When it comes to vacations or other travel plans, working with an agency makes sense. Not only do you not have to do all the planning and logistics, but it often doesn’t cost you any extra. Since travel agents make commissions from providers and vendors, you don’t have to pay out of pocket for their services.
But, what if you could become an agent yourself? What if you could make money from your own travel plans, as well as those of your friends and family? What if you could turn your love of vacations into a viable side hustle? In that case, rather than searching for the best travel agency near me, you’d simply have to log onto your agent dashboard and start booking your next trip whenever you get the urge.
Sound too good to be true? Thanks to Boardwalk Travel Agency, it isn’t! Let’s break down what it takes to become the best travel agent near you.
A Brief Overview of How Travel Agencies Work
Travel agencies exist to help with the planning and logistics of trips for their clients. Whether these trips are for personal or business use, the agency works within the client’s budget and tries to meet their goals and expectations for the journey.
For example, if a family of four wanted to travel to Walt Disney World and hit all four parks, a travel agent could book everything from flights to resort accommodations to park tickets.
Agencies get paid by the travel vendors themselves (i.e., Disney). Because they helped sell a particular package or stay, the agent gets a commission from each sale. Also, because the vendor is paying the commission, the client doesn’t have to pay extra for these services.
But how does it work as an agent?
As an agent, you have two primary options. You can work with an agency or independently. Usually, agencies have specific travel partners, or they may be part of a larger travel vendor (i.e., Carnival Cruises). So, you can only book trips with those partners and no one else.
Agencies pay an hourly wage and commissions, but the commission rate is often pretty low, especially for new hires. Also, they may have quotas for you to meet, and if you don’t reach those quotas, your job may be at stake. The hourly rate is often minimal, so you have to close sales to earn a substantial income.
If you’re an independent agent, you can book with whichever travel partner you like. Also, you have much more flexibility with your work schedule, and working from home is much easier. The trade-off, however, is that you have to find clients yourself. So, you must be a self-starter who’s good at finding and converting prospective customers.
If this is your first time learning about travel agencies, check out our article about how to become a Disney travel agent without experience. We’re here to help you every step of the way!
Make Money Toward Your Travel as a Travel Agent
When it comes to making commissions as a travel agent, there is one critical point to remember. You don’t get paid until after the client has gone on the trip. If the client cancels for any reason, you don’t receive your commission. Even if the client put a down payment on the vacation package, that will go to the vendor, not necessarily the agent.
So, it can take a little while for commissions to come in regularly, even if you’re working for an agency. However, since you can book yourself for these vacations, you can get paid for your own travel expenses. Think of it as earning money back every time you take a trip.
Benefits of Becoming a Travel Agent
If you already have a full-time job, becoming a travel agent may not seem very interesting. However, as an independent agent, you can set your own schedule. In fact, you may only want to become an agent just to earn commissions on your own trips, rather than start a full-fledged business. Plus, you can book friends and family and earn money on their trips too.
Some other perks of becoming a travel agent include:
- Access to Discounts and Upgrades – Many travel vendors offer special discounts and perks exclusively to agents. The idea is that the more clients book with an agent, the more money the vendor earns. So, you can use these savings for personal travel or to hook up the people you know.
- Live Your Travel Passion – If you love to travel, becoming an agent allows you to immerse yourself in the lifestyle. Because you have to research different locations, resorts, and amenities, you get to live vicariously through your clients. Plus, you can start booking these trips for yourself and start traveling even more.
- Earn When You Want – These days, side hustles are almost a necessity for most people. As an independent travel agent, you can start making money whenever you have extra time. There’s no pressure to work full-time, and you can take time off whenever you like.
If you love cruises, you’ll definitely want to read more about how to become a Carnival Cruise travel agent with Boardwalk. As an agent with us, you’ll have access to deals for all the major cruise lines!
How Boardwalk Travel Agency Can Help You Travel More
For a long time, the only way to become a travel agent was to work with an established agency. This meant working full-time and having to report to a boss and work inside an office.
Fortunately, those days are gone, and Boardwalk Travel Agency allows you to become your own boss immediately. Once you sign up to be an agent, you’ll get access to Boardwalk’s network of top vendors. The agency partners with big names like Disney, Universal, and Expedia, giving you more options to book yourself or other clients.
Some additional perks of signing with Boardwalk Travel include:
One-Time Signup Fee
While there are other agencies that allow you to work as an independent contractor, they often charge a monthly or yearly fee to use their services. So, there’s more pressure to sell packages and build a bigger client list to offset those costs. Boardwalk Travel only charges a one-time fee forever. You should be able to cover that and more with your first commission.
Lifetime Access and Support
Even if you’re not interested in becoming a travel agent for others right now, you can still sign up with Boardwalk Travel. For example, you can join the team, book your next vacation, earn money back, and then relax for a while. Then, when you’re ready to book another vacation (or once you see how easy it is to make money), you can start booking other clients.
Whether you take a break for a few months or a few years, your membership will always provide access to the vendor network and support team. This way, you can get right back into the swing of things as soon as possible.
High Commission Rates
Another problem with most travel agencies is that their commission rates are often around 10 percent or less. So, for you to earn substantial money, you have to focus on high-volume, meaning more clients and more work.
With Boardwalk Travel, you can earn up to 70% commission on all packages you sell. This means you get more money back on your own travel, and you can focus on fewer clients. For example, you can cater to high-end clients who book luxurious travel packages. This way, you can cut down on your workload and still make a significant income.
Another point to consider is that once you start booking other clients, you’ll have to file business paperwork within your state. So, getting higher commission rates can help cover those costs.
Total Flexibility
Boardwalk Travel gives you the keys to the network. What you choose to do with it is up to you. Whether you’re just looking for discounts for personal travel or to build a side hustle, you have total autonomy over your path. Again, you may start by saving on your own vacations, then build a client list down the road when you need extra cash.
Overall, Boardwalk enables you to make the most of your travel agent status, regardless of your overall plans.
You Can Become the Best Travel Agency Near Me Today!
If you’re interested in making money from your own travel plans, now is the perfect time to sign up with Boardwalk Travel Agency. Once you see how easy it is to book vacations and earn commissions, you can start growing your side hustle into a legitimate business venture. Now, traveling more often is much more affordable and within reach. Sign up today!
