The education sector is facing a significant challenge: high stress levels among teachers. According to the Education Support Partnership’s Teacher Wellbeing Index, 75% of educators reported experiencing stress in the past academic year, and 57% have considered leaving the profession because of it.
This growing pressure is prompting more teachers across the UK to explore flexible side incomes or entirely new career paths. That’s where The Travel Franchise comes in — it offers a flexible business for teachers backed by a track record of success and comprehensive, supportive training.
The company has seen many of its franchisees like Gina, Ellie, Hayley and Julie-Anne make a successful shift from education, proving that balancing teaching and business has never been easier or more lucrative.
Read on to discover why a background in education aids a successful teacher career change and discover the real stories behind teachers that have joined The Travel Franchise.
Why teachers are perfect for a travel franchise business
With the right travel franchise for teachers, you can utilise your existing skills to start your own flexible and profitable business. Here’s how your foundation can help:
- From lesson plans to luxury itineraries: Your teaching skills can help you:match families to perfect resorts (like pairing students with right classes) and create seamless holiday timelines (just like your lesson schedules).
- From classroom management to client service: Handling parents’ evening? You’re ready for calming stressed wedding clients and solving last-minute booking emergencies.
- School holidays mean peak earnings: Summer breaks align with family travel demand, which allows you to earn when you’re off.
Wondering if your teaching skills could power your own business? Join a free Discovery Tour and see what’s possible.
Real teacher travel franchise success stories: How they made it work
From finding a second job for teachers to making a full-blown career change from teaching, see how several Travel Franchise travel agents made the transition successfully.
Gina: Left teaching, now books luxury family holidays
Gina, a teacher of 20 years, decided to pursue her long-standing dream of working in travel after becoming disillusioned with her job.
Well-travelled and passionate about booking holidays for friends and family, she explored her options and discovered The Travel Franchise through cruise expert Gemma Poppy Outram.
Attracted by the flexibility and the ability to train quickly while still teaching, Gina chose to start part time and will complete her training during the summer holidays (the company often schedules its five-day training when ‘school’s out’ so that teachers can join).
Gina plans to focus on the cruise market, aims to eventually go full time and build a successful travel business supported by Gemma’s enthusiasm and industry mentorship.
Ellie: Ditching teaching for a thriving travel business alongside motherhood
Ellie transitioned from a career in teaching to running a successful travel business after being inspired by the experience of working with a travel consultant to plan her honeymoon.
Intrigued by the role, she attended a free Discovery evening with her husband, where they met co-founder of The Travel Franchise, Paul Harrison. They were both reassured that her lack of business or travel experience wouldn’t be a barrier as The Travel Franchise is the number one travel franchise for people new to travel.
Ellie invested in the franchise’s Elite package, completed her training and launched her business. Just months later, Ellie achieved significant success while preparing to welcome her first child. She even won the company’s Money-Back Challenge which means her franchise fee is refunded!
Hayley: Now earns more than teaching while working with a baby on her lap
After having her second baby, former drama teacher Hayley decided not to return to the classroom and instead sought a home-based career that offered flexibility and family time. She and her husband discovered The Travel Franchise and were drawn to the opportunity to train virtually from home.
Hayley completed her training in October 2023 and immediately began booking holidays around the world, all while caring for her children. With strong support from her Business Development Manager (every franchisee is given one) and a growing client base fueled by word-of-mouth referrals, Hayley now thrives in her new role, loving the flexibility, customer interaction, and the chance to build a future family business from home.
Julie-Anne: 29-year geography teacher who now earns more and travels the world
After nearly 30 years as a geography and PE teacher, Julie-Anne left education to gain more flexibility and time with her children. She launched her own home-based travel business in 2019 and has since built a client base of over 200 people, earning a flexible five-figure monthly salary and enjoying luxury travel perks.
With no previous experience in travel, she began from scratch, spreading the word locally and online. Thanks to strong support from her Business Development Manager and tools provided by The Travel Franchise, Julie-Anne now lives her dream, doing what she loves, on her own terms, with freedom, fulfillment and financial reward.
