HAR's Preliminary Survey Data Offers Good News for Travel Advisors

Host Agency Reviews' 2022 Travel Advisor Survey results mark the beginnings of a potentially steep recovery trajectory.

Minneapolis, August 11th, 2022 – Host Agency Reviews conducted their 2022 Travel Advisor Survey this spring with 1,450+ respondents. The survey profiled advisor income earned in 2021, the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic amidst continued industry impact in the face of the unpredictability of constantly-changing pandemic travel restrictions.

Average hosted advisor income increased 126% from 2020 to 2021.

Preliminary data from HAR’s 2022 Travel Advisor Survey indicate that income for travel advisors is on a strong recovery trajectory from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The average income for full-time independently-accredited advisors ¹ registered at $21,785. This marks a 145% increase from 2020 income levels. Within the same timeframe, the average hosted advisor income ² increased 126% (from $11,052 to $24,892).

This data complements other industry trends that show a strong recovery into the second half of 2022. In the wake of the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) lifting of the U.S. inbound testing order, 80% of travel advisors expect their sales to increase compared to the first half of 2022, according to a recent press release from ASTA.

The likelihood for travel advisors to sell travel as a primary source has exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 levels

The trend also echoes what President of Nexion Travel Group, Jackie Friedman, is seeing among her advisors on the ground, “Our top advisors commission earnings over the past 12 months are at or above 2019 levels and our total number of Circle of Excellence winners for 2022 is just shy of the record number we set in 2019, advisors are busier than ever!!!”

In addition to income and sales increases, the likelihood for travel advisors to sell travel as a primary source has exceeded pre-pandemic 2019 levels. 55% of responding advisors overall (hosted, independently-accredited, and travel advisor employees) reported selling travel as a primary source of income in HAR’s 2022 survey, a 3-point increase from 2019’s pre-pandemic levels.

Through the end of the year, HAR will publish its annual series of travel advisor reports to track the current trends in advisor income and fees. Below you can sign up to receive notifications as more of HAR’s exclusive data is released.

Regarding survey participation, HAR founder Steph Lee said, “We’re thrilled with the highest turnout yet for our annual survey! The survey plays an important role in tracking our industry’s recovery, benchmarking, and publishing valuable data that all stakeholders—advisors, agencies, suppliers, consortia, and hosts—can use to help strengthen and grow our industry. And we certainly couldn’t do it without the participation of so many advisors and our wonderful survey partners.”

Through the end of the year, HAR will publish its annual series of travel advisor reports to track the current trends in advisor income and fees. Below you can sign up to receive notifications as more of HAR’s exclusive data is released.

In 2022, HAR is partnered with a record number of travel organizations to help promote the survey, with industry supporters including Andavo Travel, American Society of Travel Advisors, Adventure Travel and Trade Association, Celebrity Cruise Lines, Departure Lounge, Destination Wedding University, Gifted Travel Network, Independent by Flight Centre, Independent by Liberty Travel, Incentive Connection Travel, KHM Travel Group, Los Medanos, Montecito Village Travel, NEST, NEST Plus, Nexion Travel Group, Outside Agent Link, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, TaConnect, The Travel Institute, Travel Planners International, Travel Quest Network, Travel Leaders-Market Square, Travel Leaders Network, Travel Pulse, and Uniglobe Travel.

Organizations interested in partnering on future surveys can email Hello@HostAgencyReviews.com. Individuals interested in receiving survey publication notices can sign up for updates below:

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Footnotes

1. Independently accredited advisors who have 3+ years of experience and sell travel full time ↩
2. Hosted advisors who have 3+ years experience and sell travel full time ↩