Travel agents that sell cruises - do you proactively monitor cruise pricing for clients? I know it's a touchy subject - some agents think helping clients reprice cuts commissions.... but do you think it builds loyalty? Is it too much of a pain? What's your take?
Recently got my personal and business instagram, as well as Facebook banned temporarily. It made me realize that I need to diversify my marketing and not solely depend on social media to get new leads.
Has anyone successfully built their email list and leads off of other platforms or methods other than Instagram and Facebook! Any and all help is appreciated!
Hi all -
I’m a relatively new advisor (about a year) and sort of fell into this industry. My background was sports experiences and started organizing trips so decided rather than outsourcing travel do it myself. I joined a small host which provided me an IATA and a favorable commission split and helped me get set up and learn the ropes.
I have been booking through TAAP, RateHawk and some of the hotels directly working with group contracts for some events. Pretty much figuring it out myself and as I go.
I recently started booking travel for a music manger for his personal side and he asked me to oversee travel for one of artists who tours here and there. That was pretty basic 2-4 rooms in different cities a few times a month. Now they want me to do a 50 city tour with 8-10 rooms and I’m getting overwhelmed. They want me to do flights and not a clue where to start (I realize not if any commission.
I’m trying to reach out to sales departments at major brands for a full tour partnership etc but not a clue if that’s the right move.
My host isn’t really helpful as she does cruises so I’m looking for an experienced agent to help mentor or partner with me. There are a few other artists that have asked me to help in the future. I used to be in the music business so have great relationships with a lot of them.
Any advice or if you’d like to work with me directly please reach out. My agency isn’t part of a consortium or give me many perks (I usually can get them from the sales dept myself so I’m also thinking about just starting my own)
Is the current economy affecting your sales? Friend encouraging me to sign with her "company". A host agency that does some sort of MLM? I am guessing this as she said "join her team".
In general, are you still making sales? I am leaning towards avoiding this but seems like a really tough time to start this career path. Opinions?
I see a lot of luxury/ultra-lux advisors who market themselves as being top partners for premier hotel brands. It seems that many of these advisors book the hotels directly.
To those selling lux/ultra-lux, I’m curious how you handle FITs. Are you also working with DMCs? Or do you do everything yourself?
If you do everything yourself - how do you do excursions? Do you work with the hotel concierge to set up experiences? I’m assuming for these types of clients you’re not using mass market platforms like Viator or Project expedition, so where do you source experiences?
Hello all and thank you in advance for the advice. I am new to the travel industry, but purchased an established brick and mortar agency so I'm having to jump right in and support incoming clients. The old owner has been an absolute nightmare to work with and has been booking flights through a GDS (Travelport Smartpoint - Apollo) for 40 years. I have had her ARC and IATA accreditations transferred to me, but I am far from prepared to take on the GDS without lots and lots of training which she is failing to provide. Travelport has also thrown a curve ball and given me to the end of the year to switch languages from Apollo to Galileo and I am losing all the progress I started on learning Apollo which is all the old owner knew and can teach me. I am desperately seeking alternative solutions because I need to become independent from the old owner as soon as possible, but I feel trapped because air is one of the most commonly booked pieces of travel in my office and also the most suffocatingly difficult to learn and manage.
I have looked into platform options like Centrav and Globetrotter by FareLadder, but I have no idea if these are actually viable alternatives to learning the GDS system and I don't want to commit to a system that I will have to use to manage bookings after I make them if it's not something I want to fully transition to. I am seeking any and all suggestions and advice for how I should do air bookings. Thank you!
(Also before passing judgement on my situation, I would like to add that I am very aware that this was a major jump as someone just starting out, but I am eager to learn and was honestly grossly misled by the owner about how difficult this would be. She is a pathological liar and refused to train me until the purchase of the business was complete and I am still paying her for her time spent training and managing these flight bookings. If she had been honest about the process and the amount of training required, I would have joined a host agency first to learn and get my bearings before taking this on. I am just trying to stop the financial bleeding from employing her to train me at this point and looking for any way to get by without her.)
TL;DR New agent struggling to learn GDS, looking for solid and reliable alternatives for making air bookings asap
I work for a large travel provider, so I get to enjoy IATA perks. We are aiming for a cruise, and I noticed that Holland America offers TA rates for up to 4 people. But I don't know if that means the 4 people share a single cabin (like a family)?
I know they don't offer those rates as a perk, but to encourage familiarity, and I'm not interested in "gaming" the system. So I'm just trying to figure out my options.
Thanks!
Hi everyone,
I am based in Australia.
I’ve recently had offers for Corporate Travel Consultant roles with both CTM and FCM. Both seem to offer hybrid working arrangements, which is really appealing.
I’m trying to get a realistic idea of how the salary and incentive structure actually works in these roles (especially in the first year and after ramp-up).
The job ads mention OTE packages ($85,000) with base salary + uncapped incentives, but I’m wondering what people are actually earning in reality once you’re in the role
I am new to the industry. So any information is appreciated.
Anyone left Fora and willing to share their experience? How did you transition with active bookings considering their exclusivity clause? Did they pay out commissions?
I worked as a travel agent for 2 years almost a decade ago. I loved the job, hated the company, and quit because I wanted to travel more that my employment contract allowed.
Recently I was approached to work with an independent broker doing a bit of admin while I relearn the industry and was encouraged and keen to build my client base. I have been back at it again part time/casually for 6months and the plan was to take 12-18m to build up a client base before I leave my full time job and give this everything I’ve got.
