stronger commission splits, and there are no sales quotas or minimums tied to your fees. The flat fee model fits advisors who want predictable costs while they build their client list.
Commission splits and rates
Avoya’s starting split is 80/20 compared to 70/30 at Fora, but Fora’s Virtuoso membership and partner programs often come with higher base commissions, averaging 12% versus industry standard 5–10%. That higher base commission nets out to more income even at lower splits, and compounds as you grow into higher commission tiers.
Historically, Avoya kept 70% of the commission on leads they provided to advisors, though they recently introduced a program to provide higher splits of up to 50%. Avoya also keeps those client relationships.
Tiered splits
Fora splits scale with your business: 80/20 once you book $300,000 in a calendar year and 90/10 at $2 million. Established advisors with an existing book of business can onboard at a split that matches their sales volume. Avoya has an invitation-based Avoya Elite 100 tier for experienced advisors, where you pay $399 per month in host fees but keep 100% of commissions.
The commission that Fora keeps also gets invested back into advisor support: Fora handles supplier invoicing and payment collection for advisors. When comparing Onyx payment data across over 150,000 hotels, we found that Fora collects payments about 25% faster than industry benchmarks, and with one-third fewer commissions left unpaid.
Partner rates
Avoya has partner relationships with cruise lines and resorts, and is a member of Travel Leaders Network. Fora’s Virtuoso membership, partner programs through Fora Reserve, and relationships with major cruise lines mean advisors often book at a higher base commission than the industry average 5–10%.
For example, if you book an itinerary with a commissionable value of $2,500:
With 12% commission: ($2,500 x 12%) × 70/30 split = $210 take home
With 10% commission: ($2,500 x 10%) × 80/20 split = $200 take home
Portal having multiple avenues to book all in one location, where you can compare everything [...] My overall commission has increased, just because I’m able to be more strategic.
Seasen Acevedo-Zullo
joined August 2024Client leads
Avoya-generated leads historically came with a 30/70 split, meaning you kept 30%. The agency now promises splits up to 50/50 on leads. Avoya also retains ownership of those clients and future referrals from those clients. You don’t earn a standard split on their travel or the travel of they refer to you, and you can’t keep any of them as a client if you change host agencies. That’s a notable trade-off if you plan to build your client base through agency leads.
Fora’s Client Leads Program doesn’t become available until you book $100,000 or more in a calendar year. But you’ll keep your same commission split and own all of your client relationships and their referrals, regardless of where they come from.
Platform and technology
Avoya’s Agent Power covers booking essentials, including a CRM, booking system, accounting and commission tracking, itinerary builder, insights, appointment center, knowledge base, and support desk with a focus on cruise and package bookings.
Fora’s Portal is built around a broad, AI-assisted workflow. Portal is an all-in-one platform for booking, client management, and automated tooling to speed up research, invoicing, and sales across different travel and tour types. Fora’s platform includes:
Hotel search with real-time availability
Client profiles with connected inquiry forms
Commission tracking with invoicing handled by Fora
Price Drop alerts that flag savings opportunities for your clients
Bookable Quote for clients to review and confirm directly
Deal and rate tracking across booking options
Itinerary builder to share proposals with clients
Marketing templates and assets
Live support and ongoing training
I think [Fora] truly eliminates the need for any other software programs.
Megan Smith
joined June 2023Training and support
Avoya and Fora both offer comprehensive training and certification programs, with self-paced and live options, help articles, a community forum, and in-person opportunities. Avoya’s certification comes with an additional fee.
I just kept seeing this table full of resources that I could come sit at and feast on.
Stu Dressler
joined December 2023Preferred partnerships & supplier contacts
Consider what your potential client base wants to book. If it’s mostly cruises and all-inclusive resorts, Avoya might be the better fit. If it’s FIT or a mix of boutique hotels, cruise, luxury, or safari, Fora’s partnerships will serve you better.
