How The Travel Franchise helps travel agents thrive during peak season

Key takeaways

• Travel agents typically sell four times more holidays during the January–March peaks period than at any other time of year.
• January 2026 marked the biggest peaks ever for The Travel Franchise, with record-breaking sales across the network of 750+ personal travel consultants.
• Some consultants operating under the franchise have sold between £300,000 and £500,000 worth of holidays in a single month.
• 90% of consultants had no travel industry experience before joining, yet many make their first bookings within their first week of training.
• Franchisees gain access to 450+ travel suppliers, including Key Trade Partners, providing exclusive deals for customers.
• The Travel Franchise was named Best Lifestyle Franchise in the World for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Global Franchise Awards in Las Vegas.
• The Travel Franchise provides the technology, marketing, and a dedicated Franchise Business Consultant required to handle high enquiry volumes without burnout.

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The peak season in the travel industry, or the January–March “peaks” window, is the period that defines an agent’s entire year. The Travel Franchise provides the training, technology, supplier access, marketing support, and community that allow independent travel agents to thrive rather than merely survive during this high-demand period.

And with the right infrastructure in place, agents can capitalise on possibly the most lucrative booking window of the year.

Having spoken to hundreds of people considering a career as an independent travel agent, the question that comes up most often isn’t about commissions or training. It is about peaks.

Specifically, people ask me: “Will I be able to cope?” And it is a fair question.
The January–March peak season is when the travel industry shifts into a higher gear almost overnight. For agents without the right infrastructure behind them, the volume can be genuinely overwhelming.

The Travel Franchise exists, in large part, to make sure that does not happen, which turns a potentially overwhelming period into the most productive weeks of the year.

Understanding ‘peaks’ in the travel industry

Within the travel industry, “peaks” has a very specific meaning. While a holidaymaker might use the phrase to describe a crowded beach in August, for travel agents and tour operators it refers to the peak selling season.

This is the period immediately after Christmas when suppliers launch their biggest campaigns and customers flood the market with enquiries.

Peaks runs from Boxing Day through to the end of February. And over the past couple of years, it has extended into March. Tour operators and travel suppliers use this window to compete aggressively with the January high-street sales.

They offer low deposits, free child places, free upgrades, early booking discounts and book-now-pay-later deals.

The first Saturday in January, known in the industry as Sunshine Saturday, is typically the single most popular day of the year to book a foreign trip. Customers are motivated by New Year optimism, the desire to escape the UK winter, and the genuine financial incentive of early booking deals.

For a travel agent, this concentrated demand represents the single biggest commercial opportunity of the year. The pattern is consistent year after year and it rewards those who are ready for it.

Popular destinations during peaks include Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cape Verde, and Dubai. Spanish islands like Tenerife, Palma, and Lanzarote consistently top the booking charts, with most customers targeting June departures.

Over half of beach break bookings during peaks are all-inclusive, reflecting exactly what customers want when planning ahead. Operating within The Travel Franchise means agents have ready access to the inventory and supplier relationships needed to convert this demand.

Why peak season is an opportunity and a challenge for travel agents

Opportunities during peaks

The highest revenue potential of the year happens now. Some of The Travel Franchise consultants sold hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of holidays.

Mass customer acquisition occurs as buyers flood the market with enquiries. It allows relationship-building with new clients who become repeat customers.

The franchise infrastructure allows agents to focus on bookings and relationships. Exclusive supplier deals and promotions are available only during this window.

Challenges during peaks

Enquiry volumes multiply rapidly, making response times critical. Complex bookings arrive simultaneously, increasing error risk. Customers expect fast, accurate quotes and expert advice under pressure.

Independent agents must also manage marketing, suppliers, and admin alone. Burnout is a real risk without the right support systems in place.

For an independent travel agent working without franchise support, peaks can be brutal. Enquiry volumes multiply, response times become critical, and complex bookings arrive simultaneously. Customers expect fast, accurate quotes and expert advice.

And this must be done while the agent is also managing their own marketing, supplier relationships, and administration. Burnout is a genuine risk, as is losing customers to competitors who respond faster.

A home-based franchise like The Travel Franchise changes that. The infrastructure through technology, supplier access, marketing support and a dedicated support team means travel agents can focus on what they do best.

They build relationships and make bookings. The opportunity is real, and with the right backing the challenge becomes manageable.

“It’s completely natural to feel a bit of a flutter in your stomach when you see the sheer volume of holiday enquiries coming in during January. But that’s exactly why we’re here. You’ve got a massive support structure and a proven system backing you up. When the rush hits, it actually becomes incredibly exciting rather than stressful.” — Jenny Farenden, Head of The Travel Franchise division at Not Just Travel

How The Travel Franchise prepares agents for peaks

New franchisees begin with a five-day live course covering booking systems, supplier knowledge, sales techniques, and customer service. Many consultants make their first bookings within their first week of qualifying.

