Becoming an independent travel agent?
Jan 21, 2014, 4:52 pm
#16
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 3,317
Jan 21, 2014, 4:54 pm
#17
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
I don't think bears analysis was really on point unless the whole point of his response was to: assume I was trying to aggrandize myself or to show me statistics that had no bearing on what I'm trying to do.
My title is a misnomer, I get it! I apologize, but I don't know how to change it. Let me rephrase it:
1) I book hotels/flights for friends/family at 20 - 40 times a year.
2) I was looking to get them unpublished perks (not me!!!!!!)
3) I enjoy doing this, or else I wouldn't do it.
4) I have a law degree. I'm not looking to switch careers, get rich quick, what have you. All I'm trying to do use my skills and knowledge as a traveler (recommending hotels, places to see, guides/hosts, restaurants, itineraries), combined with their requests that I do their bookings.
I guess I'd call it "boutique travel advisor"....I'm getting a lot of flack here, but where I'm from (JAX), not a day goes by where someone doesn't walk up to me at the coffee shop or around town and goes "hey, so and so said you're great at building itineraries and booking trips, can you do it for me?"
Lastly, yes, Hotel Pulitzer AMS gives 50% off for travel agents:
Hotel Discounts offered for Hotel Pulitzer
Group discount
Corporate discount
Government/ Military discount
Travel Agents 50.0%
Airline Personnel 50.0%
http://www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/A...p4026972?acg=1
My title is a misnomer, I get it! I apologize, but I don't know how to change it. Let me rephrase it:
1) I book hotels/flights for friends/family at 20 - 40 times a year.
2) I was looking to get them unpublished perks (not me!!!!!!)
3) I enjoy doing this, or else I wouldn't do it.
4) I have a law degree. I'm not looking to switch careers, get rich quick, what have you. All I'm trying to do use my skills and knowledge as a traveler (recommending hotels, places to see, guides/hosts, restaurants, itineraries), combined with their requests that I do their bookings.
I guess I'd call it "boutique travel advisor"....I'm getting a lot of flack here, but where I'm from (JAX), not a day goes by where someone doesn't walk up to me at the coffee shop or around town and goes "hey, so and so said you're great at building itineraries and booking trips, can you do it for me?"
Lastly, yes, Hotel Pulitzer AMS gives 50% off for travel agents:
Hotel Discounts offered for Hotel Pulitzer
Group discount
Corporate discount
Government/ Military discount
Travel Agents 50.0%
Airline Personnel 50.0%
http://www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/A...p4026972?acg=1
Jan 21, 2014, 4:57 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: All over
Programs: Most
Posts: 10,839
Lastly, yes, Hotel Pulitzer AMS gives 50% off for travel agents:
Hotel Discounts offered for Hotel Pulitzer
Group discount
Corporate discount
Government/ Military discount
Travel Agents 50.0%
Airline Personnel 50.0%
http://www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/A...p4026972?acg=1
Jan 21, 2014, 5:12 pm
#20
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SEA
Programs: HH Silver
Posts: 2,400
I believe ASTA is a little easier to get than IATA, but as far as I know, most hotels do not pay them commission. You might be able to get travel discounts for yourself through them though. Not sure.
http://asta.org/About/index.cfm?navItemNumber=502
Or this one.
http://www.nacta.com/
Or here is a good article on such agencies.
http://homebasedtravelagentsblog.typ...n-to-join.html
http://asta.org/About/index.cfm?navItemNumber=502
Or this one.
http://www.nacta.com/
Or here is a good article on such agencies.
http://homebasedtravelagentsblog.typ...n-to-join.html
Jan 22, 2014, 10:07 am
#21
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 1,271
What's to stop you from simplying this process by handing it over to Virtuoso or another 'boutique' provider?
As I understand what you are trying to say, based on your own travel experience you are advising people on what a good itinerary would be and then doing the actual booking for them.
Why can you not put together an itinerary based on your personal knowledge and then call up Virtuoso and have them do the bookings for the person? In other words provide your imput but limit it to that.
