Incentive Connection Travel

I have been with ICT since 2006. I have always found them to be supportive and available to answer any question either by phone or email. They pay their commissions in a timely manner and do not require an unreasonable amount of paperwork. They provide their agents with support not only from the office staff, but also by encouraging communication among agents within the network. Conventions are hosted every other year to help foster the relationships between the agents and their preferred suppliers. Educational opportunities are provided to the agents via webinars on a regular basis. If you are looking for a host agency to support you while you grow your travel business the best way for you, ICT is the answer you are looking for.

I have now been with Incentive Connection Travel for 8 years. I have never looked back from joining them.I have been a outside agent in 3 store fronts since 1985, I am a knowledgeable home based owner and enjoying the supportive friends , BDMs, and suppliers support. I enjoy the networking experience between agents, suppliers and our BDMs thru Incentive Connection travel , I have been happy and very successful since joining ICT . They are the top 10 producing agency with Ensemble , they also belong to Funjet 500 club , Delta, and many more. We have high commission percentage because of the volume of booking agents. Commission are paid the month after completed trip promptly if you enter your bookings to be recorded. We have a chat group between the agents to help with suggestion of suppliers to use, we all enjoy the support of our fellow agents. The owners answer your calls, are very supportive, as the whole ICT staff is. Robert and Harvey Siamon have always been available watching emails for any response needed during weekends, holidays. Every two years they sponsor a conventions for us to meet with our suppliers, have informative meetings, get face to face time and see your BDM. We have special promotions offered to ICT thru the suppliers. You need to have some experience with travel, with booking,record keeping, with working with clients finding your clients.This is your business and how you work it to be successful. ICT is a great host agency. Incentive Connection Travel is my host agency , I did my searching and research to find a host agency, I highly recommend ICT, come join us.

ICT HAS BEEN GOOD TO US OVER THE YEARS. ROBERT,SUE,KAREN, HEIDI AND HARVEY HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT HELP TO US. WE LOVE THE FEED BACK WE GET, AND CONTACT IS A BREEZE. THANKS ICT, YOU HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A GREAT SUPPORT TO US!!!

If you are a new agent, relatively new or have some experience in the industry (within 5 years) I would suggest looking elsewhere in your search for a host agency. For one, the in house training is nonexistent as they refer you to other supplier's training courses. That I could do on my own.
Also the agent portal site you use to login and retrieve information is archaic and difficult to use. It looks like it hasn't been updated systematically since the beginning of the internet. If you remember what yahoo looked like in its infancy that may give you an idea.

I was with another host agency making bookings and still making bookings but they are located out of state and wanted to give a local agency a try. Big mistake. I sold travel but was unable to find this agency of any use but not for lack of effort on my part.

I would meet with Robert for ideas and really did not find any substantive assistance. For example, one of the frustrations with being a travel agent is having to do proposals for those who end up not using your services. I asked him for suggestions and he told me that it simply is part of being a travel agent. It got me nowhere.

Also, since I had sold travel but not registered any bookings with ICT I get this warning email from Robert threatening to remove me from ICT. Rather than an email from his seeking to resolve an issue ("I see you have no bookings can we meet to discuss how you can fix this") I get this email with a threat with no offer of support.

If you ever visit the actual office and place where they store brochures, its a dump and as unorganized and messy as you can imagine. Sort of like if you walk into a restaurant and the bathroom is filthy it makes you imagine what type of food is being served.

The "family oriented" comments I'm sure are genuine but you must be accepted and fit, which is a risk I wish I did not take. I've done relatively well with two other host agencies and happily leave this one behind.

I am a brand new agent and just launched my in home agency 3 months ago. I did quite a bit of research on host agencies and had narrowed it down to a few.

I chose ICT because the cost to get started was low and they have a wonderful program where you can learn Sabre for free and there is an easy way to get the software for free as well, at any time. I currently don't use Sabre, but I looked to the future of my business and thought this was the way to go, as most other hosts charge hundreds of dollars for Sabre access.

The other reviews are correct. ICT is a FAMILY RUN business. The part I didn't expect was that the President of the agency would personally be responding to every single question and concern I have as a new agent. I figured it'd be designated to some office staff, but no. Even when he is supposed to be on VACATION, Robert answers e-mails and FB messages. He is kind, patient, encouraging and so very knowledgeable.

This is not a hold-your-hand agency. They make it clear in their intro paperwork that YOU are an Independent Contractor and it is YOUR business to run, not theirs. As such, it is up to you to FIND training and to figure out your specialty and create your own marketing plan. In short, you are a business owner and you need to act like a grown up and do the work it takes to make your business succeed.

Some might not appreciate this. I, myself, was very tentative and nervous in the beginning, but I have come to understand that this philosophy is the best for my business. It felt a bit like being thrown out to the wolves at first...but ICT was never more than a phone call or FB message away if I had questions. They were never annoyed or put off by my questions, but they were realistic and honest with their answers. They have given me the courage and the confidence I need to succeed in this business.

There is also a wonderful Facebook group with so many helpful, more experienced agents that will answer questions within minutes. Such a great resource.

So, in summary, if you want to run a solid business for yourself, alongside a family-like team and earn some of the best commissions in the industry (always paid on time), ICT is the host for you.

New Agents - if you are willing to be courageous and put yourself out there, we are here to help you. And we believe in you. You will feel that camaraderie here.

I am a newbie in the industry as a travel agent, but I do have a lot of personal travel experience and still do work as an Executive Assistant who does a lot of travel for executives. I've only been with them for the past month, but I am excited and learning fast. This agency isn't for everyone. You have to go get it if you want it and use a lot of initiative. They are not ideal for people with little or no experience who needs someone to hold their hands constantly, but they do support your business with tips and tons of learning opportunities through Ensemble and various suppliers. You have to take the initiative and take all the opportunities presented to you and learn as much as you can. I like the fact that you can move at your own pace and do not have the pressure of sales goals and deadlines. I find them very responsive to my emails and supportive in their own way. They have a great FB chat, which is very helpful. I intend to stick around and learn as much as I can from the seasoned members of ICT. They are very responsive too. So far so good!

After retirement I was looking for something to fill my days. I joined my son who has his agency with ICT. I found all the support for a job I am new at, I never had to wait for answers to my questions. The ICT agent website is also packed with info and reports that help with running our home agency. Providing online webinars, which we can attend from home is another great bonus. Thank You ICT for helping to make my new career an enjoyable one.

Best host agency ever! I am so happy joined Incentive Connection Travel.Amazing support and great great commission.This is my host agency for lifetime.

I recently joined this host agency and wish I would have found them sooner! They are just wonderful to work with and provide excellent support. Every host agency is not for everyone but I found that this agency has been a great fit for my business and I'm very happy to have found them! Both Corporate and Leisure travel professionals can benefit from joining ICT so I highly recommend them to anyone who is a professional in the industry. They are a family run business but they are extremely competitive with the big guys, in my opinion, so do your homework! Independent travel agents should really see past the simplicity of their website and look at what they offer behind the scenes.

This is not the host for a new agent, as the reviews above clearly illustrate.

3 days after joining ICT, I received an email with RED letters in it, headed "YOU DID NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION."

"we are reluctant to give Sabre access to new agents. We usually ask for 6 months experience with ICT before we open the portal."

I regret not verifying the "78 reasons to join ICT" on the website, what I saw is not what I got.

As well, many of the links and information on preferred suppliers are broken or outdated, making independence impossible within all the restrictions...AFTER YOUR PAYMENT HAS CLEARED.

If you are an "old boy" looking for a network, this is it.

Good Luck.