I joined Dugan's Travel in July of 2021 with no travel agent experience under my belt. I had discovered the joy of traveling only a few years before, and I was looking for a way to travel more and supplement my upcoming retirement income. I decided to give it a year's trial to see if I liked it and could make any money doing it.
Dugan's agency was more than willing to take on a newbie and provided a multitude of training opportunities. If I've had questions on procedures or suppliers or just needed suggestions for great travel ideas for clients, I've always gotten feedback from the leadership team or from other agents in the Dugan's family via the Facebook page. I've never been left hanging on my own.
I live in a small Midwestern town so I don't have a vast population to pull from for travel
clients, but with the variety of training I've taken advantage of, I have been in the top 25 selling agents in 2022. I so enjoy the work I'm doing, now as a full-time agent since my recent retirement. I'm so thankful I took a chance to reach out to Dugan's Travel to ask how I could become a travel agent with their organization. I would encourage anyone looking for a host agency that truly cares you as an individual to contact them, as well.
If you are looking for a Host Agency look no further. Dugans Travels is the best out there. I have been with Dugans more than 13 years and did my research before joining. Dugans has everything you are looking for no matter if you are new or old to the industry. You must be dedicated to wanting to be an agent to make your business work - Dugans will walk you through step by step to get your business going.
Cheryl Sawin
I have been with Dugan's Travels for over 11 years and all I can say is that there is no other "home" for me and my business. The support that Dugan's Travels gives you is second to none. I can assure my clients that they are not only getting my services but the support of over 300 other agents as well as the Dugan's team. Jennifer Dugan is all I aspire to be as an agent and the customer service and care she gives her agents. I HIGHLY recommend Dugan's Travels as a host agency. You won't regret the decision to join this "family"!
Thank you so much, Dorothy, for your kind words and for being such an integral part of the Dugan's Travels family for over 11 years! We’re truly honored to be your “home” in this industry. It means the world to know that you feel supported not only by our team but by the incredible network of agents who make this community so special.
Your dedication to your clients and your business is an inspiration, and I’m humbled by your kind words about my role. It’s agents like you who make Dugan’s Travels what it is—a place where we can all grow, support one another, and thrive together. Thank you for recommending us so highly and for being such an amazing part of our family. Here’s to many more years of success together!
Finding the right host agency is essential for independent travel advisor success. After weeks of research, I decided on Dugan's Travel for several reasons.
1. I appreciate Dugan's Travel family first approach. This was a key factor in my decision-making process.
2. The support at Dugan's Travel is exceptional. It's personal, responsive, and genuinely helpful. When I have doubts or I'm uncertain as to best next steps, I reach out and Dugan's is always quick to help with relevant information to resolve a particular problem.
3. Dugan's University is invaluable. I spend a lot of time there as a new advisor and it has helped me tremendously in gaining knowledge of the industry, learning about suppliers, and growing my business. The more I learn, the more confident I become in my chosen profession.
4. Dugan's Travel technology is top notch. I have all the tools I need to be successful, and the trainings to use them effectively.
5. Dugan's genuinely cares about their agents. I feel valued and supported as an individual and a new travel advisor. I don't feel like I'm in a corporate environment that is focusing on numbers.
Dugan's has exceeded my expectations, and I'm happy to have found a host agency that truly supports its advisors and fosters an environment where we can thrive.
Thank you, Vicki, for taking the time to share such a detailed and thoughtful review. We’re thrilled to hear that your experience with Dugan’s Travels has exceeded your expectations!
Our “family first” approach is at the heart of everything we do, so it’s wonderful to know this resonated with you. Your commitment to learning and growing through Dugan’s University is inspiring, and it’s fantastic to see how it has boosted your confidence and business.
We’re also so glad our support, technology, and training have made a positive impact on your journey as a travel advisor. You are absolutely valued as both an individual and a professional, and we’re so proud to have you as part of the Dugan’s family.
Here’s to your continued success—we’ll be right here cheering you on every step of the way!
