If you love to travel and long to work for yourself, joining a travel franchise could be a great way to feed your passion and create an income stream. Starting a travel agency from scratch can be difficult, but with a successfully tried-and-tested programme behind you, you could start making an income quickly and confidently, selling a product you are enthusiastic about.
Why you should consider a travel agency franchise
It can take a while to decide what you want to do with your life, and then even longer to pluck up the courage to start building that future. If you dream of far-flung adventures and wonder how to combine your dream with a money-earning business, then a travel franchise could be perfect for you.
There are many reasons why you should consider travel franchise opportunities:
- Independent, stand-alone travel businesses can struggle with over 50% folding in the first two years, but by investing in a travel franchise opportunity, you stand a high chance of being in the 90% of franchise-backed businesses that make a profit within the same timeframe. Offering a solid, successful franchise programme that provides essential training and financial advice and has established legal procedures, The Travel Franchise has great authority in the market. It’s helped many franchisees to build successful and profitable travel agency franchises.
- Joining a travel agency franchise allows you to travel; in fact you’re encouraged to do so in order to pass on insightful suggestions and recommendations to your customers. Take advantage of the discounts, travel upgrades, and even free trips on offer, gaining valuable knowledge of the packages you’re marketing and your business will grow with your experience. The Travel Franchise organises trips for its franchisees to destinations including Mauritius, France, Peru and Mexico..
- There is no limit to what you can earn. Because you take a commission every time a booking is made through you, the more you sell, the more you make. Franchisees who invested with The Travel Franchise are, in some cases, earning six-figure incomes.
- Running your own travel agency, while being hard work, offers plenty of feel-good rewards for what you put in. Enjoying your customers’ excitement, assisting them to achieve their dream trip, and then when they return to book their next adventure is an amazing feeling. When they pass on your details to friends who then plan their holiday with you, that buzz just keeps going.
- A travel agency franchise can easily be run as a ‘side hustle’ alongside your existing job, allowing you to keep earning a regular salary while you grow your business. You can continue doing both or fully embrace the travel industry when you feel ready. Most of The Travel Franchise’s franchisees start by managing their existing role alongside their new travel business.
- Providing you have access to the internet, a laptop and phone, you can work from anywhere. Holiday bookings can be made just as easily while relaxing in the tropical sun as from your kitchen table.
- Most people who join The Travel Franchise have no prior experience in marketing, let alone travel marketing, with many lacking degrees or even any formal education. Some are former police officers, others hairdressers, fire fighters or teachers. A passion for travel, keenness to learn, and a desire to build their own travel agency are typically the only common factors among all our franchisees. With an initial five days of training, followed by as much guidance and support as necessary, people from all walks of life have become successful franchisees.
The travel industry and its customers
According to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA), demand for travel advice from trusted agencies is higher than before the pandemic. Customers are now 37% more likely to book their holidays through a travel professional than making their own online arrangements which means it’s a good time to launch a travel agency. Meanwhile the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) travel expert, Liz Ortiguera, has seen an upturn in customers booking longer holidays and planning on working remotely from their destination. Longer holidays can mean higher priced holidays and bigger commission levels for agents.
Sandra Carvao, another WEF travel advisor, reports that many consumers, particularly the younger generation, are aware of the environmental impact travel can have and are seeking sustainable travel options. This is very important to The Travel Franchise, which has recently been named Sustainability Champion of the Year (Large Agency) at the Travel Weekly Agent Achievement Awards.
Travel agent franchises from home
In the UK, travel franchising is a popular and successful business model. It continues to grow, following the global pandemic, with The Travel Franchise, for example, increasing its membership by 200% in January 2022 compared to January 2020. According to the British Franchise Association (BFA) 97% of franchises make a profit, and the business model is able to withstand the effects of a recession better than other independent businesses. This is due to the support and guidance of a robust network of both peers and industry leaders.
