Become a Home-Based Travel Agent
An Interview with
Peter Rassmussen,
Travel Counsellors PLC

Peter, how long has Travel Counsellors been in business?

Travel Counsellors was founded in 1994 by Chairman David Speakman, Travel Counsellors Plc has built its business and its reputation on providing truly personalized travel services to its clients. All Travel Counsellors are independent business people working from their home, available to clients on the client’s schedule not theirs.

How much revenue does Travel Counsellors generate annually?

Travel Counsellors LLC is the US affiliate of one of the largest independent travel agencies in the UK with sales in its last financial year (Oct 31 2006) of $437 million, a 17% increase year on year.

How ling has Travel Cousellors been hosting independent agents?

Travel Counsellors was started as an agency of independent home-based agents, launching the homeworking concept in the UK. It has always been our foundation as a company to host independent contractors.

How many independents does Travel Counsellors work with?

Travel Counsellors currently operates in Great Britain, Ireland, The Netherlands, South Africa, Germany and the United States with over 850 Counsellors supported by a staff of more than 180.

Is there a fee associated with joining Travel Counsellors?

There is a one-time enrollment fee, which is currently being waived. And a monthly service fee after the first 6 months. The enrollment fee is always waived for CTCs and MCCs.

How much are the fees?:

The enrollment fee is a one-time $495 charge and the monthly service fee is $75 per month after the first six months.

What is the commission split for independent agents?

The commission split for Travel Counsellors is 60/40.

Does Travel Counsellors offer any automation / technology to its independents?

We provide every travel counsellor with a fully loaded laptop. The laptop has access to our award winning proprietary system, incorporating features from ClientBase Plus, that provides continuous updates and information on your sales, commissions and all aspects of your business.

In addition, every TC gets access to our own Dynamic Packaging System, Phenix, with net rates for 50,000 hotels worldwide, plus car rentals, published and consolidated fares enabling them to find a better deal for your customer and earn more commission.

Through our intranet site, TCs get access to a proprietary, custom-made marketing system to help make marketing activities quick and easy.

We also provide a Customer Relationship Management tool to help manage customer inquiries and bookings and a customer Contact Centre which centralizes and keeps a record of all customer communication together with online promotional tools such as personalized email offers and direct mailings.

We also offer Travel Counsellors TV (webcast) updating our TCs on industry and company matters and ensuring that the company's management are visible and accessible to everyone worldwide.

Does Travel Counsellors accept new agents?

We prefer that Travel Counsellors have a  minimum of two years experience selling travel. As the world's leading host agency we welcome professional, full-time travel agents including those agents with a niche market. Above all we look for travel agents who are passionate about servicing clients and creating unique vacation experiences for them.

Does Travel Counsellors have a revenue target for its independents?

We expect each Travel Counsellor to produce a minimum of $150,000 in annual sales. Our program benefits really kick in at about this level of revenue and increase dramatically as their revenue grows.

IWhat qualities is Travel Counsellors looking for in potential independents?

We are looking for agents who are passionate about servicing clients and creating unique vacation experiences for them. Agents that are fully focused on selling travel and working from home to better serve the schedule and lifestyle of clients and to create a better life/work balance for themselves. A team player who wants to be part of something special, with a desire to be, and collaborate with, the best home based travel agents in the industry worldwide.

What special qualities does Travel Counsellors bring to the table?

We offer every Travel Counsellor a personal business development executive who will work with them and support them as they grow their home based travel business. We offer a personal training and development program designed around the individual agent and we offer the most comprehensive suite of training of any host travel agency including; skills, product and destination training as well as CTC/MCC certification.

Each TC is given access to our "virtual" office training software so they can learn from their home office

Peter, the Travel Counsellors program sounds great! How should prospective agents contact Travel Counsellors?

If you are interested in learning more, please call today at (800) 594-5996 or email kim.sherrett@travelcounsellors.com