I have not messed anything up majorly, but I am making small stumbles regularly and finding this so difficult. For example, first booking was a flight for for a friend and it was a codeshare. This caused no issues for her but I can see now how it could have and should have booked it with the operating carrier. Also, issues navigating SABRE has resulted in my most recent booking being a fare that includes checked luggage but additional can only be added at checkin. While I told the client I needed to check with the airline before taking payment and confirming the additional bags and asked if she was still wanting to proceed with booking the flights at that time, I just feel incredibly frustrated with myself that I did not pick up on this before booking the tickets In the first place. Having to relearn and learn all of the details and processes through struggle is wearing me down.
Maybe I am just burnt out from doing so much and am being too hard on myself, but I am starting to wonder if I’m really just terrible at this job and should give up? I really want to make this work, as the opportunity would allow me the flexibility to work and travel exactly how I want to..
Cut it to me straight. Do I need to see a therapist about my perfectionism, keep learning and booking and growing.. or do I already sound like a lost cause for this job?
I've had a few clients recently who need extra help with mobility or other special needs, things like wheelchair access, tour adjustments, or accessible transportation. Its been a bit tricky figuring out how to make sure everything works for them.
Ive used Viator Travel Agent Program and GetYourGuide, and theres a difference in how they handle these requests. Viator Travel Agent Program has a lot of options with specific accessibility features, like wheelchair friendly buses and accessible entrances. Its easier to find what i need because they have filters for it.
But with GetYourGuide, its a bit harder to get clear info on accessibility. I have to dig around more to find the right tours, and sometimes the details arent obvious. But also i really like GetYourGuide its very helpful in general.
What platform do you prefer for these kinds of requests?
I've had a terrible time getting follow up from them regarding even minor extra details/pricing/etc. Sometimes, it's taken three months of follow-up, and I do a decent business with cruise bookings.
Anyone else having a hard time with them? Had heard from a few friends at different agencies that specialize in luxury cruise that it isn't selling well for them compared to Explora, Ritz, and Four Seasons/that they have had similar radio silence from OESY. Curious if that's isolated or more widespread.
I am a TA and am sailing on my first HAL cruise in Oct 2026. Its a 16 day Panama Canal crossing, San Diego to Ft Lauderdale. I specifically booked HAL because I haven't sailed them before and haven't booked any clients on them yet. I usually prefer to book clients on Celebrity and RC but am trying to get familiar with the other lines. I was really wanting to check out the Thermal Suite. Unfortunately it is already fully booked. Would it be inappropriate to ask the BDM if there is any way they could possibly get me a booking. It would be a benefit to me as a TA to experience it and use it in my marketing. Or would that be an inappropriate request to a BDM? I have been at this about 2 1/2 years and have not really reached out to our BDM's for anything as yet.
Are you happy with your decision?
Tell me all your pros and cons about worldvia and wherever else you’ve tried also.
I’m currently with Worldvia but I’m starting to realize it may not be for me.
I am with an agency that won't let me keep my booked commissions if I leave. So it makes sense that I would join my new agency and start booking trips after a certain date with them, but keep paying the monthly fee/working with my current agency until all clients have traveled. The problem is that they are both Virtuoso and that's not allowed. How do people switch host agencies without either losing their outstanding commissions or putting their entire business on hold? I have asked agencies this question in interviews and oddly no one seems to know the answer to this.
If my client called MSC to get help booking a cruise that they were told was sold out (its not, there are HUNDREDS of rooms still open) can they call back and have it transferred to me? Their booking conf says MSC travel agency so I'm not sure if its going to be a headache for them or not, or if MSC will give it to me
Do you reach out beforehand and share that you’re a travel advisor? If you have, what benefits have you noticed or received, if any?
I’ll be traveling to a luxury 5 star property in a few months (for leisure) and just wondering if it’s worth reaching out.
Also selfishly wondering if it’s possible to get VIP perks/upgrades/what have you - by doing so 🤷 can’t hurt to ask the people of Reddit first.
Hi! I am basically a travel agent when I wear my PR manager hat for a local tourism authority that plans trips for visiting travel writers. I book flights, hotels, restaurants, activities, all the things. I've just started using Travefy and am wondering if there is a way for me to track the cost of these trips without the journalist seeing those details when I share it? That is helpful for me and future budget planning. I've read the FAQ and the help articles (the answer seems to be: no) but I'm wondering if the pros (you guys) have a workaround that might be applicable for me? Thank you!
Hey everyone,I'm trying to book point-to-point japan rail tickets for some clients, but I'm stuck with the SmartEX credit card policy.
As you know, the system requires the physical card used for payment to be inserted into the machine at the station to print the tickets. Since I'm using my corporate card, I obviously can't give it to my pax to take to Japan.
How are you guys handling this?
Is there a way to get a QR code instead, or are you moving away from SmartEX entirely? I’ve looked at Klook or the JR West official site, but I want to make sure I’m not sending my clients into a mess when they get to the station.
Any B2B platforms or reliable alternatives that don't require the physical card for pickup?
Thanks!
Hey everyone, My husband and I are doing our first VV cruise to Alaska in early August. I’m super excited! I did my training, got to gold, and requested my sailor loot. Is this a one time perk? Also, can anyone help me understand the MNVV program? I plan to ask on board too, but want to be prepared. Thanks!