The 5 Myths that keep Travel Agents from going home-based

Travel & Selling Tips / The 5 Myths that keep Travel Agents from going home-based

You might reconsider when you hear these facts

In the 2019 national Travel Agent Survey, 43% of non-home-based agents said they would consider becoming home-based.

So what is holding them back?

The fact is, there are a lot of myths holding these agents back that need to be demystified.

Myth #1: Not enough clients

4.3% said they felt they would not have enough clients to be successful. In fact, home-based agents report that they can make the same income with less than half the clientele they have in their current environment.

Some home-based agents report making 2 to 3 times the amount of commission.

Myth #2: Hard to find out about host agencies

Surprisingly, 7.7 % said they don’t have enough knowledge about host agencies to make the decision. Yet host agencies are very active promoting their services at industry events and in the trade media.

Agents can easily find out about host agencies on those host agency websites, at industry trade shows, in the trade media – or through other agents or supplier reps.

Myth #3: Fear of working alone

One of the fears agents have about going home-based is that they will miss being in an office atmosphere, and 21% said they preferred to have colleagues to converse with.

This is a common fear but host agencies have made great strides to ensure their agents have easy communication tools like intranets, as well as regular webinars, trainings and other opportunities to connect and support each other.

Myth #4: Fear of start-up costs

Over 10% said the financial cost of becoming home-based was a factor. This is completely false! Host agencies cover most of the costs and the entry costs are pretty low for the agent.

Myth #5: Fear of losing my brand

3.8% of these agents said they have their own agency name. Good news! This is a big myth that agents and small agencies need to give up their name to become a hosted agency. Not true! You can go home-based and keep your brand.