eople like Donald Trump getting in the online travel business? (You can see it for yourself at his Trump.com website.) The reason is because he is a business man in the business of making money. And he knows how huge this market has become. Even basketball great, Magic Johnson has started his own home based travel agent network.
This is no longer a secret among those wanting to make money with a growing business. Travel is the largest Industry in the world. A $7 trillion dollar industry that is growing 23% faster than the world\’s economy. And even in this failing economy, people still need a vacation. They are finding a way to save enough money to still travel.
But why lean towards an online travel business, instead of the old brick and mortar travel agencies? Simply because companies like Travelocity, Priceline and Orbitz have put so many of them out of business. We live in a hurry-up world now. No one has the time to make an appointment with a travel agent, and then try to keep it. And then you end up settling for the trip they planned for you, based on what the average person wants to see.
When you’re booking through an online travel booking portal, you can plan a vacation in the comfort of your own living room. Without time limitations, and the pressure of making your decision based on the two or three packages put in front of you.
There are some very good travel portals out there now, that are very easy to follow, and easy steps to complete the booking totally on your own. If you can read, and follow direction, you can book your own travel, and save money in the process. An email confirmation, with your confirmation number will follow, so you can double check and insure that everything has been booked to your liking. You also have contact numbers in case you have any concerns, or if changes are needed before taking your vacation.
Now that you know how easy it is for people to book travel on their own, you may understand why over 80% of the people are booking their travel online. But don’t limit yourself to only the big guys like Travelocity. The rest of the competition is out there for a reason. They are very competitive, with even better prices in a lot of cases. An up and coming travel company, TraVerus Travel, has proven to be very helpful in keeping the prices of some of the other companies in line. And their travel booking portal works just like the booking engine used by Expedia or Priceline.
Some of the online travel agencies out there also give the individual booking travel, the opportunity to start their own travel business with their company. Of course the benefit to the buyer is in the commission paid on any travel now booked on their very own travel booking site. However, start-up costs could keep folks from starting their own travel booking business when realizing companies like Trump Travel charge a healthy $10,000 for their booking engine. But if you do your research, you can also join companies like TraVerus Travel for only $200.
Tag-Archive for » Own Travel «
Since last year, I have heard of several people making good money working in the travel industry as a home based online travel agent. The good news is that you can, too. In fact it’s easy! These people have done it honestly, legally and ethically with the proper guidance of knowing all the details in this new online career. Once you know the basic steps then you can start making real money.
There are two options to start with and those are; either to be a part timer in the first 3 months, giving you time to become more acquainted with the business flow of being an online travel agent from actual transactions and later dedicating yourself full time to your new career.
Then, there are those that start straight away as full timers and are now successfully supporting themselves and their loved ones. The fun part is that they started seeing the world together with their family, something that may have been just a dream when they were still in those clerical jobs. Their often find that their entire lifestyle has dramatically changed in just a short period of time.
In definition, a home-based online travel agent markets travel products offered by travel companies and suppliers that has a vast inventory of vacation package deals. The position is often referred to as “independent sales representatives.” “Independent” due to the fact that you are not working inside an office space of a travel company whose products you represent.
As an independent travel agent, you may deal directly with a travel supplier or through a middleman (host agency). Because you are not an employee from any of them, you are not on their payroll list or have employee benefits.
The bottom line here is that you make your own money and get paid through commissions on whatever travel products that you can sell and there is no limit to the income you want to generate from your own time table (weekly or monthly sales). These is achieved by negotiating your own commission level or get the best offered commission package from either the host agency or the travel supplier of your choice. Earning capacity is generally unlimited from commissions and it will steadily increase as you grow your network.
To gauge your success as an online travel agent is easy! When you sell more, you earn more, sell less and you earn less.
Important advice here is that when you are independent and on your own, remember that you should never be completely alone and do all of the work with no support. There are travel suppliers who offer great packages for independent travel agents that are all automated and can mean easier work for you, giving you more time to focus on expanding your client listings. Remember that you must constantly work with others who have all the resources that will help provide the best service to your clients. To have a good understanding of what I am saying here, check out this travel supplier, http://www.personaltravelgroup.com. and you will see the difference!