Hundreds of hours of online training are available through The Hub, The Travel Franchise’s dedicated learning platform, allowing consultants to build knowledge at their own pace.

Before peaks arrives, The Travel Franchise runs specific product knowledge sessions and destination briefings so consultants are confident handling the volume surge. Dedicated refresher sessions help consultants operate booking platforms quickly and accurately under high-demand conditions.

The full training programme is designed so that even agents who join just before peaks can get up to speed quickly. Virtual training means new consultants do not have to wait for an in-person cohort to start learning, making The Travel Franchise accessible at any point in the year.

“We don’t just throw you into the deep end and wish you luck. Our pre-peaks training is all about building your muscle memory and your confidence. We practice everything from navigating the booking systems under pressure to understanding exactly what deals will make your clients’ eyes light up. By the time Boxing Day arrives, our agents feel ready to hit the ground running.” — Jenny Farenden, Head of The Travel Franchise division at Not Just Travel

Access to exclusive deals and competitive pricing

One of the clearest advantages The Travel Franchise offers over going independent is buying power. The brand works with 450+ travel suppliers, including Key Trade Partners. These relationships built over years and backed by the collective volume of 750+ consultants give franchisees access to exclusive rates, special promotions and pre-negotiated deals that an independent agent will struggle to replicate.

During peaks, those supplier relationships become especially valuable. Tour operators compete hard for agent attention, and The Travel Franchise, as a well-established operation with strong partnerships, secures the best allocations and the most competitive pricing.

Understanding how supplier relationships work is central to choosing the right business. And during peaks, those relationships translate directly into better deals for customers and higher commissions for consultants.

Supplier agreements are in place before peaks begins, so consultants can quote competitively from day one of the booking surge. Popular peaks destinations are covered, including Spain, Greece, Turkey, Cape Verde, and Dubai. Plus the consistently top-performing Spanish islands of Tenerife, Palma, and Lanzarote.

At the moment we are seeing massive growth in the following regions:

And franchise-level supplier relationships translate into stronger commission structures than independent agents typically access.

Marketing and lead generation support during peaks

Generating enquiries during peaks is not something franchise consultants have to figure out alone. The Travel Franchise network provides branded marketing materials, social media content, email templates and campaign assets timed specifically for the peaks window.

National-level advertising by the Not Just Travel consumer brand drives enquiries that flow through to individual consultants.

Travel agents are also coached on peaks-specific digital strategies. They highlight limited-time offers to trigger urgency. They use real-time weather updates from exotic destinations to create “weather envy” among UK customers in January.

And they send personalised email suggestions based on previous booking history. These tactics have been refined across multiple peaks periods and work within the specific psychology of the January booking surge.

For anyone exploring franchise opportunities in travel, this level of ready-made marketing infrastructure is one of the most practical advantages on offer.

Technology and booking systems that handle high volume

Managing 20 simultaneous enquiries without the right tools is a recipe for errors and missed sales. The Travel Franchise equips its consultants with specialist software. This allows agents to create professional, accurate quotes quickly. And this is essential when customers are comparing options across multiple agents at once.

The customer relationship management (CRM) system keeps every enquiry tracked and followed up. This means nothing falls through the cracks during the busiest weeks of the year.

For an independent travel agent trying to build their own tech stack from scratch, replicating this infrastructure would be costly and time-consuming. As part of The Travel Franchise, it is included from day one.

The Travel Franchise equips its consultants with specialist software designed to streamline workflow. To see how these tools automate your administration, read our full guide on how the travel franchise’s technology platform supports travel consultants.

Dedicated support teams and expert assistance

Every consultant with The Travel Franchise is allocated a dedicated Franchise Business Consultant (FBC). This is not a generic helpline, but a named individual who knows your business.

During peaks, that relationship becomes especially important. When a complex booking arises at 9pm on a Sunday in January, having someone to call who understands the client base and the business makes a real difference.

The head office support structure scales during peaks, with specialist product teams available to assist with destination queries, supplier escalations, and technical issues. This is the structural difference between working as part of The Travel Franchise and working in isolation. Franchise consultants have a team behind them, which is a defining feature of a credible business.

Community and peer support networks

Peaks can be intense. Even with excellent systems and support, the psychological pressure of a sustained high-volume period is real. And that is where the franchise community becomes something more than a professional network. The Travel Franchise’s 750+ consultants share knowledge through dedicated platforms, WhatsApp groups, and regional meetups.

