Ask-an-Advisor: Why Doesn’t the Industry Have Any Specific Requirements to Sell Travel?

This is 2026’s first edition of TMR’s Ask an Advisor series, a regular column where a team of travel advisors tackles questions from others in the industry. All questions from this series have been submitted by readers and vetted by the TMR editorial team.

Dear Ask-an-Advisor,
In many professions—like real estate, insurance, or financial advising—there are strict training requirements and certifications before someone can legally work with clients. In travel, however, it seems that anyone can decide they want to start selling trips without any formal training or certification. Why does the travel industry operate this way, and do you think this lack of standardized requirements helps or hurts both advisors and clients?

Lesley Sawhook, Owner, Exclusive Travel Partners

In my opinion, the lack of training and certification requirements in the travel industry can absolutely hurt both travel professionals and clients.

The travel industry has remained easy to enter, which can create the misconception that selling travel is simply booking a trip. In reality, being a true travel professional requires far more than that. It requires industry knowledge, supplier relationships, accessibility, problem solving skills, destination expertise and the ability to properly guide clients through one of the most important investments they make: their time and memories. 

When there are no universal requirements for education or hands-on experience, advisors may enter the industry with preconceived notions and for the wrong reasons. They may do so just for industry “perks,” which are hard to come by in this industry and typically require years of experience and successful sales levels. This can negatively impact client trust, overall service standards and the industry’s reputation, which is terrifying. 

As an agency owner with years and years of experience in this over saturated industry, I take this very seriously. We are extremely intentional about who we bring onto our team, believing ongoing training, mentorship, and firsthand experience are essential. We provide detailed education and support, as well as hands on in person training opportunities to give our team firsthand knowledge. We believe our clients deserve to work with someone who truly knows what they are recommending. Personal experience is irreplaceable when matching clients to the right vacation and setting proper expectations. 

Ultimately, travel professionals help clients invest their hard-earned money and precious time. That responsibility should never be taken lightly. 

Lesley Sawhook leads a national team of travel professionals alongside her husband, Tim. With over 17 years of experience in the industry, she prides herself on delivering excellent customer service and utilizing social media to drive business growth. Lesley has personally maintained over a million dollars in annual sales for the past 15 years. She manages both her personal and agency social media accounts, achieving significant reach on TikTok (@LesleyETP), where she has over 250,000 followers.

Savannah Sharp, Travel Advisor, Trip Guy Travel

I think the biggest reason the travel industry operates this way comes down to risk and regulation. In fields like real estate, insurance, or financial advising, you’re dealing with major legal and financial consequences if something goes wrong—contracts, liability, long-term investments, etc. Travel just doesn’t carry that same level of legal exposure. If a trip goes sideways, it’s frustrating and sometimes expensive, but it’s not typically life-altering in the same way a bad insurance policy or real estate deal could be. Because of that, there’s never been the same push for strict licensing requirements across the board.

That said, I don’t think the lack of standardized requirements is inherently the problem. The real issue, in my opinion, is that a lot of agents don’t take the initiative to educate themselves. The barrier to entry is so low that people jump in thinking it’s just booking trips, without understanding sales, client management, supplier relationships, or even the destinations they’re selling. That’s where the downside shows up—not from the lack of regulation, but from the lack of personal investment in training.

What I’ve consistently seen is that the agents who treat this like a real business—who pursue certifications, attend trainings, travel for firsthand knowledge, and invest in learning both the industry and business fundamentals—are the ones who actually succeed long-term. They build steady, repeat clientele and stand out pretty quickly. On the flip side, I’ve actively seen newer agents reject help or sales training then ultimately stay stagnant or fail all together  

Meanwhile, the market feels oversaturated because there are so many brand-new agents who haven’t done that work yet. A lot of them don’t stick around, which is why you see that constant cycle of people entering and exiting the industry. This is where a lot of clients, specifically millennials and Gen Zers see some red flags on using an agent.

So I’d argue it’s less about needing more regulation and more about raising the standard personally. The agents who survive and thrive are the go-getters—the ones who seek out education and growth without being forced to. And honestly, that’s part of what makes this industry great too. It rewards initiative in a way that more regulated industries don’t always allow for.

Savannah Sharp has carved out a distinct niche in the industry, specializing in custom FIT travel throughout Europe and Asia. With nearly a decade of experience, she focuses on designing highly personalized itineraries, destination weddings, and experiential travel for clients across the United States. Her expertise spans luxury accommodations, immersive cultural experiences, and specialty trips such as equestrian and small-group journeys.

Lincoln Stalmaster, Travel Advisor, Propeller Travel Group

Regulation is an interesting question. The agency I am affiliated with has guidelines for what we can and cannot do, and a process we must follow. We work with third-party operators (airlines, cruise lines, hotels, etc.), so we must also follow their policies. While there are bad apples in every field, as a client, I always worked with travel advisors who provided excellent guidance, had integrity, and added value to my travel experience. If I felt that wasn’t the case, I wouldn’t have continued with them. 

The benefit of starting a career in the travel industry is that one can start at any time; my previous job was 30 years in a completely different field. I did spend over a year researching whether this would be the right fit for me, speaking with travel advisors—including my own—and learning as much as possible about the process. It allowed me to find a team with decades of experience, willing to offer support, and most importantly, a group with integrity. 

Lincoln Stalmaster brings extensive personal travel experience in Europe and in-depth knowledge of luxury and world cruise itineraries to his role. With travel and photography as lifelong passions, he has spent countless hours researching destinations, hotels, and unique locations.