Personal Travel Group offer full professional support to all of their agents and their motto is “We do the work – you make the money!” You don’t need qualifications and they pay out 70% of the available commission! It’s the best one I’ve seen – check it out for yourself…
[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOHt3_qBmuo"]Watch this video on how to be a Travel Consultant. [/url]
So, what exactly are the advantages of booking a cruise through a reputable travel agency?
Answer: Everything.
Thanks for reading!
…Okay but seriously! There a number of key advantages to booking a trip through a good travel agency.
1. Convenience
A good travel agent takes care of all the major planning of a vacation or business trip for you. If you’re looking into an all inclusive package, which would include travel, lodging, and even dinner reservations, all you’re left doing is packing. It goes without saying that this can be incredibly helpful. For example, if you’re a busy professional and you do a lot of travelling, you can spend more time trying to manage your own travel plans than actually focusing on the work you are supposed to be doing. And many reputable travel agencies have online systems where you can now make airline, car and hotel reservations on your computer in real time, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – and access your itineraries from cell phone or Blackberry.
2. Knowledge
Any skilled travel agent either knows a little something about where you want to go, or they’re willing to do some research and offer you advice and a number of options for hotels and reservations. Travel agents aren’t just ticket-buyers, they’re also travel experts, and can advise you on local customs and other important things you need to know. Travel agents will inform you of the necessary visa, passport and health requirements for international travel and provide application forms or assistance as needed. They can also keep you up to date on any travel advisories and significant changes in currency exchange rates. Likewise, they can warn you away from some of those destinations that look great in the TV ads, but happen to be kind of terrible for vacations.
3. Deals
Because travel agents are working directly with airlines, and not through third party ticket sites, they can get you some great deals on airfare no matter what class you’re flying. Likewise, travel agents can get you lower prices on rental cars and, sometimes, top class hotels. By looking at all of the best deals and giving you a choice of the best of the best, a travel agency can save you the time you would spend scouring for deals on your own. Plus, by having some knowledge of the area, they can recommend certain hotels over others based on knowledge that isn’t quite common. Despite the opening of information available to anyone via the internet, travel agents still have access to privately negotiated information such as lowest fares, seat maps, meal options, arrival time, and certain hotel amenities.
4. Reservations
Whenever you’re travelling, but especially around vacation months, it’s not always easy to book a hotel when and where you want it. Some people actually book Hawaiian hotel rooms up to a year in advance! A travel agent’s job is to stay on top of things like this. As long as you book reasonably well in advance, a good travel agent can land you a solid reservation at a world famous restaurant, hotel, or live show. Travel agents should be able to advise you about other nuances of the destination, such as potential weather conditions, local ordinances and customs, seasonal attractions, and special exhibitions.
5. In Case of Emergency
Most travel agents provide travelers with a free, worldwide emergency reservation system that assists with protection against airline cancellations, hotel overbooking, and obtaining emergency assistance in the event of illness, security threats, thefts, etc. Travel agents don’t stop working for you once you’ve booked your trip. If problems arise during your trip, your agent can be a vital lifeline to rescue you and your vacation. In the event of changes in itinerary in the middle of a trip, a good agent can intervene on your behalf to make alternate arrangements.
6. New Discoveries
Have you ever been to Hawaii in the middle of the summer? Well… every single island is completely packed with tourists from the other forty nine states. A travel agent can help to provide suggestions for little-known tropical getaways and other fabulous but less popular destinations. Online and traditional travel agencies offer an entire catalogue of remote islands and beaches that most tourists have never even heard of. You can describe to the agent all the requirements you are looking for (within one block from the beach, ocean view, on-site babysitting, etc.) and they can often suggest a better alternative than perhaps the first destination or resort you had in mind.
7. Why Not?
If you’re going on vacation, a travel agency can help you get better deals, and they can help you find remote, lesser known, but absolutely perfect locations. A travel agent can make sure you’re fully equipped with a rental car, a room, dinner, and a show the minute you arrive. They can get you lower prices on just about everything, and, they work for free (free for you, anyways). They take their commission from airlines, hotel owners and other service providers, not from you. And, of course, they usually offer lower prices than you can get by going directly to each provider separately.
If you’re planning a full vacation or an extended business trip, there’s really just no reason not to go through a travel agent.
A reputable travel agency that does both in-person and online booking maximizes the advantages while allowing you to reap the benefits of using a single service provider for all your travel needs.