What travel franchise agents actually do
Google your options and you will find a variety of home-based franchise opportunities, but if you are new to travel you’ll soon discover that The Travel Franchise is best equipped to help you transition from a career in education. But if you are wondering what does a travel agent do here’s a quick summary:
- Client Zoom calls (like parent consultations)
- Itinerary building (similar to lesson planning for the holidays)
- Problem-solving (lost bookings, akin to teacher emergencies)
- Marketing your new business (you’ll already be seen as a trustworthy individual in the community)
- Ongoing training to learn about different cruise lines and operators (studying, no problem!)
Why The Travel Franchise is perfect for teachers
If you’ve Googled teacher business ideas chances are you are looking for a way out. There are plenty of jobs for ex-teachers but if you’re looking for one that gives you freedom and flexibility, look no further. Here are just a few of the main reasons why you should join:
- Teacher-friendly franchise training that fits your schedule: You can train with The Travel Franchise and start taking bookings after just five days of virtual training and you can sign up for training during the school holidays.
- Work part time: You can chat to clients and plan in the evenings and weekends until you build your business up.
- Booking platform and website: Easy-to-use and intuitive travel agent software makes travel bookings simple, while your own website allows you to attract new clients.
- Mentorship retreats: Get the chance to mingle and interact with other travel agents at mentorship retreats abroad.
- Access to 450+ suppliers: You’ll never be short of amazing travel opportunities with access to more than 450 suppliers, which offer you amazing reach into virtually any type of holiday option.
- Money-Back Challenge: Grab the chance to earn your full franchise fee back with The Travel Franchise’s Money-Back Challenge.
- Earn some of the highest commissions: The Travel Franchise offers some of the highest commissions in the industry, giving you the chance to run and enjoy a successful and profitable business.
See what’s included in the full support package.
Compare us to other franchises—see why teachers choose us.
How to Balance Teaching With a Travel Franchise Business (Step-by-Step)
Starting your work from home business for teachers with The Travel Franchise doesn’t mean you need to quit your day job right away. You can smoothly transition to business ownership by starting part-time and going full-time when you’ve built a larger client base. Our four tips for success include:
- Start small: Launch part-time during holidays and evenings like Gina and Ellie.
- Use your strengths: Teachers are natural communicators, planners and multitaskers.
- Create a long-term plan: Transition slowly. Some like Julie-Anne replaced their teaching salary first.
- Maximise school holidays: Run holiday promotions, respond to leads or attend training during breaks.
Considering a career change at 30, 40 or 50? Learn how travel franchising makes it possible.
Conclusion
The stories of Gina, Ellie, Hayley and Julie-Anne show that teachers are not only well-equipped to succeed in travel, but also thrive when given the flexibility to work on their own terms.
With teacher-friendly training, supportive mentors and tools designed for ease and success, The Travel Franchise offers a practical and rewarding path for teachers seeking a second income or a brand-new career.
Whether you’re looking to supplement your salary or step away from the classroom entirely, your skills are more transferable than you think. Teaching may be your background, but travel could be your future. Ready to explore what’s next?
Not sure if now is the right time? Speak to our team and we’ll walk you through options that work around your teaching schedule.
Teacher Travel Franchise FAQs: Costs, Flexibility and Support
Can I really do this alongside teaching?
Yes! Most of our former educator travel agents start part-time like Gina.
What about school holidays?
From half-terms to summer holidays, you can grab the opportunity to immerse yourself in The Travel Franchise training programme after which you can start to explore ways to attract customers and make bookings.
What qualifications do you need to become a travel agent?
You don’t need any qualifications to become a travel agent with The Travel Franchise. 98% of our franchisees had no previous travel industry experience
What’s the cost to start?
Explore all our packages here.
Will I have support?
Yes, you’ll get a mentor, full training, booking tools and software, your own website, access to more than 450 suppliers, your own Business Development Manager and so much more. See everything in our what’s included page.
What commission does a travel agent make?
The standard commission rate for travel agents typically ranges from 10% to 15% of the total booking cost. However, this can vary depending on the travel agent’s experience, the type of booking (e.g., flights, hotels or travel packages) and the relationships between the agent and the suppliers. Read more on what commissions travel agents make and compare opportunities to find the best option for you.
