Here's something you probably didn't know: 19 million visitors traveled to Raleigh and Wake County in 2024, spending an all-time record-breaking $3.4 billion during their stay. How about North Carolina itself? A fresh all-time record in terms of domestic visitation of $37.2 billion in 2025, which puts our state at a solid #7 position on the national chart!

Not your average Southern town right? Not even close, this is one of the biggest growth travel markets in the country! Not to mention North Carolina has some of the best travel agents in the country! It’s that Carolina hospatality!

And here's why you should pay special attention to Raleigh as a travel agent, most tourists arriving at the area do so on account of locals. Businessmen interviewing at SAS Institute. Families bringing their kids to NC State and UNC Chapel Hill. Attendees of conferences at the Raleigh Convention Center, where biotech and pharmaceutical conventions are frequently held. And a huge population of affluent professionals earning decent sums of cash, craving vacation adventures, and willing to work with someone reliable for the purpose.

It's your client base, my friend, and they're ubiquitous throughout Raleigh!

Here’s my step-by-step guide to becoming a travel agent in Raleigh, explaining everything from legal requirements and certifications, niches worth pursuing in this market, salaries, and even those client benefits most travel guides ignore. Let's do this!

Why Raleigh Is the South's Best-Kept Travel Secret

Raleigh doesn't always receive as much press from the travel industry as some of the other locations do. All the buzz goes to Nashville and Miami. Yet, this city is quietly growing into a force to be reckoned with!

Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill ranks as the third top tech hub in the South after Austin and Washington, D.C. In addition, more than 51% of the adults in the region hold a bachelor's degree or above. As a result, the educated, upper-class demographic travels a lot both for business and leisure as well as on trips that they have been planning for quite some time.

Moreover, the necessary infrastructure is being developed to support this growth. For example, Raleigh's RDU International Airport accommodated 15.5 million passengers in 2025. It added new international nonstop flights to Dublin (Aer Lingus), Punta Cana, Cancun, and San Juan and provides nonstop service to 86 destinations. Additionally, RDU International Airport's Transform RDU Capital Improvement Program is under way. One of the goals of this project is an expansion of Terminal 2 with the capacity of handling a substantially increased number of international flights. There is also a new runway, which will cost approximately $1.1 billion and will be ready by 2029.

As a result, there will be a growing demand for international travel and, thus, for skilled professionals to help manage it. Another aspect to consider is the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) market, which, in Raleigh, is thriving! For instance, in the fiscal year 2024-2025, Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitor Bureau generated direct economic impact worth $224 million from meetings and sports events bookings alone with an 18-to-1 ROI. All those corporate travelers will need agents! If you wiggle your way in even a little bit you’re looking at a lot of potential money!

Lastly, the underused potential for developing relationships with the academia in this area is my personal recommendation that I have not yet encountered in similar guides. Professors from such institutions as Duke University, North Carolina State University, and the University of North Carolina travel internationally very frequently and never have the time to plan their trips.

The Legal Stuff (It's Easier Than You Think)

The first bit of good news? North Carolina happens to be one of the most pro-travel-agent states when it comes to regulations.

There is no travel agent license required in North Carolina. There is no North Carolina travel agent exam. There is no Seller of Travel registration (which is something that exists only in California and Florida). There is no lengthy application process and months-long wait for an official travel agent certification.

In other words, the state assumes that you will do an ethical job as a business owner. And, you know what that means? It frees up all that extra time to focus on actually creating your travel agency rather than getting bogged down in bureaucratic processes.

Let me break down what you DO need below...

The IATA Number

The IATA number is an official credential that makes you a travel professional and lets you start working with suppliers and booking travel as soon as possible.

New travel agents obtain an IATA number either of these two ways:

With a host agency (by far the most common route, with your host agency offering you their IATA number as a perk for affiliating with them)

Individually from IATAN (requires meeting certain sales threshold and paying yearly fees, usually used by established professionals)

If you're just starting out, there is virtually no reason why you shouldn't work with a host agency to get your IATA number (plus many other perks that come with being an affiliate).

