You don’t need a college degree, a background in travel, or a license in most states to become a travel advisor. What it takes to build a successful business is harder to put on a résumé: curiosity about people and the discipline to keep learning long after your first booking.
What you need to get started as an advisor
The one thing you need to become a travel advisor is a host agency to work under. It gives you the credentials to sell travel, booking tools, and training so you can start to earn on what you book. While you can start your own travel agency, it’s a longer and more complex process. A host agency is the fastest path.
Most new travel advisors run their business remotely from home, and costs run from $200–$500 per year. Once you’re accepted to a host agency and complete initial training, you’re ready to start booking. Most advisors start with friends, family, colleagues, or acquaintances.
Read our full guide to becoming a travel advisor
7 tips for becoming a successful travel advisor
As a travel advisor, you’re also a business owner responsible for driving your own success. Fora Advisors regularly recommend building the following seven professional habits, from investing in personalization for your clients to engaging with your personal connections and the advisor community.
1. Invest in getting to know your client
“Really get to know your client and curate their travel experience exactly to their preferences and needs,” says Fora Advisor Kristyne Wada.
While it may be tempting to jump into proposal mode and impress your client with travel suggestions, part of the value of working with an advisor is the personalization. Take the time to learn about your client’s travel style, what types of trips they’ve loved, the type of hotel they prefer, and activities they enjoy. As AI becomes more prominent in travel planning and research, your ability to address the details and questions a client wouldn’t consider differentiates you.
Start this process with a phone or video call or a short intake questionnaire that focuses on the preferences and people behind the trip. “Come from a place of wanting to add value,” says Stephanie Holcombe. “‘How can I serve you and make this easier and more streamlined for you?’”
2. Do your research
Before you suggest a destination or book a hotel on a client’s behalf, dig into the details. Cover the basics of looking at photos, reading reviews, and double-checking logistics, but place an emphasis on gathering information that your client can’t.
“When starting to plan a full itinerary trip, I plot all the hotels I’m considering on a Google Map to better visualize which hotels are in the best locations for my client’s interest,” says Fora Advisor Elizabeth Kaczka. “So far I’ve mapped out my favorite hotels in almost 40 countries.”
To provide the service your client expects from an advisor, source intel from other advisors or supplier contacts. Ask about activities specific to your client’s interests or off-the-beaten-path suggestions not found on guide sites or social media.
“If I’m planning a trip to a destination I’ve never visited or a hotel I’m not familiar with, I reach out to the hotel directly,” says Elizabeth. “The hotels will give you a general idea of how guests spend their time at each location so you can customize guests’ stay based on how much they’d like to explore.”
3. Lean into community intel
The itineraries you create will stand out if you tap into firsthand experience. Find out whether your host agency provides destination or supplier-specific training. As a Fora Advisor, you get access to education from industry experts and a network of fellow advisors.
“Fora offers tons of destination trainings and opportunities to get to know suppliers from all over the world,” says Fora Advisor Kelsey Morita. “Being present at these trainings gives you incredible insight into destinations, even if you've never personally been there.”
Other advisors are also a good source of support, whether within your host agency or in advisor forums. “Fora’s community app is a great tool for gaining travel knowledge from fellow advisors,” says Fora Advisor Taylor Votaw.
4. Stay organized
A single itinerary has a lot of moving parts, and staying on top of them is what keeps a trip on track. Having someone to rely on for a complex trip or when something goes wrong is one of the main reasons more travelers are working with travel advisors.
As you gain experience and you book larger or more complex trips, organization is essential. Come up with a system that works for you, whether that’s an agenda, a to-do list, or a CRM, and stick with it. Then build in the habit of double-checking everything.
“Confirm, reconfirm, reconfirm,” says Janeely Mejia. “Make sure that what you’ve booked is what’s going to happen when the client gets there.”
