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?
Wow, what a fantastically professional and supportive hosting agency. GTN is run by three strong, smart women who care tremendously about the travel industry, coaching travel entrepreneurs to run success businesses while maintaining a work/life balance, and each individual Travel Advisor within our network.
I personally found GTN on hostagencyreviews.com. After a full day of interview calls with 9 host agencies, GTN was the clear (very clear) standout. And a year later, I'm 100% confident I made the right decision.
If you're in search of a Virtuoso host agency that is professional, provides support & development, and is financially sound, look no further.
In the midst of the chaos around us, Gifted Travel Network has remained our calm in the storm. I cannot speak more highly of the support they have provided all of us. Almost immediately, the staff began reaching out to every member of our network. GTN has always been a light and a strong believer in staying positive in the darkest times. We have multiple avenues for sharing and helping one another, including our Facebook group, weekly Zoom calls, emails, webinars, etc. Personally, I had a major issue with a supplier and a group booking. Within minutes of me emailing GTN, they began advocating on my behalf. It means the world to me to know they have my back and will stand up and support me with a voice that may never be heard if I were handling this alone.
If you are looking for a Host agency, you will not find a better place to call your home. Our team is here to support, teach, motivate, and guide you to grow and thrive in the travel business. They are the BEST!
It may seem counter-intuitive to write a review in the current environment as the travel industry deals with the current crisis, but they say you find out who your friends are in times of trouble.
As one of Gifted Travel Network's top producers, I have come to realize that despite collapsing sales and immense uncertainty regarding the future, they are our friends as much as our host agency. Their support, encouragement, balance between dealing with current reality and looking to the future is incredible. They have stepped up to deal with issues , they are answering emails, and they are producing webinars and Zoom calls on a daily basis. When the dust has settled, I'm convinced GTN will still be here, and anyone new to the industry or for those of you who feel you've been abandoned in any way by your current host, should take a very close look at the leadership GTN are showing during this time. I am so grateful to them, and know our business will emerge the other side of this stronger than ever.
What a great group of ladies to host with. They are committed to giving you the tool you need to make a successful travel business. I started with their Travel MBA which gave me all the building blocks to not just sell travel, also the tools to create, build, and run my own business. Their commitment and passion for seeing their advisors thrive and grow shines through in all their communications. They have also created a great FB forum where you don't feel alone and you can always find an answer to your questions. If you are new to the Travel Advising world or looking for a supportive fun group of advisors to work with this is your host agency.
I'm new to the travel industry but have professional experience in sales, consulting, HR and entrepreneurship. I evaluated numerous host agencies and felt that Gifted Travel Network and their Travel MBA program was the best fit for me. The key reasons were the business focused model, commitment and talent of the leadership team, highly supportive community and confidence that GTN would best position me for success and profitability. My experience over the past three months has been inspiring and so much fun! The Travel MBA program and our mentor's expertise and support have been key in guiding me through a quick ramp up. The recent award of the 'best new advisor training program' is very well deserved!!
I am so happy to make the move back to Gifted Travel Network. I have been in the travel industry since 2006. After working for a few agencies, I decided to branch out on my own. I joined GTN for a bit and decided to try my hand at getting my own credentials. Long story short, I am back! There is so much more power when you're with your tribe. There is nothing like the family feel and how everyone is there to help each other. I have been a member of Gifte(their sister company that focuses on mindset and coaching) since about 2013 so this is just a natural extension. I love knowing I am a part of something. I have made great friendships and look forward to growing my business with Gifted Travel Network.
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!