Registering Your Travel Agency In North Carolina

You'll still need to officially register your travel agency business. Let's explore your options:

Sole Proprietorship: Very simple to do, but you will have zero liability protection, and the title "sole proprietor" doesn't look very professional

LLC: Most likely what you want — provides liability protection, more professional appearance, very easy to register

Corporate structures: For large businesses

LLC registration in NC is simple, all you have to do is submit the "Articles of Organization," pay the required fee, and you are typically registered within several business days. Do NOT pay a company online to do this for you, they’ll charge you way more than you just doing it yourself! Alongside LLC registration, you'll also have to do this:

Obtain EIN from the IRS — free, can be done easily and quickly online
Obtain Raleigh Business License — mandatory for doing business in Raleigh
Set up a business bank account — keep your personal money separate from your travel business

One additional step to consider is you may wany to make sure that your local HOA/zoning laws don't have specific requirements for home occupations if you plan to receive clients in your house (note that most home-based travel agents don't have any in-person meetings with clients, so it's not even necessary in most cases).

My conclusion after going through all the regulations myself is having to register yourself as a seller of travel in other states is arguably the largest disadvantage that Californian and Floridian agents face. Raleigh-based agents can register and begin booking within a week after setting up shop!

IATA Is Your Key To Unlocking Everything

Your IATA number is the professional ID card you need to make yourself a recognized name in this industry. With no IATA number at your disposal, or access to such a number via a host, you won't be able to make legitimate bookings through suppliers' websites or get commissions from sales you make.

There are two possible courses of action for you as an aspiring travel agent:

Host Agency: Affiliation with a host agency offering IATA number as part of a deal (this is what most agents do)

Independent: application for an IATA license once you prove yourself by making enough bookings

Clearly, the host agency option is the better one for you at the moment. You will eliminate the main obstacle standing in your way, get plugged into a network of existing supplier relationships, and get access to resources which would have otherwise set you back many thousands of dollars.

IATA gives you access to travel agent discounts as well, so you’ll definitly want to get one as fast as possible if travel is one of the main reasons you become a travel agent!

Finding Your Home Base

Honestly? The choice you make for your host will influence your whole career at the start. It is more important than what you think before you join any of them.

This host agency will define your commission structure, software you work on, your training, your ability to book hotels, and even your earning potential for the first two years. Spend some time choosing. Do proper digging with many host agencies. I recommend making a checklist of the top things you want from a host agency, then start checking out websites, social media pages etc to see what they’re offering.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions through Facebook messenger, contact email, or their AI assistant if they have one. Definitely ask about their supplier relationships, it’s more important than even the commission split for a lot of agents!

When comparing hosts, ask specifically:

Do you have a one-time membership fee, monthly or yearly?
How do they handle the North Carolina market specifically?
Can you help with niche’s?
What continuing education is included?
What's their commission payment schedule?
How do agents get paid?
How’s their supplier relationships?

Use Host Agency Reviews to help guide you here. It’ll give you all the information you need to know about the agency as well as reviews from former and current agents. More on them below!

Supplier Relationships: Your Secret Weapon

Let's face it, picking a host based on the commission percentages offered is equivalent to picking a restaurant based on its menu prices only. What really matters here? It’s the depth of relationships your chosen host agency has developed over years with hotel properties, cruise lines, tour operators, and destination management companies.

This info isn’t always stated in guide and yet it could be crucial when it comes to the success of your travel agency. Let me explain…

Why Relationships with Suppliers Matter So Much

Once a host agency has established long-lasting, mutually beneficial relations with a supplier such as a cruise line or a resort collection, a few things happen.

First, a preferred partnership agreement allows you as an agent to earn significantly higher commissions, the typical commission split for a preferred cruise line would range from 12% to 20%, while the average rate for an unknown solo agent remains at 10%. On a $15,000 cruise booking this means an extra $1,500 in your account.

Second, your high-performing host agency is able to secure amenity programs for your clients that include complimentary breakfast, onboard credits, room upgrades, or early check-in. It is such moments as these that make your clients come back to you year after year.

Third, some host agencies provide their affiliated agents with the opportunity to sell distressed cruise inventory, group space, and flash deals that are unavailable to others.

Finally, your preferred host agency provides you with a direct contact to the representative of the supplier company in question. So if something goes wrong, you won't have to struggle on your own, your host agent can connect you with BDM directly.

