Editor’s Note: This article was originally published on Nov. 7, 2016. It was updated on May 27, 2021.
It’s impossible to deny the power of a strong community.
At one time, groups were formed purely as a means for survival. The interests of its members were primal and straightforward — food, water and shelter — and the risks of going it alone usually didn’t end well.
The same elements of community still exist today (albeit, at much lower stakes), and travel advisors have found that joining together can improve both their work and personal lives. These agent communities may go by different names — co-ops, franchises, host agencies, consortia or marketing organizations — but whatever they call themselves, it is clear that there is strength in numbers. This can be especially true during trying times, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, when some travel advisors have found valuable support and advice from their networks and other travel professionals.
A consortium’s benefits are not purely financial, although many advisors will admit that membership, which typically includes booking incentives and group rate pricing, has had a major impact on their bottom line. There’s also a vast array of marketing programs, educational events and networking opportunities created specifically to enhance a relationship with a set of preferred suppliers.
So, whether you’re an industry newbie thinking of joining or a seasoned seller looking to change affiliation, here’s a guide to some of the key players in the game, along with a sampling of their newest offerings.
Travel Leaders Network
Locations Served: About 6,000
Travel Leaders Network, a travel advisor network within Travel Leaders Group, which rebranded in 2020 to be Internova, describes itself as “a passionate community of travel professionals focused on mutual success.” The organization offers members a variety of services and features, including booking tools, marketing programs, lead generation, exclusive hotel, cruise and in-country programs, and extensive education and training opportunities to help advisors build their business.
“One of our biggest strengths is our ability to assist any business model with products and services that meet the needs of your customers,” said Lindsay Pearlman, senior vice president, international leisure at Travel Leaders Group. “We are here with technology, marketing, training, supplier reach and most importantly, people who are here to serve the needs of the membership during travels recovery."
How to Join
To join Travel Leaders Network, an agency must be accredited by at least one of these organizations: ACTA, ARC, BSP, CLIA, IATA, IATAN, TIDS, TRUE, TSID.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Travel Leaders Network has announced that its Edge conference, the company’s annual convention and tradeshow, will be an in-person event this year, taking place at Universal Orlando in October 2021. The gathering includes a variety of classes, educational training, networking opportunities and other programs for travel advisors. In addition, Travel Leaders Network last fall launched its Book With Confidence program, which aims to boost consumer and advisor confidence, and a new host agency program that’s designed to connect advisors with the most appropriate fit for their business.
Nexion Travel Group
Locations Served: 4,600
Also under the umbrella of Internova Travel Group, Nexion Travel Group is a host agency that provides members with access to a variety of programs, including NEXstart and NEXstart Cruise, both of which offer career development guidance for new advisors, and Veterans in Travel, a scholarship program that helps veterans to become independent travel advisors. Members also have access to certified business coaches, who can provide additional advice and assistance.
Advisors who participate in Travel Leaders of Tomorrow, an educational program for people interested in becoming a travel advisor, also have access to educational tools created in partnership with The Travel Institute. Upon completing a course, advisors receive job and career placement guidance.
"Nexion Travel Group understands that adults learn in different ways and is proud to offer a blend of live, virtual campus and on-demand training and coaching opportunities for advisors who are new to the travel industry,” said Jackie Friedman, president of Nexion Travel Group.
How to Join
Nexion welcomes independent, U.S.-based travel advisors of all experience levels, including newcomers.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Nexion's biggest conference of the year, CoNexion, attracts more than 600 advisors, staff, key industry players and supplier partners for a full program of general sessions, supplier-partner roundtables, a tradeshow and workshops for all experience levels. This year, CoNexion takes place at Florida’s Universal Orlando Resort from Sept. 27-29.
TravelSavers
Locations Served: 2,500+
With some $20 billion in annual sales, TravelSavers operates a by-invitation-only program that provides qualified agencies with a protected territory to serve, with the goal of driving leads and giving travel advisors a competitive advantage. Member agencies receive personalized service and training combined with a variety of luxury, leisure and corporate products, all designed to increase efficiency and revenue.