That sense of not being alone and of having peers going through exactly the same thing at exactly the same time is something no independent travel agent can manufacture in isolation. The broader case for joining rests partly on this. Within The Travel Franchise, the community is a genuine competitive advantage, not a marketing talking point.

Financial protection and business security

During peaks, agents handle high-value bookings. These are sometimes worth tens of thousands of pounds per transaction. The financial protection framework that comes with a reputable network like The Travel Franchise matters enormously at this scale.

Consultants with The Travel Franchise offer ABTA-protected holidays, giving customers and agents confidence that bookings are secure even if a supplier fails.

Ultimately, consultants with The Travel Franchise can focus on selling rather than navigating complex financial regulation during the busiest weeks of the year.

Real experiences: How franchise consultants perform during peaks

January 2026 was the biggest peaks ever for The Travel Franchise, with record-breaking sales across the network. That result did not happen by accident. It was the product of years of refining training, supplier relationships and support systems specifically for this period.

Positive reviews of The Travel Franchise consistently point to peaks performance as the moment when the value of franchise infrastructure becomes most visible.

Raine, one of the consultants, prepared methodically for peaks by building her client database throughout the autumn. She attended pre-peaks training sessions, and she made sure her social media presence was active and deal-focused before Boxing Day.

Her approach reflects a pattern seen consistently among top performers. Preparation in the months before peaks determines results in January.

Long-term benefits beyond the peak season rush

A strong peaks period does not just generate January revenue. It builds the foundation for the rest of the year. Customers who book through a consultant during peaks, and receive excellent service, become repeat clients.

They refer friends and family. They return for their next holiday without shopping around.

For franchise consultants, each peaks period also builds skills and confidence. The agent who handles 50 complex enquiries in January is a more capable, more efficient consultant in April.

That compound growth in client base, in expertise and in reputation is what distinguishes a sustainable travel business from a one-season sprint.

Opportunities with The Travel Franchise offer genuine long-term support that makes this trajectory possible in a way that going independent rarely does. And the structure is designed to compound results year on year.

“The best thing about peak season isn’t just the amazing commission boost in January. It’s the relationships you build. When you help a family sort out their dream summer holiday during the winter craziness, and you do it with a smile and great service, they remember that. They become your clients for life, and that’s how you build a sustainable, joyful business for the long run.” — Jenny Farenden, Head of The Travel Franchise division at Not Just Travel

Choosing the right partner for peak season success

Not all businesses are built equally, and peaks is the period that exposes the gaps. When evaluating options, ask specifically about peaks support.

Does the operation run pre-peaks training? Does the support team operate extended hours in January? How many suppliers does the network work with, and are those relationships exclusive or generic? What technology is in place to handle volume surges?

Here’s what to look for when evaluating peaks support:

• Pre-peaks training programme: Look for dedicated product knowledge sessions, destination briefings and booking system refreshers before January arrives.
• Extended support hours: Check if the support team operates beyond standard business hours during peaks, including evenings and weekends.
• Supplier breadth and exclusivity: Find out how many suppliers are available, and if the relationships are exclusive or open to any agent.
• Technology infrastructure: Ensure booking systems, CRM, and quotation tools handle a significant volume surge without degraded performance.
• Track record during peaks: Ask for evidence of consultant performance during previous peaks, including revenue figures and growth trajectories.
• Regulatory credibility: Check for BFA membership and whether consultants offer ABTA-protected holidays, as these credentials matter to customers and agents alike.
• Peer references: Speak openly with existing consultants about their peaks experience, including what worked and what could be improved.

The track record of The Travel Franchise reflects an operation that has invested seriously in the infrastructure its consultants need. It was named Best Lifestyle Franchise in the World for the second consecutive year at the 2026 Global Franchise Awards in Las Vegas, and Best Franchise in Europe at the 2025 IFA Convention.

As a leading operator, the brand’s BFA membership and ABTA-protected holidays provide the regulatory credibility that customers need to see.

The Travel Franchise is a BFA member. The brand offers ABTA-protected holidays and has a 5-star rating on Trustpilot from 300+ reviews. The Travel Franchise was named Best Lifestyle Franchise in the World, Global Franchise Awards 2026.

Conclusion: Thriving during peak season with franchise support

The difference between an independent travel agent struggling through peaks and a consultant with The Travel Franchise thriving during it comes down to infrastructure.

Training, technology, supplier access, marketing support, a dedicated Franchise Business Consultant and a community of peers are not luxuries. During the busiest six weeks of the travel year, they are what separate coping from excelling.

For anyone considering joining before the next peaks period, the time to act is now. The consultants who achieve the strongest January results are the ones who spent the preceding months building their client base.

They completed their training, and they got their systems in place.

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