Five Tips for Checking Your Prospective Host Agency's Supplier Relationships

It’s amazing how often guides advising novice agents on choosing the right host fail to address the topic of preferred supplier programs. Instead, they simply recommend that you research a potential host agency. But here’s how I’d actually do it.

Check the list of preferred suppliers. Ask your potential host agency for their preferred supplier list. Typically, it is a list of 15+ preferred suppliers covering cruise lines, hotel groups, tour operators, and insurance agencies. A short or vague list may indicate that their supplier relationships aren't that solid.

Find out if the agency earns override commissions from their preferred suppliers. An override commission is an extra percent a supplier pays once an agency surpasses certain sales volumes. Ask your host: "Do you earn any override commission fees from your preferred suppliers and if yes, then how does it affect my percentage split?". Ideally, a preferred host agency shares a part of those commissions with their agents through increased base commissions or other mechanisms.

Ask if the agency is part of a consortium network. The major five consortiums are Virtuoso, Signature Travel Network, Travel Leaders Network, Ensemble Travel Group, and Signature. All of them are known for admitting only qualified and high-performing member agencies that meet the necessary requirements. Therefore, your preferred host's supplier relationships are automatically checked by the admission process of the consortium network in question. As an affiliated independent contractor, ask your host agency to join you as a member of the network they are part of.

Read reviews on Host Agency Reviews. It’s a website dedicated to reviews of travel host agencies written by actual affiliated agents. Filter all available reviews by your experience level and find the ones that mention supplier relationships and BDM accessibility. If there are positive comments in that matter, you should pay attention.

Check how often FAM trips are organized. How frequently does your preferred host arrange FAM trips? Are they free or charged? Is it possible for you as a host agency affiliate to participate in them? A good host agency would regularly organize both individual and group FAM trips for its affiliated agents. The best host agencies have an event calendar listing 10-20+ FAM events per year.

Contact two or three current affiliated agents. Ask your prospective host agency for two or three affiliated agents' emails and contact them yourself. Your host will be happy to comply with your request. Ask these agents: "When you encounter a problem with a supplier booking, how quickly does your BDM react to your calls?"

Maximizing Benefits of Your Host Agency's Supplier Relationships

Now let's consider what you should do once you've decided to affiliate with a particular host agency and enjoy benefits of its supplier relationships.

Participate actively in supplier trainings. Each cruise line, hotel brand, and tour operator run free online courses and seminars designed to increase awareness about their products. Apart from gaining more valuable knowledge, you'll also put your name before BDM of each of the suppliers. Thus, you'll be among the first agents to know about the upcoming FAM trips and special promotions.

Book with your preferred suppliers as often as possible. As was mentioned above, supplier relationships are built on volume. If you know that your host has an agreement with a specific cruise line, don't scatter cruise bookings among several cruise brands. Instead, focus on booking cruises with one specific line in order to reach higher volume.

Provide feedback on your suppliers to your clients. Send the notes you've received from your clients to the BDM. This will give additional leverage for building a relationship with your preferred suppliers as the latter enjoy receiving customer feedback from time to time.

Use your amenity programs always. For example, if your host agency has an amenity program with a hotel chain, use it every time you book rooms for your customers in a hotel from this chain. Such programs offer complimentary services that delight your clients and generate volume, thus improving your hosts' preferred status.

Visit the host agency's annual conference. Most large-scale host agencies organize an annual conference where representatives from preferred cruise lines and hotel groups participate. They have booths, run seminars and organize networking events. These conferences allow you to meet and start building relationships with key people in your field.

Why Raleigh Is Worth a Special Note?

What makes Raleigh so specific? The city's economic structure is quite diversified and the Research Triangle area attracts lots of technology and pharmaceutical companies, thus, creating many jobs in the field of international corporate and business travel. Accordingly, hotel chains with their corporate rate programs and airlines with their corporate travel departments are interested in establishing connections with competent agents in the RDU area. If the host agency you choose has a preferred partnership relationship with such suppliers, you'll have a better chance to serve both segments of your market in Raleigh.

Level Up Your Experience

No college degree needed. No mandatory state license. Not a bad place to start your new career. But here's the reality check, clients in Raleigh are not only educated but extremely research-oriented. You'll need to answer intelligent questions and provide knowledgeable responses. That means getting an education right from the beginning.

