Narrowing Niche? TA Discounts? Customer Support? Air/Car Rentals Worth Low Commissions?

Narrowing Niche? TA Discounts? Customer Support? Air/Car Rentals Worth Low Commissions?

Author: Host Agency Reviews April 18, 2025 Duration: 23:57

Shayna Zand and Steph join forces with Lori Speers to host this week's Friday 15. Lori's host agency is Levarte Travel and you can check out their HAR profile HERE!  our co-host! Also, we have a veritable barrage of questions this week, which you can read below, and then come and join us 12 pm CST for the podcast. 

Don't forget that you can submit questions and sign up for reminders for the F15 here!

1.   Why is it so hard to narrow down a host on a general niche (like Mexico AIs)? 


2.    What's the deal with TA discounts being earned + you not usually being able to tap into them until you reach certain sales levels? 


3.    Why don't TAs necessarily have access to exclusive discounts for trips for their clients?


4.    What about after hours support for traveling clients not being on the host side, but rather the supplier's?


5.    Are air/car rentals maybe worth my time due to low commissions?








RESOURCES:


➡️Guide to choosing a travel niche. https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/find-a-travel-niche


➡️ Travel Agent FAM Trips: What They Are + How to Find Them + Etiquette (https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-fam-trip)


➡️ 200+ Travel agent rates! https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-agent-rates 


➡️ What is a travel consortium? (https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/what-is-travel-consortia-travel-coops)


➡️ All about preferred suppliers in the travel industry. (https://hostagencyreviews.com/blog/travel-preferred-supplier)


➡️Host Agency Review’s Travel Agency Software Profiles https://hostagencyreviews.com/travel-agency-software


➡️Submit questions, sign up for reminders for the F15, along with that week's questions we'll be covering! https://hostagencyreviews.com/friday15 


Hosted by the team at Host Agency Reviews, this audio channel blends two distinct formats into one practical resource. The first is Travel Agent Chatter, a quarterly series of spotlight interviews that dive deep into the experiences of working travel advisors. These longer conversations explore the real stories behind the careers, covering the nuances of building a business, personal client triumphs, and the cultural insights gained from a life in travel. The companion series, Friday 15, operates on a completely different rhythm. Every week, a focused fifteen-minute episode tackles specific questions from the travel industry, offering direct advice and timely insights that are both concise and immediately useful. Together, this podcast creates a balanced mix of inspirational narrative and actionable strategy. Whether you're seeking motivation from peer journeys or need quick answers to pressing professional questions, the channel is designed to support the daily realities of travel entrepreneurs. It’s a resource that understands the industry's blend of passion and pragmatism, delivered through the authentic voices of those who are deeply embedded in this world. Tune in for thoughtful perspectives that are as varied and dynamic as the travel profession itself.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Travel Agent Chatter | Friday 15
Podcast Episodes
CC Auths? Charging Fees? Switching Hosts? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:50
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Uniglobe Travel Center! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us!I have several corporate clients that pay with the same card throughout…
Suppliers? Rebranded? Credit Card Authorizations? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming NEST Plus with April! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us!When choosing a supplier to work with, what are some questions to ask the…
Reasonable fees? Preferred Suppliers? Thresholds for access? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Travel Leaders Market Square with Kelly and Rochelle! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! How do I decide what reasonable travel f…
Chargebacks? Partnerships? FAM as new advisor? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Sava Travel and Byrd! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! How can travel advisors protect ourselves against fraudulent chargebacks…
Client communication? Niches? Quoting Clients? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

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This week for the Friday 15, we're opening 2026 with OASIS Travel Network and Chelsea! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I have been listening to past Friday15’s and s…
Family travel? First year focus? Marketing activities? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:17
This week for the Friday 15, we've got a final in-house HAR special with the entire HAR crew, Shayna Zand, Abbey von Gohren, Rita Perez and Jenn Myers! So much to catch up on, plus some questions to discuss this Friday a…
What to Expect With Hosts? LLC’s? Partnerships? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:29
This week for the Friday 15, it’s the RETURN OF STEPH LEE as she cohosts with Lori Speers of Levarte, now a KHM travel company. So much to catch up on, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I…
FIT best practices? Costs to join a host? Niche and make money? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:53
This week for the Friday 15, Shayna co-hosts with Sheila Folk of Travel Industry Solutions. We’ve got a bunch of great questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I'm very confused and overwhelmed by the FIT…
Help with BDMs! Group Bookings? Commission Splits? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:35
This week for the Friday 15, Shayna co-hosts with Jennifer Dugan of Dugan’s Travels! This week we’ve got a bunch of great questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST, and you know it’s gonna be good. Join us! I worked…