I have been with Dugan's for over 15 years and in all that time I have found the team to be exceptional. The opportunities for education, the FAM trips, the volume of expertise offered through this host travel agency has been unsurpassed by others. No question is too small or too insignificant, and the wealth of information from other members of the agency is a welcome benefit. Jennifer Dugan is the personification of professionalism while maintaining a sense of compassion and friendliness, as are the rest of the team members. Comraderie and expertise are the numbers 1 and 2 priorities at Dugan's.
I've been a travel agent for over 18 years. Throughout that time period, I've been an independent contractor with Dugan's Travels. The field of travel is ever-changing and Dugan's Travels helps every agent working with the company to expand their travel knowledge, whether it be with destinations or suppliers. Dugan's has a case tracking system which has evolved over the years and greatly helps with the day-to-day business. The company offers frequent webinars, fams and many other educational opportunities. It's a fantastic company to work with and has a great (very approachable) management team. Additionally, Dugan's agents are very much a family!
Thank you, Lucie, for sharing your experience and for being part of the Dugan’s Travels family for over 18 years! Your longevity with us speaks volumes, and we’re so grateful for your continued trust and partnership.
The ever-changing travel industry requires us all to keep learning and adapting, and I’m thrilled that our educational opportunities, webinars, and FAMs have been valuable to you. Our goal has always been to provide the tools—like the case tracking system—and the support needed to make day-to-day business smoother.
It’s agents like you who make our Dugan’s Travels family so special. Your success and dedication inspire us, and I’m so glad you find our team approachable and helpful. Here’s to many more years of growth, learning, and success together!
I have been disappointed in the leadership of my host agency, Dugans Travels, specifically email correspondences to me from Agency owner-Jennifer Dugan. It is common to get short, curt email responses from Jennifer in asking questions of our help desk. But most recently this week I was highly surprised by Jennifer’s assumption and suggestion that I take a 1-year leave of absence in reaction to simply asking the question if there was a way to receive just mandatory emails from Dugan’s vs the several times daily optional training emails. I was not stating I refused to receive the emails from Dugan’s Travels, if that was my only choice. No joke, we independent agents receive 2-5 various daily emails from Dugan’s + the numerous emails we receive weekly from suppliers. It’s a lot as a new agent trying to just get the clients to survive and make decent money as a travel agent, and for me more specifically I’m handling a very difficult, recent death in my family, care of an incapacitated family member and intense various legal trust challenges from a family member. Which Jennifer seems to know I’m dealing with yet still suggested a full 12 month leave of absence vs asking me if that’s what I want, or calling me to discuss, or anything that would have been better than a blunt 1 sentence suggestion I take a one-year leave of absence. Her statement without consideration how it would be received. It was very distressing and sad to me. I felt so abandoned I cancelled my vacation plans to join Jennifer, staff and Dugan’s agents on a FAM Cruise I had planned months to attend and was to start in just 7 days from Jennifer’s email.
It was very obviously to me I was not an agent someone Jennifer cared enough about to pick up the phone to talk to me, nor ask me any questions of what specifically might be going on in my life hindering my ability to receive so many daily emails, nor a suggestion that we discuss things when we meet up on the cruise the following week. I simply asked if it was possible to receive less optional emails from Dugan’s. I have struggled, as many new Part Time and FT agents due in gaining and retaining new clients, especially in the first year. I have followed the couple general direction ideas from Dugan’s in pursuing and marketing to possible new clients. But I’ve not found any efficient training, live, hands on mentoring training that works or groups of new agents, 1 year or less, that meet regularly online with staff to brainstorm ideas in specifically how to effectively gain new clients as a Dugan agent. For those of you considering coming to Dugan’s as a new agent I thought you deserved understanding some of what I have experienced as a new independent agent with Dugan’s. I’m sad what the future holds with Dugan’s Travels for me.
We are sorry to hear about the recent dissatisfaction expressed in this review. At Dugan's Travels, we genuinely strive to provide the best support to all our agents, especially those who are facing personal challenges.