Avoya’s partnerships and booking capabilities are built around cruise lines and vacation packages, though you can book more than that within its portal.
Fora helps advisors secure perks for their clients with Fora Reserve, which includes over 5,000 preferred partnerships, like Four Seasons Preferred, Marriott Stars & Luminous, Mandarin Oriental, IHG, and cruise suppliers across niches. Fora is also a Virtuoso member and a CLIA Premier Agency Member.
The fact that we are in all of these programs shows that the partners trust us with their brand and their property.
Anson Tan
joined April 2023Business support
Both Fora and Avoya handle some of the business infrastructure for you, so you can focus on building your brand and client list.
Independent branding: Both Fora and Avoya allow advisors to operate and market under their own brand identity.
Insurance: Fora advisors are covered by the host agency’s errors & omissions (E&O) insurance. Avoya encourages advisors to get their own, Fora recommends it for advisors operating under an LLC or booking more than $500,000 annually.
Seller of Travel requirements: Advisors at both host agencies can operate under their host’s Seller of Travel registration, though some states still require affiliated advisors to register.
Marketing: Both host agencies offer marketing materials, like social media assets, email templates, and a customizable landing page. Fora also provides blog content to build your professional brand.
Contract terms and flexibility
If you’re comfortable committing to an annual contract, Avoya might work for you. Avoya affiliation is also non-exclusive, so you can sell through other host agencies if you wish. Fora’s contract is exclusive, so you can’t affiliate with another host agency while working with Fora. But you can cancel anytime, offering more flexibility.
When reviewing terms, make sure you also ask potential host agencies about what happens to commissions and clients if you leave, notice periods for termination, and any other exit-related restrictions.
Fora vs. Avoya: Who is each best for?
Choose Avoya if you’re confident you can book consistently and your clients are largely interested in cruises, resorts, and vacation packages. Expect higher upfront costs, and be open to trading access to leads for a lower split.
Choose Fora if you want to build your business without monthly fees and with partnerships across a wide range of suppliers in addition to cruise and resorts. You’ll get preferred partner access and commission, and own all of your client leads and referrals at a regular commission split.
Frequently asked questions
Can I work for both Fora and Avoya at the same time?
No, you can’t be affiliated with Fora and Avoya at the same time. Fora is an exclusive host agency. Avoya itself is non-exclusive, but Fora’s exclusivity means you need a clean cutover date if you plan to switch.
What happens to my Avoya clients and in-progress bookings if I join Fora?
Avoya retains ownership of clients sourced through its Live Leads program, including future referrals from those clients, after you leave. Clients you brought in yourself are yours to take with you. In-progress bookings are typically serviced through Avoya until the trip is complete.
How do I switch from Avoya to Fora?
Give Avoya the notice their contract requires, set a final cutover date, and begin Fora’s onboarding so you get Portal access, training, and supplier credentials as soon as possible. Fora can answer questions about timing before you switch.
Is Fora or Avoya better for new travel advisors?
Fora is a good fit for new travel advisors: 97% of Fora advisors had never been travel advisors before joining. Fora has a lower upfront cost, and has no sales minimums or quotas. Avoya’s lead program can help you get bookings, but you can’t keep the clients.
Is Fora or Avoya better for part-time travel advisors?
Fora is better suited to part-time travel advisors. A flat $299 annual fee and no sales quotas mean part-timers won’t be penalized for slow months. Avoya’s monthly fee structure favors advisors who book consistently enough to cover that cost every month, which can work for part-time advisors but is riskier.
Are Fora and Avoya legitimate host agencies?
Yes. Fora is a CLIA Premier Agency Member, a Virtuoso member, and partners with over 5,000 suppliers through Fora Reserve; Fora Advisors have booked over $3 billion in travel since 2021 and advisors work from 140 different countries. Avoya has operated in travel for over 60 years and is a CLIA-affiliated member of Travel Leaders Network.
