For a new advisor, I would certainly recommend aligning with GTN from the start. I know it would have saved me years of money and headaches to learn GTN's business philosophy and processes at the beginning of my travel career. I've had an agency since 2018, hosted and then eventually with my own CLIA. My first host was low cost and fine for learning the mechanics of booking travel and basics of the business. GTN, however, gets agents started with the firm understanding that travel is not what we're selling. Travel is a commodity. We're selling ourselves and our skills to a particular clientele, and that is achievable with the right preparation and tools. I will say it has been tough going back to the basics. That's not vendors & booking engines, though they're in the mix too; it's the core of what my new agency & brand should convey. Then come the processes. Thankfully, I can rely on GTN's staff, mentors and member agents for clarity, insight and inspiration. And finally, yes, GTN is an investment. The Travel MBA program demands time, focus and finances. GTN has programs for more established travel entrepreneurs, too. Experienced advisors are not forced to start again on the ground floor. I established a brand new agency instead of trying to retrofit my existing one, so the Travel MBA program has been a good fit. If I were just starting out, it would have been a perfect fit and saved me years on the hamster wheel that an independent agency can become.

The rates for Maui and Jamaica resorts are definitely cheaper than my old system, giving me direct access to great wholesale prices. However, the system times out too quickly. If I get distracted on a phone call while building a quote, I often have to log back in and start over, which is highly annoying.