www.giftedtravelnetwork.com
704-585-7732
Email Host Agency
197 Medical Park Rd. Suite 202 Mooresville, NC 28117 A passion project in retirement that turned into a thriving business: Two reasons why and the how:
First, a little background: After twenty years of trading risk arbitrage and equity derivatives in downtown manhattan, the time had come for chapter two, or no chapter at all; the latter option was not appealing. My dad said, "what about being a travel advisor? You love to travel, have a great client list and have been to +60 countries. We use an advisor and it makes all the difference in the world?" I love the idea, but where do you begin?
With Wall Street clientele, the appeal of Virtuoso as the luxury leader in travel helped me narrow my search for a host agency on this very site. The other requirement was a real education; only GTN had both. The year-long program was vital to my success. One could launch without the education on the back of my extensive travel and business experience, but aren't your odds of success drastically higher if you are a true expert? Doesn't that take immersion and mentorship? Would I have done more damage to my budding travel reputation with the finance clients I hoped to convert to travel clients had I not? Would I get more than one chance from those clients?
Fast forward to December 2021, I am in GTN's top producers club (top 30) in my first full year of business! I am invited to the Virtuoso ultraluxe community, attended Belmond's signature Bellini event for 10 USA advisors in Sicily and was on a top producer retreat with GTN. Without education, it would not have unfolded this way and certainly not this quickly.
The second reason is: In real estate, the most valuable metric is location, location, location, but at a host agency, it is culture, culture, culture. The collaboration and support amongst advisors in our community is the silver bullet and goes hand in hand with the educational foundation of GTN. Imagine how much the collective mindshare benefits our clients. I was not expecting instant responses to questions or requests for advice yet opening up the browser to 7 responses in thirty minutes is common. It's another level of vetting and advocacy, but it only happens if the culture is there. We are not competing like local real estate agents who might compete for a listing in town. Our clients are worldwide, an enviable difference, and it means we are not competing so let's help each other win. We share tips, insights and experiences on our internal system in discussion groups that pale in comparison to snarky online forums. We travel together, 14 GTN advisors and I are just back from 12 days in Tanzania, and as a result, we grow together. It's made all the difference in professional growth inspired by culture and education. What more can you ask for?
The moment I first joined Gifted Travel Network I knew I had found my home! I have been in the industry for years and can say with certainty that GTN is one of a kind. Each member is truly respected and nurtured no matter where you are in your business. Time is spent on making you and your business the best it can be with amazing training opportunities not found elsewhere. It is amazing that they invest so much into their members personal well being and growth which in turn leads to professional growth. Thank you Gifted Travel Network for putting people first!
I am not new to the travel industry so I have quite a bit of past experience to know what I was looking for in a host agency. I have been associated with Gifte (the sister company to GTN) for quite a few years now. I really liked the support in this community and how they teach independence of your agency and not an extension of the host agency. It made since that GTN would continue to support this thought so when I started looking for a new host it just seemed natural for me to look at GTN. When GTN joined with Virtuoso I knew that this was the host agency for me since I had been with a Virtuoso agency in the past and knew all of the wonderful things this can bring to your business. Also, the staff at GTN is very supportive. They are there to help and respond quickly to your questions. Bottom line you can't go wrong with GTN as your host agency.
Making the decision to change careers and become a full time Travel Adviser was the easiest decision I ever made in my life because I LOVE everything travel and when your job is doing something you LOVE it is no longer a job :) However, finding a Host Agency that knows how to support someone that is not familiar with the travel industry AND not familiar with being an entrepreneur. Well, that is another story...... In less than a year, I have interviewed many and even tried a couple of different agencies before Gifted but was still totally lost. I was actually ready to give up and feeling discouraged but saw a posting about the Gifted Travel MBA program on Host Agency Reviews and decided to join it as a last resort. Wow, this decision has been a great business investment for me. The program delivers individual customized support, all types of on demand learning content (live webex Q&A for travel related questions; marketing, CRM, etc... all week long), video tutorials on EVERYTHING which are super easy to find when there are not live calls in process and you need to figure something out quickly after hours, vendor training that is actually helpful, Facebook forum to interact with the team, etc... All formatted in a really easy to understand format for the beginner. I am finally on my feet, booking travel and feeling very confident about my future :) As an IT professional in my prior profession, the technology is solid. On a personal level, the entire group is wonderfully supportive. Oh, and did I mention Gifted is Virtuoso? I wish I had more than 5 stars to give!!! Thank you Gifted...
If you're reading these reviews, I'm going to assume you're looking for a host agency. Here's my advice. Please stop and just sign up with Gifted Travel Network (GTN). You simply will not find a better host no matter how long you search, so you might as well save the time and call GTN now. But maybe you need a little more information before you go with GTN, so let me help you out. First, the management team is phenomenal - they truly have your back and are always ready with advice and/or support to help you make your business successful. Next, their Travel MBA program is fantastic, and it got me trained up and headed in the right direction very quickly. Finally, GTN's professional, caring, helpful, "can do" attitude extends to their entire community of travel advisors, of which you'll become a part of when you join. If only I could give them 6 stars!