We understand that this agent has been dealing with significant personal challenges over the past year, including caregiving responsibilities and a recent loss in the family. We made multiple efforts to support this agent, including offering three one-on-one Zoom calls, inviting them to our new agent Zoom meetings, and placing them in our mentorship program. Additionally, we offered a one-year leave of absence to provide the agent with time off without losing their status with the agency. Unfortunately, the agent took offense to this offer and began posting these reviews.
It's important to clarify that our agents are independent contractors, not employees. The agent's contract was up for renewal, and after reviewing the recent online reviews posted on multiple platforms, we made the decision not to renew the contract. This decision was based on the fact that concerns were not brought directly to us but were instead posted publicly online. In doing so, it was clear the goal was not to find resolution.
We believe in maintaining a positive and collaborative environment for all our agents and staff. We are committed to addressing concerns directly and constructively to improve our services.
I joined Dugan's Travels on June 30, 2023, new to the travel industry but have enjoyed planning trips for friends and family. Being a beginner is not an issue at Dugan's. The entire team is here for you in every way. I went to DU in September '23 to learn everything I could, and it was amazing! The team is friendly and helpful, and the suppliers are very informative. Dugan's has a help desk for questions and excellent response times. CEO Jennifer goes above and beyond in her accessibility to agents, showing her value for their success. Dugan's offers numerous resources to learn and grow at your pace. I initially joined to make extra money in my passion for travel, and have done better than expected, making the top 25 one month and almost making it another. Dugan's offers so much to learn, including the Bootcamp, which I just finished yesterday. Every day, lightbulbs would go off thanks to the tools and tips they provided! Huge thanks to Jennifer, Christina, Melissa, Shari, Lisa, and the entire Dugan's leadership for the best experience in becoming a travel agent! I couldn't have chosen a better option than to join Dugan's Travel!
Francine-
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful experience with Dugan's Travels! We are thrilled to hear how much you've enjoyed your journey with us, starting as a beginner and rapidly growing into to a top performer!
It's fantastic to know that our training programs, like DU and the Bootcamp, have been so enlightening for you and that the tools and tips provided have truly made a difference. We are also delighted to see our team's support, especially Christina, Melissa, Shari, and Lisa, has helped foster your passion for travel into a successful career.
Your success story is inspiring and highlights the essence of what we aim to provide for all our travel agents. We're so glad you chose Dugan's and look forward to supporting your continued growth and achievements in the travel industry.
Thank you once again for your kind words and for being a valued part of our community. Here’s to many more milestones and successes together!
I love to travel which prompt me to become a part-time travel agent. I joined Dugan's Travels in October 2015 with no travel agent experience even though I love to travel. I searched a lot of Host Agencies before I decided to go with Dugan's Travels. Jennifer and all her staff have been wonderful. They provide all the agents opportunity, support, training including online training needed to be successful in the business. There are so many options for training both in person and online. They did a zoom training with me early this year when I built my goal, and for the first time I'm one of the five-star agents. Thanks, Dugan's Travels for all your support. Flora Oladapo.
A big congratulations to you, Flora! Making Five Star was your goal and you made it! We are so happy to have you with Dugan's!
Dugan's Travels has been a wonderful host agency. There are so many to choose from and yet I kept going back to Dugan's. I am so glad I made the decision to work with them. There is so much training and everyone has been so helpful along the way. I am so glad I chose them and feel great to be a part of this wonderful host family. Thank you, Dugan's Travels, for making my dreams of becoming a travel advisor a reality.
Kim-
You are doing WONDERFUL! We are so glad you came to Dugan's!
I joined Dugan's Travels in September 2023 after finally deciding to re-start my travel career. I had orginally joined back in the early days of Dugan's and decided to look them up to see what they were currently offering. My socks were blown off by what I read. The training is 2nd to none and the staff do everything in their power to make sure their agents are well trained and well informed. While it's up to me to build my business I know that the staff at Dugan's stands by my side to make sure that I can be as successful as I want to be. I'm looking forward to a long & rewarding relationship with them.
Tracy,
We are so excited to see what you do with this business! You have some great ideas and we think you are going to soar! So glad you joined us! (again)