“TravelSavers is the best-kept secret,” said Nancy Bennett, the company’s senior vice president of global sales. “Although TravelSavers, under American Marketing Group, is 18 brands strong, the level of partnership and personalized support that we provide to each of our agency members makes them feel as if they are each a member of our family.”
How to Join
Contact Bennett to discuss membership qualifications and to determine if your protected territory is available.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
The company’s recently enhanced, proprietary booking platform, Tripxpress, gives advisors the ability to efficiently perform a variety of crucial tasks, including booking cruise, hotel and air, creating customized quotes and itineraries, as well as receiving price change notifications. In addition, the company’s Affluent Traveler Collection luxury division has added more properties, providing agencies with more options to entice their upscale clients.
Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative
Locations Served: 2,500 home-based travel franchises
Cruise Planners is the nations’ largest travel agency franchise network. Members can get the training, tools and support to launch and grow a specialized franchise from home, with a low-cost investment and no experience needed (but experienced travel advisors are welcome to join). Advisor support includes marketing tools, technology, hands-on training, lead-generation tools and professional coaching and development, among other services.
Travel advisors who join Cruise Planners will also have the benefit of American Express Travel and access to card member benefits including “Pay With Points” and exclusive travel deals.
“We’ve got serious purchasing power and well-established clout with cruise lines, tour companies, hotels and all-inclusive resorts,” said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners, an American Express Travel Representative. “That means better rates for your clients and the best commissions in the industry for you.”
How to Join
Travel advisors interested in joining Cruise Planners should reach out to the company via its website. For a limited time, Cruise Planners is offering a $4,000 discount on its franchise fee.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Cruise Planners is heading to El Dorado Royale in Cancun, Mexico, for this year’s annual convention. Once there, advisors can attend various in-person events to help excel their businesses. Top travel executives will be in attendance, as well as preferred land and sea suppliers. Pre- and post-fam trip opportunities will be available for attendees, as well.
Virtuoso
Locations Served: 1,100+
A member-driven network of travel agencies serving the upscale market segment, Virtuoso emphasizes the “genuine human connections our member agencies and their advisors build with our preferred partners and leverage for the benefit of their mutual clients,” according to Cheryl Bunker, the company’s vice president of global member relations. “Member agencies forge those close connections at events like Virtuoso Travel Week, the industry’s largest and most prominent event, known as the ‘Fashion Week of luxury travel’ and open only to those in the network.”
With $25-$30 billion in annual purchasing power, Virtuoso claims to provide members with exclusive benefits, including free perks from hotels and cruise lines. Advisors can also take advantage of the organization’s educational opportunities, including more than 1,700 courses, webinars and content available as part of the Virtuoso Travel Academy and the Virtuoso Certified Travel Advisor program.
“Affluent travelers were the first to venture forth and feel comfortable traveling again, making them the leading force in the industry’s recovery,” said Bunker. “Virtuoso member agencies and their resilient clientele have initiated travel’s great return and will remain at the forefront as demand continues to grow.”
How to Join
Requirements for U.S. and Canadian agencies include a minimum of $200,000 in preferred partner sales, per leisure advisor, and at least $2 million in preferred partner agency-wide sales.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Virtuoso recently redesigned its website and added a new Best of the Best digital hotel guide. Last year, the company debuted Virtuoso Wanderlist, a free travel-planning social website that allows users to share travel ideas and be connected with travel advisors.
Avoya Travel
Locations Served: 1,000+
Avoya Travel aims to help travel agencies build business and maximize productivity by harnessing technology to simplify daily tasks. The company provides members with an array of marketing, technology and professional development tools. According to the company site, Avoya seeks to combine “the ease of online search with the element of human touch, expertise, support and value.”
“Avoya Travel offers travel professionals the winning combination of state-of-the-art technology combined with our marketing, which generates Avoya live leads for our network and superior deals and commissions from most key travel suppliers,” said Steve Hirshan, the company’s senior vice president of sales.
How to Join
Avoya Travel is open to experienced travel planners, travel agency owners and entrepreneurs starting a new travel business.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
During the pandemic, Avoya developed multiple initiatives to support member agencies, including commission override payments to some agencies that wouldn’t normally have qualified for Avoya’s 2020 commission growth incentive. In March 2021, Avoya launched a “Vacations to take now” marketing campaign, highlighting destinations that are open to U.S. travelers this spring and summer. The 2021 Avoya Conference will take place virtually from Dec. 6-10, 2021, and the company has announced plans to stage a series of Avoya Mastermind Virtual Success Academies throughout the year.