Starting with the TAP Test

The TAP (Travel Agent Proficiency) test offered by The Travel Institute is a great way to begin for new agents in the travel field. Covering everything from geography to industry basics, along with travel products and customer service techniques, the TAP test will set you back about $95, which is probably the best return on investment in the entire industry. The test is even included by some of the hosting agencies in their new agent onboarding process.

Getting Your CTA

Certified Travel Associate (CTA) designation is the basic professional certification of the travel industry, indicating commitment to your career and professionalism.

Requirements to receive the designation:

At least 12 months in the travel industry (TAP Test completion can be used as alternative)
8 core courses + 4 elective courses
70%+ result on the CTA test

The average time to complete the course is 3-6 months, with 12 months maximum.

With its high percentage of highly educated people who are extremely research-minded, Raleigh is the city in which a certification like the CTA plays an important role in getting hired. In the tech world and academia alike, potential clients in Raleigh do their homework before hiring anyone!

Taking It to the Next Level: CTC and CTIE

If you plan to manage your own travel agency and grow it into a lucrative enterprise, then the Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) will prove a good choice after gaining 5 years' experience in the industry. If you aim for senior management positions, you should consider Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE).

Specialist Certifications

This is your chance to get a strategic advantage when selling your services in the Raleigh market, considering the current developments taking place at RDU International Airport. Having added a number of international destinations such as Europe, and Latin America, the airport plans to connect with India, and South America in the near future. This presents you with the possibility of acquiring specialist designations in these regions.

You can become a destination specialist for no cost, as many of the tourism agencies in Ireland, Germany, Dominican Republic, Mexico and the Caribbean offer complimentary training! Training isn’t required but it’s definetely something that can help you stand out with your clients and host agencies!

The Raleigh Niches Nobody's Talking About

And this is when most of the guides begin to fall apart! They’ll tell you to "find a niche!" without many specifics. So you're looking at a blank page wondering "what should I do?" So I’m going to make this more actionable for my peeps in the Raleigh market.

Research Triangle Corporate Travel

There are very few places where you would find such a high concentration of tech companies and institutions. SAS Institute, Lenovo North America, Bandwidth, Cree Lighting, and many others send employees all around the world multiple times per month.

In Raleigh, there is a real need for skilled corporate travel agents, especially those able to handle complicated international multi-city travel planning. This type of travel is repetitive, valuable, and builds quickly thanks to word-of-mouth referral inside the organization.

Academic Travel

Duke University, UNC Chapel Hill, NC State – all of them have thousands of people working in these institutions and traveling for conferences and academic purposes abroad. Additionally, collegiate athletic travel accounts for quite a few bookings each year.

A lot of other top guides don't pay attention to this niche at all. However, this segment has plenty of loyal travelers and generates high-value bookings!

International Outbound Travel

RDU continues to expand its portfolio of destinations abroad, adding another 14 international flights, including connections to Dublin, Cancun, Punta Cana, San Juan, and more, which will launch in late 2025/early 2026. RDU targets India and Latin America as the next priority markets for expansion.

Agents specializing in European, Caribbean, or outbound to India right now will give themselves a competitive advantage for future development when those routes launch.

Luxury Travel and Honeymoons

Thanks to the rapid growth of the local technology sector, there are now many well-off Raleighites seeking luxury travel experiences. Whether it's renting a private villa, going on an African safari, or sailing along the Nile River on a luxury cruise ship, the potential here is huge!

If you like to plan high-end trips for your clients and can build relationships with wealthy travelers, you're set.

Family & Disney Travel

Many tourists who go to Walt Disney World come from the Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area. Additionally, Disney cruise line ships often embark from Florida. Thus, you can take advantage of these opportunities and start promoting yourself as an authorized Disney vacation planner. Disney planners make bank, there’s always clients to be found here!

Group and Meeting Travel

Raleigh had $224 million in economic impact generated by convention events in 2024-2025 fiscal years. There are many conventions happening there throughout the year. Specializing in group travel can bring a lot of revenue.

One additional tip I'd like to share with you guys that I haven't seen mentioned much before, but I think this niche might work especially well for Raleigh-based agents. The tech industry provides quite a lot of travelers who travel domestically three times a month for work. But what happens if you pitch those clients on the idea of booking a long-planned vacation to somewhere exciting, like Japan or Portugal? The same person becomes not only an excellent source of corporate bookings but also leisure bookings, thus doubling the potential! Boom baby!

