Becoming a travel agent, also called a travel advisor, means running your own business planning and booking travel for clients. Unlike at a traditional brick-and-mortar agency where advisors are employees, independent advisors run their own travel businesses and partner with a host agency or travel franchise for stronger business infrastructure. You don’t need an industry background to start: 97% of Fora advisors had never been travel advisors before joining.
You don’t need a specific degree or certification to become a travel advisor, just a strong agency platform, access to an IATA number, and education on best practices and client acquisition.
1. Decide if travel advising is right for you
If other people often ask you for travel advice, you already plan and book travel as part of other work, or you have transferable experience, like marketing, sales, or hospitality, then you’re a strong fit for a travel advising career. Travel advisors benefit from flexible, remote schedules and control over their income, as well as opportunities to connect with other people passionate about traveling.
Becoming a travel advisor is an entrepreneurial investment—it won’t be a good fit if you’re mainly looking for a way to access travel perks or if you’re not interested in building and managing a business.
Read our take in the pros and cons of becoming an advisor
2. Choose a travel agency model
There are three common ways to become a travel advisor: joining a host agency, buying into a travel franchise, or starting or joining a fully independent travel agency. For most people, joining a host agency is the best way to get started, since it’s the most affordable and least complex option.
Host agency: Travel advisors are independent contractors of the host, which provides technology, business infrastructure, partnerships, training, and accreditation. In exchange, the host agency keeps a small portion of commission earnings on advisor bookings. Fora is a host agency.
Travel franchise: Advisors pay an upfront fee to operate a franchise of an established travel brand. The franchisor provides the necessary infrastructure and training and claims a royalty on commissions in addition to initiation and ongoing fees.
Independent agency: Advisors join a traditional travel agency under a salaried or contractor structure with a commission split agreement. Advisors starting an agency from scratch have to organize their own infrastructure, technology, partnerships, and licensing.
3. Pick the right travel host agency
Most travel advisors start out by working under a host agency. To earn commission on your travel bookings, you need to book with an IATA number or similar accreditation, which is difficult to qualify for as an individual just starting out.
Host agencies have many travel advisors working under their umbrella, which gives the agency leverage to negotiate preferred partner rates and benefits for all of its advisors. A strong host agency will also provide access to travel suppliers and advantages that you wouldn’t qualify for on your own.
When evaluating host agencies, consider:
Commission structure and splits: Look for a split of at least 70/30, where you keep 70%. But ask about preferred partnerships—70% of a higher partner commission can outearn an 80% split on a standard commission.
Technology and booking tools: Some agencies leave more business management, like invoicing and client workflows, up to you, or have outdated technology.
Supplier partnerships: These partnerships influence your commission income and the priority your clients receive with partners when they travel.
Training programs: Training depth varies among agencies. In addition to beginner training, find out whether a host offers continued learning opportunities and advanced deep dives.
Marketing support and resources: The level of marketing support differs between host agencies and can range from minimal help to courses, marketing templates, and more.
Community and mentorship: Being an independent advisor can be isolating. Some agencies encourage advisors to learn and connect with their peers both in person and virtually.
The best host agencies handle all of the infrastructure, including a booking platform, IATA registration, supplier invoicing, and business tools. For example, Fora manages and submits supplier invoices for you, and has a unified booking platform, ongoing training, and regularly updated, customizable marketing content. Fora also offers access to over 5,000 preferred partnerships under Fora Reserve, including Four Seasons Preferred, Virtuoso, and Rosewood Elite membership.
Read the full guide to choosing a host agency
4. Get trained and certified as a travel agent
While you don’t need formal education to be a travel advisor, comprehensive training will help you be more successful. At Fora, advisors go through an onboarding program on industry best practices and platform basics. After that, they get access to more than 700 hours of on-demand training videos and 28 hours of live training each week, as well as additional certification badges and tiers.
There are also industry organizations that offer training and certifications, like the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA), Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), and the Travel Institute—but none are required to become an advisor.