This is where travel franchises clearly stand out if you compare them to stand-alone travel agencies. The support and expert guidance are invaluable in helping new franchisees gain confidence, knowledge and customers, while allowing business owners the autonomy to steer the business in the direction they choose.
Take a look at what The Travel Franchise offers its consultants:
- Full, ongoing training
- Business development and coaching
- Dedicated business development managers (BDMs)
- Marketing support and materials
- Head office admin support
- Regular training events
- Mentorship retreats
- Partners in Travel programme
- Access to 400+ travel suppliers
- Holidays that are ABTA bonded
- Free website for your travel agency
- Travel agent software (including The Travel Franchise’s Vision software)
- Email marketing system
- Money-Back Challenge (your business could end up costing you nothing if you sell a certain number of holidays in a set time period!)
The Travel Franchise makes it super easy and quick to start growing your travel agency franchise. Whether you’re running it as a side hustle to your day-to-day job or as your sole career, you’re given access to everything you need to be a success.
Buying a travel agency franchise
Buying a travel agency franchise with The Travel Franchise couldn’t be easier. There are just three simple steps:
Watch an informative online presentation
In easy-to-follow steps, the video runs through everything you need to know to make an informed decision:
- Introduction to the company
- What types of travel you can sell clients
- Your instant travel agency business
- Your training and mentorship
- How you’ll find customers
- How much you can earn in commission
- The lifestyle of a travel consultant
- Choosing the right package for you
Choose from several fantastic franchise options
Ranging in travel franchise cost, depending on how much you wish to invest and what support you feel you’ll need, there are several packages to choose from. Finance options are available, too. Packages include:
- Lite package – contains everything you need to get your business started
- Elite package – everything in the Lite package, plus better commission and the option to get your franchise fee back if you sell a certain amount of holidays in a set time period
- Entrepreneur package – contains everything required to build a larger agency as fast as possible
Book a call for a friendly no-obligation chat
This chat allows you to explore your options, and talk through your plans with no strings attached. Due to demand, you will have to book a set time.
Travel agency franchise successes
There are dozens and dozens of success stories. From people who have run their travel agency franchise as a small hobby business to others who’ve made it their full-time career, are you going to be the next Lisa, Janet, or Ben?
Lisa Russell
Deciding she wanted to be her own boss, Lisa Russell joined The Travel Franchise because: “You didn’t need to do anything or commit until you wanted to, unlike other franchise opportunities, it is also open to those coming from a non-travel background.”
Lisa took advantage of every opportunity to learn, and really put the work in, offering fantastic customer service and building a reputation as an industry expert on holidays to Florida. Despite battling with ill health, Lisa has recently achieved the amazing figure of £1 million in sales!
Lisa recommends The Travel Franchise because: “The training and support you get to start your business from nothing is second to none and really thorough. I think that the support the franchise has given me has really contributed to my success and has been especially good this year when I was forced to step out of the business for a period of time.”
Janet Lacey
After being made redundant from the pharmaceutical industry, Janet Lacey wanted to run her own business and decided that becoming a franchisee was a more attractive prospect than setting up on her own. Within nine months, she qualified for the ‘Money-Back Challenge’, which allows successful Elite franchisees to get their initial investment back in full. Janet’s continuing to elevate her business and loves the flexibility, autonomy and income!
Says Janet: “I love people telling me how great their holiday was, and knowing that’s down to me, the suppliers I choose, and the fabulous concierge team who I have recently taken on.”
Ben Casey
In just 16 weeks, The Travel Franchise franchisee Ben Casey quit his full-time job to run his travel agency from his home in Solihull. Once a Divisional Marketing Manager for McCarthy and Stone, he is now his own boss, working the hours he chooses as a travel consultant.
Says Ben: “My mentor Norma has been brilliant. She’s always there and helps keep me focused. The support is amazing – it’s more than I believe you get with competitors.”
The opportunity is waiting for you – why not become part of The Travel Franchise’s successful team?
