15 Questions to Ask Before Joining Any Host Travel Agency
You are going to spend years building a business on top of your host agency's platform. That decision deserves more due diligence than reading their website and watching a webinar. Here are the 15 questions that separate a good fit from a costly mistake.
Money Questions
1. What is my starting commission split and when does it improve? 2. What are the base commission rates for your top 10 suppliers (cruise lines, hotel chains, tour operators)? 3. How and when do I get paid — monthly, per booking, or on a different schedule? 4. Are there any production minimums or quotas I must meet? 5. Is E&O insurance included in my fees or do I purchase it separately?
The commission split percentage is meaningless without knowing the base rate. An 80/20 split on a 10 percent base rate is $800 on a $10,000 booking. A 70/30 split on a 15 percent base rate is $1,050 on the same booking. Ask for the base rates.
Training and Support Questions
6. What does your training program include and how is it delivered (live, recorded, self-paced)? 7. What ongoing education is available after onboarding? 8. Do I have access to a mentor or dedicated support contact? 9. How quickly does support respond to advisor questions? 10. Can I speak with 2-3 current advisors about their experience?
If the agency hesitates to connect you with current advisors, that is a red flag. The good agencies have advisors who are genuinely happy to talk about their experience.
Marketing and Brand Questions
11. Can I market under my own brand name or must I use yours? 12. What marketing tools and templates do you provide? 13. Do you offer a client lead program and what are realistic conversion rates? 14. Are there restrictions on my social media, website, or advertising? 15. Do you provide any SEO, content marketing, or digital marketing training?
Brand ownership matters more than most new advisors realize. If you build a client base under an agency's brand and later want to switch agencies, those clients may not follow you. If you build under your own brand, your client relationships are yours regardless of where you are hosted.
The Meta-Question
After asking all 15 questions, ask yourself one more: did this agency answer everything openly, or did they deflect, minimize, or redirect? Transparency in the recruitment process predicts transparency in the business relationship. Agencies that are forthcoming about their weaknesses (every agency has them) are more trustworthy than agencies that present a perfect picture.
We welcome every one of these questions. Ask us and see how we answer.