13 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Host Agency

More and more travel advisors are choosing to become independent contractors and join a host agency because of the many benefits that they provide. According to Travel Market Report’s most recent Outlook report, about half of advisors are affiliated with a host. 

But how do you know which host agency is right for you? The key is to ask the right questions. According to every host agency head that TMR spoke with, it is best to ask all questions you have, ensuring you’ll have a productive experience at the host you choose. 

“There is a host for everyone,” Wayne Spector, vice president of NEST, the consortium that oversees NEST Plus, a host agency owned by American Marketing Group, told TMR. “I need you as the person looking to ask me any and every question that you possibly could have.” 

Whether you’re new to the hosting environment or looking to make a switch, here are 13 questions you should always ask both yourself and your prospective host agency when searching for the right fit. 

What type of travel do I plan to sell, and does the host agency fit my niche? 
There are so many host agencies out there – so how do you start to narrow down which you’d like to join? Your first step could be narrowing down by type of travel. Do you sell family vacations, honeymoons, wellness trips? Finding a host that caters to your niche, whether it’s theme park trips, river cruises, or African safaris, is a good idea. 

If you sell luxury, there are plenty of hosts that focus solely on luxury, such as Brownell and Travel Edge Network. A host agency like NEST Plus is not fully a luxury-based host but has opportunities to sell luxury with its Affluent Traveler Collection program.  

If you sell commercial travel, also make sure you choose a host agency that sells beyond leisure and has the capacity to sell corporate/business trips. 

Do I want to sell travel full time or part time?
Some host agencies require that you are working as a full-time travel agent, while others don’t mind if you plan to keep it as a side gig. For examples, Brownell’s training program requires a full-time commitment, whereas travel advisors can join Nexion part-time and switch to full-time at any point. 

Is the host agency accepting advisors from the U.S., Canada, or both? 
This is an easy one. Just remember that not all host agencies operate in Canada; some are only in the United States – others are all over the world. Depending on where you’re based, make sure to check on this detail before wasting time researching a particular host further. 

What is the size and vibe of the host agency? 
Some host agencies are exclusive and have only around 100 ICs, while others have thousands. Regardless, you want to get a sense of the host agency’s atmosphere and whether it has a community feel, where you can bounce ideas and get advice from other ICs. Though Nexion hosts 5,600 ICs, the company has built ways for them to connect on an individual level, such as the agency’s online platform, Nexion Town. 

“There are specialty groups [within Nexion Town], so if they have a specific niche or if they’re in a geographic area or are a certain demographic – we have a young professional’s group, we have a LGBTQ group, so that gives them different opportunities to connect online,” said Jackie Friedman, president of Nexion. “We also have about 35 or so local Nexion networks. Those are advisor-led groups where they get together, either in person or virtually, but they try to connect in person, and they can drive the agenda, they can invite supplier partners, and so on.” 

Nexion, as many of the major hosts do, also holds training events and an annual conference, as well as FAM trip opportunities for advisors, which all help advisors connect and grow together. 

What are the host agency’s values, and do they align with mine? 
It may seem abstract, but it’s worth it to ask the host agency what its values are or find that information on their website. A host agency like Brownell has clear pillars indicating its values.

“We select ‘We’ people, not ‘Me’ people,” said Troy Haas, president and CEO of Brownell Travel. “We’re as tough when picking an IC to join as we are an employee. If they don’t share the ethos of these core values, if they don’t want to be here to succeed but also be part of success in helping others succeed, they’re not going to join us.” 

What consortia and supplier partners does the host agency have? 
Many of the large host agencies operate under a consortium (for example: NEST Plus in NEST, Travel Edge Network in Ensemble, Nexion in Internova Travel Group), while others do not operate under but do work closely with a consortium. If you already work with Virtuoso, you might want to choose a host like Brownell that works closely with Virtuoso. If you already work with Signature, you may consider joining Cruise Planners, who partner with Signature. This way, you can keep your supplier partnerships that you’ve already built, but now with the built-in benefits that the host has with that consortium.

What level of support do I need, and does it match what the agency provides?  
It’s important that you take a close look at the level of support and types of assistance you’ll need from the agency. If you feel you’ll need a mentor to guide you through the process of growing your business, make sure the host has that resource for you. For example, NEST Plus assigns each IC their own business analyst, and Travel Edge has a dedicated advisor service team that helps new and seasoned advisors alike with any help they may need. 

“They talk to advisors on a daily basis, having meaningful conversations and answering their daily questions, whether it’s product, technology, or just ‘I don’t know how to invoice,'” said Nadiya Makarenko, senior vice president of Travel Edge Network. 

You may also need support with airline ticket reservations, accounting services, or lead generation. Different host agencies will have different levels of support for each part of running your travel business, so choose an agency that provides support where you need it most. 

What marketing tools does the host agency provide? 
Marketing resources are a huge draw of joining a host agency. It’s a good idea to learn the marketing tool specifics included in your host agency membership before joining. Some will offer more personalization than others, some will offer physical mailers, while others will be digital-only marketing. Think about your client base and the type of marketing you’ll need to keep current clients, as well as draw in new ones. 

What educational opportunities does the host agency offer? 
Many host agencies offer training programs nowadays. These are great to help you brush up on certain skills needed to run your business. NEST Plus, for example, has a comprehensive KORE program for advisors to learn everything from specific industry sales knowledge to marketing techniques to selling travel insurance. The host also offers more casual training get togethers throughout the year. 

“We’re all about education, we’re all about helping [advisors] get to the next level,” Spector said. “There are probably at least four times a year that we will do ‘Lunch and Learns’ or ‘Dine and Discovers’ where they can come and meet with the other members. This is a family; we try to bring everybody together as much as we can each year.” 

Is the commission on par with what I would like to earn? 
Our next piece of advice is to do the math. Most likely, you will earn more working with a host because they get higher commissions. Even though you will be splitting that commission with the host, it is typically higher, but again, do the math. 

What technology is available through this host agency? 
Many host agencies are innovating with technology, especially with artificial intelligence (AI) becoming a more prominent tool in the industry. Cruise Planners, for example, has a booking platform connected to an app for advisors to seamlessly work on-the-go. The company’s tech-forward systems also assist with marketing, live planning, and more. 

“We have an app where advisors can literally run their business on any smart device; they can pull up all their back-end office information,” said Michelle Fee, CEO of Cruise Planners. “If they’re traveling and have a client who is traveling and needs an invoice or whatever it is, they can do it from a smart device from anywhere in the world.” 

Do I have to sign a franchise agreement with the agency? 
Along those lines, every host agency has a different business model. Some are set up as franchises and have different sets of payment structures, policies, etc., when you sign a contract with them. Read any agreement carefully. 

Another tip is to find out whether it is a pure host or not, meaning does the company that owns the host sell to consumers, as well, or all they all-in on travel advisors? Some advisors may not care about this, but others might, and it’s a good thing to know going in. 

What do other advisors have to say about this host agency? 
Six out of 10 hosted travel advisors who responded to TMR’s most recent Outlook survey said they selected a host agency based on referrals from an advisor, colleague or friend. Word of mouth research is always great to get a first-hand account of what it’s like to join a particular agency.  

There are also some good websites out there specifically designed to help you find a host: path4hosts.com, hostagencyreviews.com, and findahosttravelagency.com. Keep all these questions in mind when browsing these sites, and you’ll be on your way to finding the right host.