Signature Travel Network
Locations Served: 646
As Signature Travel Network celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2021, the company is touting the diversity of its membership, as well as the variety of programs and tools available to members. Among the features are turnkey marketing programs and proprietary technology like Client Reach, a client communication tool; Pocket Travel, a free mobile app; and Cruise Track, which helps advisors stay on top of changes to cruise itineraries.
Signature’s Member Engagement and Preferred Partnership teams, meanwhile, provide customized plans to help members identify the greatest opportunities for business growth.
“While all aspects of our business are more difficult now than we could have ever imagined 15 months ago, the recovery road ahead is full of opportunity because Signature remains focused on our mission to serve members,” said Karryn Christopher, Signature’s executive vice president of marketing and preferred partnerships. “As more travelers recognize how essential it is to have the guidance and advocacy of a trusted travel advisor, the powerful high-touch, efficiency tools that Signature provides members are proving to be even more important than before the pandemic.”
How to Join
Agencies looking to join Signature must complete an online information form and have at least $2 million in preferred supplier sales per year. There are no annual membership fees or contracts, but members must be active members of the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA); engage with the network’s technology, marketing and educational tools; attend the annual owners and sales meeting; sync their database with Signature’s web services or use ClientBase as the Agency CRM.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Signature recently made improvements to Sig Cruise Pro, a proprietary cruise booking engine powered by Odysseus that’s designed to increase efficiently and provide access to best available rates.
Ensemble Travel Group
Locations Served: 600
With member agencies in the U.S. and Canada, Ensemble Travel Group offers preferential commissions, as well as access to print and digital marketing programs, customized proprietary technology and training and specialist certification programs. The co-op positions itself as ideal for agencies looking for a more intimate, personalized partnership.
“Our slogan that ‘your business is our only business’ is not just a catchy phrase, but is at the core of everything we do,” said David Harris, CEO of Ensemble Travel Group. “I don’t think you will find another group of people as creative, passionate, responsive and dedicated to providing our members with the tools, resources and services that they need to be successful."
How to Join
Potential members must have been in business for a minimum of two years, have accreditation by the ARC, IATA, CLIA, ARC, TRUE or TIDS (for Canadian advisors) and have a minimum level of preferred supplier sales. Member agents pay an annual membership fee, purchase a share of stock in the co-operative (unless they are in a program that doesn’t require it) and attend the network’s annual international conference.
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Ensemble recently launched OneConnect, which merges three platforms into one to provide to provide a more flexible and customizable customer experience.
Dream Vacations/CruiseOne
Locations Served: 1,600+ home-based travel franchises
Established in 1992, CruiseOne and its sister brand, Dream Vacations (launched in 2016), are a part of World travel Holdings. They have received franchise partner of the year by all major cruise lines, tour operators and resorts and national recognition for its support of military veterans.
“Our mission is focused on the business aspirations and success of our franchisees as they are our top priority above everything else,” said Debbie Fiorino, COO of Dream Vacations and CruiseOne. “As an industry powerhouse, we leverage our partnerships with cruise lines, resorts and tour operators to get our franchisees the best pricing that they can pass on to their customers, in addition to fully-funded exclusive offers that can’t be found anywhere else."
How to Join
Home-based franchisees can join Dream Vacations/CruiseOne for a one-time fee. Dream Vacations/CruiseOne also offers discounts off its $10,500 standard travel agency franchise cost, ranging from a promotional 10% discount to up to 95% off for experienced travel professionals (based on industry experience).
In the Toolbox — What’s New?
Dream Vacations/CruiseOne expanded its business opportunity offerings with the launch of its Dream Vacations/CruiseOne advisor program, which matches people who want to become independent travel advisors with existing, successful travel agent franchise owners.
Dream Vacations/CruiseOne independent travel advisors earn a commission split on every trip sold, and in exchange, receive access to support, training, marketing and technology resources.