Fora’s self-paced training program was a game-changer. I could learn at my own speed, yet the content was rich and comprehensive. This empowered me to confidently navigate my client calls.
Timadge Berkhadley
joined December 2022Quality travel advisor training covers:
Industry terminology and systems
Booking procedures and best practices across supplier types
Business operations and client management
Marketing and sales strategies
Ongoing education is equally important to grow your business and stay on top of industry changes. A great host will also offer:
Weekly destination trainings
Social media tutorials
Supplier and destination deep-dives
Client acquisition advice
Learn more about travel advisor training options
5. Figure out your legal and licensing requirements
There aren’t licensing or certification requirements to work as an independent travel advisor in most U.S. states. If you’re joining a host agency, your host handles most of the administrative requirements for you. Seller of Travel or business registration is the most important point to review: California, Florida, Hawaii, and Washington have business registration requirements for host agency advisors. Maryland recently introduced a law that will go into effect in October 2026.
Other business steps, like forming an LLC or getting errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, become more relevant after your business matures. Your host agency can advise on how you’re covered while you’re starting out.
Read our guides to becoming a travel advisor in every state
6. Understand how travel agents get paid
Travel advisors get paid commission on the bookings they make with travel partners, like hotels, tour operators, cruises, destination management companies, and travel insurance companies. That commission is already built into the price suppliers charge, so your clients don’t pay more to use your services.
Suppliers generally pay commission to your host agency 30–90 days after a client travels. Your host then splits that with you according to your agency agreement. For example, Fora advisors keep 70%, 80%, or 90% of the commission based on their calendar-year sales. So on a $3,000 commissionable booking with a 10% commission, you’d take home $210, $240, or $270.
Fora invoices suppliers for advisors, but if your host agency doesn’t, you’ll need to submit and reconcile each payment yourself.
Learn more about how travel advisors get paid
7. Set up your client booking workflow
Your host agency should teach you how to use its client CRM and booking tools, but you’re responsible for creating your work process from client inquiry to post-trip follow-up. For most advisors, a basic outline might be:
Intake form: Collect details like budget, travel style, interests and preferences, and date flexibility in advance to populate their client profile.
Discovery call: Meet with your client by phone or video call to ask follow-up questions and establish your working relationship.
Research and planning: Tap your personal experience, network, agency training or booking tools, and peer advisors to pull options for your client.
Proposal and itinerary building: Create one or more itineraries to share with your client for review and feedback.
Booking and trip management: Once your client is happy with the itinerary, make their bookings and start outreach to any suppliers with questions or VIP requests.
Pre-trip check-in: Make sure clients are prepped for their trip, including transport logistics, visa and immunization requirements, or other need-to-know details.
On-the-ground service: Track your client trip and stay reachable in case of any issues.
Post-trip follow-up: Ask for feedback on the trip, suppliers, and for reviews or testimonials you can use. Invoice suppliers if your host agency doesn’t do it for you.
You can automate or streamline parts of each of these stages with templates or AI assistants.
Learn more about the software you need to run a travel business
8. Book your first travel clients
Start with your personal network of friends and family, and use straightforward bookings to build confidence—hotel reservations are an ideal starting point. Focus on destinations you know well and lean on training or peers when you get stuck. At Fora, most advisors make their first booking within a month of joining.
Growing your client base requires active work on your part. Be on the lookout for opportunities to offer your services—advisors often get new business from overheard conversations about travel or an acquaintance’s post on social media. With your current clients, follow up before and after travel to ensure they have a smooth trip and stay in touch going forward.
Read our guide to finding clients
9. Develop a marketing strategy
Word-of-mouth referrals are a strong marketing driver, but reaching people outside of your network will allow you to continue to grow and build a sustainable business. Use these strategies to form your marketing plan:
Define your ideal client. Creating a few ideal client profiles can help create more targeted messages and marketing. This often develops naturally from the destinations or types of clients and travel you know best, like cruises, group trips, or luxury European travel.