“As you become a seasoned travel advisor, you have to work smarter, not harder,” says Fora Advisor Timadge Berkhadley. She recommends keeping diligent notes: “Keep a running list of hotels or DMCs that you’ve connected with. I typically write notes for each so that if I ever need to find a hotel I can quickly refer to that rather than feeling like I have to start from scratch.”
Many host agencies also provide some administrative tools, so use the systems and resources at your disposal. For example, advisors at Fora have a single system that ties together CRM, commission tracking, booking, and an AI assistant, so they can track every client and trip from a central place.
5. Leverage and engage with your network
When it comes to finding clients, advisors universally recommend starting with your network. “Family and friends can be your clients and biggest supporters,” says Fora Advisor Paola Najjar. “Reach out to people you already know via social media, email, travel Facebook groups, and when out with friends or family,” Fora Advisor Aparna Rathod adds.
Aparna recommends emphasizing how using an advisor makes for a better trip. “Educate people on the advantages of using a travel advisor, using examples from previous bookings,” she says. For most clients, the added value is in the on-trip support, personalized service, and exclusive benefits and experiences.
Even if someone isn’t ready to book a trip, let them know that they can support you by referring you to others. Outreach or social media templates are a great way to maintain a professional look for your business and streamline your marketing.
Read our full guide to marketing your business
6. Prioritize thoughtful touches
“Do whatever you can to make your client’s trip a little extra special, whether that’s a welcome note or a sweet amenity or experience,” says Kristyne. “Remember that these trips will be some of your client’s biggest life memories.”
These are the details that add up to lasting memories for your clients. After Fora Advisor Mei-Mei Kirk planned a trip for a family of four, she said the teenage son came home changed. “This experience for him changed the way he looked at the world,” she says. “The questions that he now asks and his approach to life is completely different than it was.”
One reliable way to add special touches is to reach out to their hotels directly. Talk to the reservations desk or the concierge about your clients and their trip, even when you’re not expecting specific perks. Hotels will often roll out the red carpet for guests you flag ahead of time, especially if your host agency has a strong partnership with them.
7. Never stop learning
The travel industry is always changing as trends shift, suppliers update and open new properties, new cruise ships launch, and new tour operators go into business. Staying current will help you curate the best experiences for your clients.
Even if you’re not actively planning a trip, stay curious and engaged. “In this business, openness and being able to pivot quickly are probably two of the most important characteristics,” says Fora Advisor Mindy Bockewitz.
Firsthand experience allows you to make recommendations with authority, whether it’s your own or detailed education from industry experts. Attend familiarization trips and site inspections when possible, join destination and supplier trainings, and keep notes on every property you visit so you can pull the specifics months later. Look for local or virtual supplier events if traveling isn’t currently in your budget.
“Something that I have really enjoyed about Fora is the relationships and the opportunities to connect with suppliers,” says Megan Smith. “The fact that Fora even facilitates that opportunity has skyrocketed my career.”
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to become a travel agent?
No federal license is required to sell travel in the United States. Some states—California, Florida, Hawaii, and Washington—require seller of travel registration at the agency level. Your host agency typically handles this on your behalf. Maryland has a seller of travel law going into effect in late 2026.
Can I become a travel agent without experience?
Yes, and many do. At Fora, 97% of advisors had never worked as a travel advisor before joining, but had professional skills that translated to their advising business. Host agency training and community are designed to educate you and help you make your first booking.
How long does it take to become a travel agent?
You can start booking within a few weeks of joining a host agency and finishing its initial training. Building expertise and a consistent business takes longer, and it comes with every trip you plan and take.
How much do travel agents make?
Your income comes from commission on what you book, plus any service fees you charge. The supplier pays your host agency the commission, and your host splits the payout with you based on your contracted split. At Fora, splits start at 70/30 in your favor and rise as you book more.
Is it hard to become a travel agent?
Becoming a travel advisor is straightforward. What’s harder is building a client base and the expertise to serve them well once you have the ability to book travel professionally.
