Home-Based Travel Agent Resources

Feeling overwhelmed? Home based travel agent or not, this is the place to get started.

New Agents

If you’re looking to become a home based travel agent, you came to the right place! We know it can be a bit overwhelming so we chose a couple of our most popular resources for you to start with!

Experienced Agents

So you're a veteran agent already running a successful home based travel agency? You'll want to check out these resources to help grow your agency and network even more!

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Groups to Join

7-Day Set Up Support Facebook Group

If you're participating in HAR's free 7-Day Setup Challenge, this is the group for you. :)

A group for agents not just new to the industry but also tackling the challenges of starting their own business. Ask questions, share knowledge, get advice from others in your shoes!

Whether you're just testing the water or diving in completely, this support group is a great way to forge new relationships in the travel industry!

HAR's Think Tank Facebook Group

Host Agency Reviews’ Travel Agent Think Tank is intended for travel agents who've established their business and whose primary occupation is selling travel whether they be independent agents, hosted or with a franchise.

This Facebook group provides a space for a diverse group of travel agents to share ideas about marketing, booking, developing relationships with tour operators and BDMS, and just about everything else under the sun.

Home-Based Travel Agent, Resources and Reads

We write some seriously in-depth articles to help out newbie and veteran home based travel agents, as well as storefront agents. Below we've curated some blog posts that are a good fit for agents of different backgrounds and experience levels.Find the scenario that best fits your situation and take a look at the articles we've curated especially for you!

Still Exploring

Ready to get started

Advice on choosing a host agency

Options beyond a host

Legalities

Videos To Watch

Prefer to learn by watching? Perfect! Take a gander at our most watched videos.

Four Steps to Finding the Perfect Host Travel Agency

We’ve helped a LOT of home based travel agents find a host agency. We also answer a lot of the same questions because, as it turns out, most new home based travel agents feel confused, frustrated, and unsure of where to start or how to find a good host agency!

If that’s you, this video guides you through the questions you need to be asking yourself in order to narrow down your host agency options. You’ll also want to check out the Finding the Best Host Agency article for some more tips.

The $100 Travel Agency Marketing Plan

Get your popcorn ready and prepare for 35 minutes full of new travel agency marketing ideas. Without further ado, a recorded version so you can rewind, pause, and fast forward as much as your little heart desires.

Don't forget to check out our companion article of the same name. It offers a nice recap with some additional resources!

7 Day Setup Accelerator Course

Seven Day Set Up
If you’re struggling to open your agency and are feeling overwhelmed, join HAR’s Accelerator program!

When tackling a big project, the hardest part is knowing where to start. Analysis Paralysis at its worst. The course gives you bite-sized informational nougats that make the process easy to understand and filter out all the noise. Plus, you have the HAR team and the course community to keep you accountable and help you out.

The course includes:
  • 70+ On-demand Videos
  • 48 Exclusive Resources
  • Live Bi-monthly Meetups
  • Priority Support
  • Full Glossary of 700+ Travel Terms

At the end of the course you'll not only have the foundation of your agency down, you’ll have a certificate of completion to show host agencies (who may waive some training requirements if you’ve taken the course)!

Learn more the 7 Day Setup Accelerator or, if you're all ready to go, sign up below to start the challenge today!

YOU GOT THIS!

Podcasts to Listen To

Each 30-45 minute Travel Agent Chatter show dives into the world of travel agents. Starting and growing their travel agency. Marketing. Successes. Bumps in the road. Booking tips. Tons-o-fun! Join us!

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Important Travel Trade Associations for a Home Based Travel Agent

While there are many benefits a host agency passes down to you, membership to certain organizations isn’t included. Your host may belong to them but that doesn’t mean you do. Many of the travel industry associations have continuing education, events, and networking opportunities for home based travel agents that will help take your travel agency to the next level. We’ve created a list of the travel industry associations for you to explore.

Association Listed
Adventure Travel Trade Association
Association Listed
American Society of Travel Agents
Association Listed
Association of Canadian Travel Agents
Association Listed
Association of Retail Travel Agents
Association Listed
CCRA*
Association Listed
Cruise Lines International Association
Association Listed
International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association
Association Listed
ASTA Small Business Network*
Association Listed
Professional Association of Travel Hosts
Association Listed
Travel Professionals of Color

* These associations are focused solely on the needs of the home based travel agent.

Resources Outside the Travel Industry

These are not travel-specific organization, but hold value nonetheless. Here are some outside resources we think every home based travel agent should be familiar with:

Small Business Association (SBA)
Small Business Association (SBA)

If you have questions on state, federal, and local legalities for starting up your home based travel business and aren’t sure who to turn to, this is a great place to start. Beyond legalities, they also have great programs available for mentoring and supporting small business owners.

SCORE
SCORE

A non-profit dedicated to helping small businesses. Mentoring, use of business tools such as Business Plan Pro, free legal counseling, and more. If you’re struggling on where to start in terms of setting up your home based travel business, stop in at your local SCORE branch.

Book Recommendations for Your Home-Based Travel Business

Here’s a list of books I’ve read and think would either help you with starting up your home based travel business, marketing it, or succeeding in the travel industry.

Ask For It
Ask For It

Buy this book. Male, female… it does not matter! Many entrepreneurs (myself included) need a little boost when it comes to fighting that voice in our heads telling us that we’re being too aggressive or asking too much. You’re not. I read this book before any big negotiation. Successfully raising pricing has more than paid for the $9 the book cost! It’s one I skim over a few times a year and reference a lot.

The Big Enough Company: Creating a Business That Works for You
The Big Enough Company: Creating a Business That Works for You

While helpful anytime, I’d suggest this book before you jump into things so you can create your agency with the right frame of mind. Bigger isn’t always better and this book will guide you through what type of business you want and what type of business will work with your lifestyle. For many, you’ll never work as hard as you do for yourself so make sure it’s an enjoyable ride!

The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It
The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don’t Work and What to Do About It

I highly recommend this for one simple reason. While you may love to travel and researching trips, it’s important to remember being a home based travel agent is more than just traveling and researching. There is bookkeeping, marketing, managing, sales, and more. This book helps you prepare for running a business and how to make sure it can run without you—something many home based travel agents forget. My two cents: The writing is a little cheesy at times but it’s easy enough to skim over.

Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide
Duct Tape Marketing: The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide

Thems are big claims, I’ll be the first to admit. But, I’m telling you, it really is the best book for low cost, effective marketing ideas. For any new business owner, getting the word out is the toughest part and what Duct Tape Marketing does is give you loads of easy to implement ideas. I suggest picking it up every 6 months of so and finding some fresh ideas and remind you to evaluate how your current marketing is going. Me gusta this book. Mucho. 🙂