Preparing for a Travel Agency NOW? Bookings for International Clients?

Preparing for a Travel Agency NOW? Bookings for International Clients?

Author: Host Agency Reviews May 2, 2025 Duration: 27:19

Steph Lee co-hosts with Stephanie Gagnon of Just Perfect Travel. Check out the questions below, and then come and join us Friday at 12 pm CST for the podcast! Please submit your questions and sign up for reminders for the F15 here!


  1. I am thinking about trying to become a travel advisor as a side hustle/potential career change. But, with the way the world is right now… Travel bands, tariffs, impending USA recession… I'm wondering what the outlook actually is for someone trying to start a new career in this field? What are the real travel agents preparing for? Is it a good idea to get into this business while all of this political stuff is happening? — Madi D.


  1. I am in the final steps of picking a host agency.  My business is based out of the United States but my clients are from many different countries. I have a 16,000 person international reach and need to be able to service any client, regardless of where they are citizens.  I have been told, possibly erroneously, that I can only book clients that are US citizens due to the suppliers limitations.   Is this correct for most US host agencies?   If so, are there any host agencies that allow booking of non US citizens,  when my company is US based. —Apryl B. 




RESOURCES:


➡️Protecting client payments: https://www.travelweekly.com/Mark-Pestronk/How-to-protect-client-payments


➡️ Advice for traveling in fraught times: https://www.travelweekly.com/Arnie-Weissmann/Advice-for-traveling-in-fraught-times

➡️ Just Perfect Travel, Stephanie’s agency!  https://www.justperfecttravelllc.com/


➡️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
DMC Quotes? IC vs Employee? IC vs Independent? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:44
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Lori Speers from KHM Travel Group! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! Can you talk about the practice of DMCs presenting quotes i…
FITs? Switching Hosts? Planning Fees? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:35
Welcome to this week's Friday 15 podcast! This week Shayna's live on location at ASTA, with Carolyn Okon from Exodus Travels. And thanks to our sponsor Outside Agents for making this episode possible. Here's the question…
IC vs Independent? Selling? Marketing Activities? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:20
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Vanessa from Global Travel Collection! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I am an IC with about 2 years in the business. I'm cons…
Payments? Outreach? Using DMCs? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:21
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Samantha from Jus Adventures! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! Hi!! I am a new agent (8 months) working on planning my first gr…
Tour Operator vs DMC? What is Adventure Travel? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:05
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Katy from Explore Worldwide! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! A lot of us hear ‘tour operator’ and ‘DMC’ used interchangeably,…
Independent? CRMs? FIT? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:00
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Bill from KHM Travel! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I'm a new-ish agent, under 3 years experience, and I have been entertain…
Quoting? Incentives? Host Agencies? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 22:59
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Jennifer from Dugan’s Travels! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! What I'm still not clear on are things like this: how do I pres…
Travel Insurance? Fees? First 30 Days? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:57
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Jenn from HAR! A huge thank you to Avoya Travel for sponsoring this episode. Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! How important is…
$2M in Sales. No Team. No Marketing Budget. Meet Amy! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:53
****** Transcript + Show Notes: https://har.news/vol35Special thanks to today’s sponsor: Uniglobe Travel CenterToday’s guest took a life-changing leap, selling her home, putting everything in storage, and moving her fami…
Closing a lead? Payment Practices? Trust? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 18:03
This week’s Friday 15, we're welcoming Betsy from Uniglobe Travel Center! Let’s have some fun, plus some questions to discuss this Friday at 12 pm CST. Join us! I just started as a travel agent this past September. And I…