Just joined GTN but have been affiliated with them through Gifte for years. They offer both experienced and new agents a nurturing environment to grow their personal as well as professional development. A true partner for my business.
I was looking into changing host for 2 reasons- I needed a host that was part of Virtuoso for my clients to receive the additional amenities and a host I could make a better commission split with. I found both and so much with GTN. GTN offers so much more than I ever imagined- constant support, quick answers to emails or calls, higher commission levels with vendors and they want you to build your brand!! I have no regrets about switching to GTN and after "interviewing" and researching many host affiliated with Virtuoso, I know I made the right decision choosing GTN.
Gifted Travel Network is hands down, the best host agency in the country. You will simply not find a group with more expertise in the travel industry, and they are laser-focused on educating and supporting their advisors in any way they can. Honestly, I have no idea how I would have built my thriving business without their help. If you are looking for a host agency that cares about you just as much as they care about your business, look no further than GTN.
GTN is a remarkable organization on so many levels. I began my travel journey 2-years ago and can not imagine this journey without the magnificent team at GTN. The Travel MBA program is a must for everyone, even if you have been doing this for years. As an entry level business owner; the training, education, support and partnership I received from the MBA program put me, and my business, on the fast track to success!!! I would not be nearly as successful today if I had chosen another path or Host Agency. The GTN team continues to be my partner, supporter, my BIGGEST cheerleaders and fans. I consider the GTN Team dear friends and have made some lifelong friends with the other members of GTN. It is an honor to be a part of this very special, and elite, group of travel entrepreneurs!!
Travel is my passion. It has been for years, and I've always wanted to be a travel advisor (or what they called an agent back in the day). The opportunity fell into my lap earlier this year, so I grabbed it! Thanks to Host Agency Reviews, I was able to sort through the myriad of host agencies and what they have to offer. It is a DAUNTING task to find the right fit, but lots of research, phone calls, references later, I found the perfect fit for me with Gifted Travel Network! Words cannot express how grateful I am for these ladies! No matter where you are in the business, new or experienced, I feel like there's a home for you here.
I was most attracted to GTN because of their TravelMBA program (being new to the business, I knew I'd need a little extra support) and their affiliation with Virtuoso (my niche is luxury travel and bucket list experiences, so this was an important connection for my business). I just happened to speak with them while doing my due diligence during the Travel Entrepreneur Week their sister company, GIFTE (Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs) was hosting and when I watched the live content and saw all I learned in just a few days, I KNEW I had to join this incredible organization.
They are truly a family and welcomed me with open arms. The TravelMBA mentor, Lisa Fletcher, has spent countless hours on the phone walking me through all of my questions and helping me book trips for my clients to make me feel comfortable with the process. I'm only halfway through the modules, but I can see the immense value the investment is providing me and my business. I know this might sound too good to be true, but I'm telling you IT'S ALL TRUE!.
I couldn't be happier with my decision to join GTN!!!
Gifted Travel Network is by far the most superior host agency there is! I had a "mentor" who did not teach me anything, I went to a large host agency where I paid for one of their programs and learned about suppliers - then they never reached out to me again - didn't want to see if I needed any help or direction or had any questions. They weren't paying commissions and if they did, they were incorrect.. I just didn't feel like I was getting the help I needed to build my business. I felt like I had nowhere to turn and was going to fail miserably. Then I heard Meredith Hill speak at CruiseWorld. That forever changed my world for the better! It's not just that she is a truly dynamic and powerful speaker, her message resonated within me... it was like I was awoken! She spoke about how newer advisors feel and the challenges they face - and she was dead on right! She gave me hope! I signed up with Gifted Travel Network and the Travel MBA program immediately. I had a new sense of direction, happiness and my only regret is not signing up sooner! All of the women at Gifted Travel Network genuinely care and are supportive and helpful. We have amazing FB forums and live webinars where you can ask questions and get the answers you seek. My previous host agency never did that... they let me fail and could not have cared less. The support and encouragement not only comes from the amazing team at Gifted, but also the other advisors... I can freely post in the FB forum and receive insights and thoughts, experiences from other advisors that help me and take the stress off of me.. Gifted is also an AMAZING mindset resource! Gifted actually helped me change my pessimistic mindset into believing I can achieve my goals and it's also affected how I am in my life outside of travel... I have challenges and reframe my perspective to the positive and have importantly learned that not everything is going to be perfect and that it is ok to Bless it and release it. I could not be more grateful for Gifted Travel Network... they literally saved me personally and professionally.