Create an online presence. Your social media and a website or advisor profile page give you a space to show your travel knowledge and client reviews, which build trust with potential clients.
Keep up with clients. Well-timed check-ins with past clients can turn into return bookings or referrals. Set reminders to follow up after a trip and a few times throughout the year to check in or share destination updates.
Share content that shows your expertise. Create content when you travel, based on client trips, or when you attend industry events and familiarization (Fam) trips, and share it on your website or social media.
Build an email marketing strategy. After you’ve gotten the basics down, develop an email outreach strategy to keep past clients engaged and convert potential clients into bookings. This could be as simple as scheduled outreach to new clients or a regular newsletter.
Read our full guide to marketing your travel business
10. Create your business growth strategy
You don’t need a formal business plan, but a growth strategy gives you structure to turn single bookings into a steady stream of new and repeat clients. Start with a few methods to stay visible and top-of-mind:
Set and track your goals: Set specific, achievable, measurable goals to stay motivated, like booking $150,000 in travel in your first six months, then check progress regularly and take action as needed.
Referral system: After clients travel, ask for testimonials to highlight on your advisor profile or website and social media, and encourage them to spread the word among their own network.
Focus on one channel: Pick a single method to start with, like Instagram or your personal referral network, rather than spreading thin across all of them.
Set a follow-up cadence: Check back in with past clients a few months before their next likely trip.
If you’re unsure where to begin, your host agency might have resources. For example, Fora offers marketing and sales courses, and creates plug-and-play social media, editorial, and email templates that advisors can quickly customize and share.
Apply to become a Fora Advisor and get access to training, booking tech, marketing resources, and a supportive advisor community from day one.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to become a travel agent?
This depends most on your host agency fees. Most charge a subscription fee, take a cut of commissions, or both. At Fora, it’s $299 annually or $99 quarterly. That covers booking platform access, live and on-demand training, marketing tools, trip management, and E&O insurance. Some agencies charge a subscription and additional fees for their additional tools.
How long does it take to become a travel agent?
You can join a host agency and start training within a few days. Most Fora advisors book their first client trip within a month of signing up. Becoming established enough to earn a full-time income takes most advisors one to two years of consistent bookings.
Can I become a travel agent part-time?
Yes. Most host agencies, including Fora, let you build your travel advising business alongside other work. However, some host agencies have booking minimums to stay active. Many advisors start part-time and move to full-time only once their bookings support it.
How much can I earn as a travel agent?
Income depends on how many trips you book, your average booking size, and your commission split. On a $10,000 trip at a 10% commission and a 70% split, you’d take home $700. Part-time advisors typically earn a few thousand dollars a year to start, and established full-time advisors often reach six-figure incomes.
Do I need a travel niche to become a travel agent?
No. Most travel advisors start out as generalists and pick up a niche, like luxury travel, cruises, or destination weddings, as they gain experience and figure out which trips they enjoy planning most. A niche makes marketing and referrals easier once you have one, but you don’t need one locked in before your first booking.
Do I need a business plan to get started as a travel agent?
No. A formal written business plan isn’t required to start as a travel advisor. A business plan becomes worth writing if you’re applying for a small-business loan, bringing on a business partner, or want a document to hold yourself accountable to specific revenue targets.
Do I need an LLC to be an independent travel agent?
No. Most independent travel advisors start as sole proprietors, which is the simplest and cheapest business setup. You operate under your own name and report income on your personal taxes. An LLC can make sense once you’re earning consistently and want liability protection or a cleaner separation between personal and business finances, but it’s not required to start. If you’re unsure, talk to a tax professional.
Do I need insurance to be a travel agent?
Yes, but many host agencies include E&O insurance in membership, so you’re covered as soon as you join. E&O protects you if a client claims you made a booking error or gave bad advice. It covers legal defense costs, settlements, and judgments. As you book more or higher-cost travel, it makes sense to get your own policy.
