Home-Based Travel Agent

This book has all of the forms, informations, etc. on how to run a business. From Before you even start and everything after. DETAILED!

Now in its fifth edition, this book is keeping up with the drastic changes that have been happening recently in the travel industry. As the author says, it used to be that a great many travel agencies made their living by booking airline tickets. But the airline companies and the internet have changed that. Now a travel agency has to find some kind of specialist niche. It is indeed possible to create a home, even part time business in the travel industry. Perhaps you'll book cruises, perhaps create package deals to get people to their time share vacation, perhaps specialize in excursions by rail. While it is practical to set up a home based agency, your success is not guaranteed. There are many established agencies out these that are desparately looking for some way to stay in business. This book points out how the various options, such as working at home but for an established agencies, setting up your own agency and several other choices. The real key to this book is the third part. Selling your travel services, getting and keeping customers is the most important aspect of this or really any other business. The technical aspects of booking a cruise is fairly simple (but covered in Part II), making a success comes down to sales and marketing.

I have the first edition that Kelly published for readers. I used it all of time...referring to things I had read and used them when asking question with those that I networked with. I have since purchased the newest edition to share with the new IC's that join our agency. We have been operating as a home office agency since 1998. Handling our own accounts and communication with suppliers. It take a little long to get noticed, but worth it in the long run. Good luck to all that read this book!

The chapter on using EasySabre to get detailed airline fares and schedules online is out of date. EasySabre is now part of Travelocity (the online travel site) and no longer provides all of the great details mentioned in Kelly's book. This really is too bad, as it takes away one of the best tools there was for an independent agent. But I still recommend this book for anyone considering running a home-based travel agency - it can save a lot of time and effort in trying to find all of the "ins" and "outs" of this business on your own.

This is a very informative, detailed, EASY to read book for anyone wanting to get into this business. I highly recommend anyone wanting to get into this business to read this book. I think she did a great job in writing it. It feels like you are interviewing the author herself and getting the answers to most questions you would have on your mind. The most informative book I have read in a long time!