I had a friend ask me to arrange a private tour of an island I used to live on and that they were going to visit. I figured out what I would suggest they do with their time and then called a 'private tour company' on the island to discuss it with them and ask them for a price. They suggested a change to the itinerary I was proposing which I agreed wtih and provided a price. I then gave the name and phone number to my friend who called and booked.
It is a much simpler one of example but it is I think basically the same idea. The difference is I did no booking. Why could you not do the same and have your 'client' either call Virtuoso to confirm and book or have Virtuoso call the client? You would reduce it to a one phone call transaction.
As I understand what you are trying to say, based on your own travel experience you are advising people on what a good itinerary would be and then doing the actual booking for them.
Why can you not put together an itinerary based on your personal knowledge and then call up Virtuoso and have them do the bookings for the person? In other words provide your imput but limit it to that.
I had a friend ask me to arrange a private tour of an island I used to live on and that they were going to visit. I figured out what I would suggest they do with their time and then called a 'private tour company' on the island to discuss it with them and ask them for a price. They suggested a change to the itinerary I was proposing which I agreed wtih and provided a price. I then gave the name and phone number to my friend who called and booked.
It is a much simpler one of example but it is I think basically the same idea. The difference is I did no booking. Why could you not do the same and have your 'client' either call Virtuoso to confirm and book or have Virtuoso call the client? You would reduce it to a one phone call transaction.
Jan 22, 2014, 11:55 am
#22
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Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 3,317
What's to stop you from simplying this process by handing it over to Virtuoso or another 'boutique' provider?
As I understand what you are trying to say, based on your own travel experience you are advising people on what a good itinerary would be and then doing the actual booking for them.
Why can you not put together an itinerary based on your personal knowledge and then call up Virtuoso and have them do the bookings for the person? In other words provide your imput but limit it to that.
I had a friend ask me to arrange a private tour of an island I used to live on and that they were going to visit. I figured out what I would suggest they do with their time and then called a 'private tour company' on the island to discuss it with them and ask them for a price. They suggested a change to the itinerary I was proposing which I agreed wtih and provided a price. I then gave the name and phone number to my friend who called and booked.
It is a much simpler one of example but it is I think basically the same idea. The difference is I did no booking. Why could you not do the same and have your 'client' either call Virtuoso to confirm and book or have Virtuoso call the client? You would reduce it to a one phone call transaction.
As I understand what you are trying to say, based on your own travel experience you are advising people on what a good itinerary would be and then doing the actual booking for them.
Why can you not put together an itinerary based on your personal knowledge and then call up Virtuoso and have them do the bookings for the person? In other words provide your imput but limit it to that.
I had a friend ask me to arrange a private tour of an island I used to live on and that they were going to visit. I figured out what I would suggest they do with their time and then called a 'private tour company' on the island to discuss it with them and ask them for a price. They suggested a change to the itinerary I was proposing which I agreed wtih and provided a price. I then gave the name and phone number to my friend who called and booked.
It is a much simpler one of example but it is I think basically the same idea. The difference is I did no booking. Why could you not do the same and have your 'client' either call Virtuoso to confirm and book or have Virtuoso call the client? You would reduce it to a one phone call transaction.
Nov 24, 2016, 7:06 pm
#23
Suspended
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 3,317
Figured I'd update anyone curious as to what happened here.
So, passed the bar, became an attorney.
The next week I walked into a Virtuoso agency and asked for a job. I got lucky and they said yes.
Moved to a new agency (where I still am) about 1.5 years ago.
While the job started slow, I am now making roughly 2-3x what I would be making as an attorney.
This is a full time job and I love every minute of it.
Feel free to ask questions!
So, passed the bar, became an attorney.
The next week I walked into a Virtuoso agency and asked for a job. I got lucky and they said yes.
Moved to a new agency (where I still am) about 1.5 years ago.
While the job started slow, I am now making roughly 2-3x what I would be making as an attorney.
This is a full time job and I love every minute of it.
Feel free to ask questions!