Getting Your Business Off the Ground

Home-based businesses are almost always where most travel agents starting out in North Carolina choose to set up shop. And that is precisely where they should begin, there’s no reason to open an office in Glenwood South to prove anything!

What does one really need to start?

Business Entity: LLC registered with the NC Secretary of State (highly recommended over sole proprietorship for liability protection). Do not pay a company to register your business for you, they’ll charge you way more than what it costs to do it yourself!

EIN: Apply through the IRS — costs nothing and takes minutes!

Business Bank Account: Absolutely essential. Start out by getting your finances organized.

CRM/Booking Software: Applications such as Travefy or ClientBase can help you efficiently manage client information, trip planning, and follow-up actions. Check to see if your host agency offers their own CRM before joining.

Professional Website: With this level of competition, your website will play a huge part in establishing credibility. Be sure to showcase your qualifications, areas of expertise, and unique selling points.

Professional Email: It’s not going to come from Gmail, is it? You need an actual business address that makes clients feel like their needs are important!

Expected Startup Costs: Typically, home-based agencies cost anywhere from $200 to $4,000+, accounting for host agency fees, business entity registration, website creation, marketing, and certification costs. You’ll want a computer and fast reliable wifi as well!

The Real Talk on Income

At last, the part most people come here for, the money! Let me say this about travel agent income, it’s fully dependent on how much time and energy you put into everything. The harder you work the higher your income potential becomes! So you can’t really find an exact number, just a range of salaries. Here’s some from top sites that average out the incomes from North Carolina.

The actual figures look more like:

ZipRecruiter (for Raleigh): Average of $41,737/year
Indeed (for Raleigh): Average of $18.65/hour — or around $38,000/year
CareerExplorer (for NC): Average of $43,820, with a range of $24,550–$74,850
Talent.com (for NC, all levels of experience): Average salary of $103,142/year

These vastly different numbers are not a fluke, they represent the reality of income differences between employees of traditional agencies, new independent agents, and skilled specialists with loyal clientele! And here's the reality of how your income will change year-by-year as an independent agent:

Year 1: You're investing in building your client network and supplier relations. Your income will be low.

Year 2: The snowball effect kicks in! You get referrals, you get repeat customers, and you begin earning seriously.

Year 3+: Assuming you've found your niche and built up your client base, expect full-time earnings.

As an independent travel agent, your primary source of income is commissions from suppliers (usually 10-20% for hotels, cruises, vacation packages and other bookings), plus service fees for planning more complicated itineraries – which has now become common in the industry.

Here’s something your should consider, the corporate travel market in Raleigh is lucrative, with consistent bookings. Get a few clients in the high-tech and biotechnology industries, and your income base is significantly altered!

The Perks That Make This Job Unlike Any Other

Here are two key benefits of being in this profession that nobody ever talks about; the travel incentives of this job change lives, and these are a major reason why anyone starting in this field never wants to turn back!

FAM trips are supplier-sent opportunities for you to become familiar with destination, hotels, cruise ships, and tour products. Most of them are fully sponsored, others have industry airfare rates. Either way, you will get to experience the world around you by doing your job description!

Apart from FAM trips, a travel agent has access to such incentives as:

Discounts and promotions on hotels, cruises, and tours by using IATA card benefits
Upgrades on Virtuoso and preferred supplier properties
Travel events, trade shows, educational cruises and seminars on various topics – most of which take place right in the South
Exclusively available client services — whenever you book something through preferred suppliers, your clients may get some complimentary inclusions such as breakfast, spa, and resort credits unavailable through direct booking.

I need to mention the FAM trips here, specifically since some travel guides exaggerate them greatly! They’re not all fun and games like some people think. Instead, FAMs are working trips that involve numerous property tours within one day, early wake-ups, etc.

However, the experience that you receive is invaluable, the best travel agents always know how suites and cruise ships look like and can accurately describe each destination by their personal experience! Don’t forget that these trips are usually deeply discounted in some way (hotel stay, tickets, food etc), so you’ll be paying less than you would taking a regular trip on your own!

Finding Your Client Base in Raleigh and Expanding

Getting clients is the question every new agent lies awake thinking about. Here's the best approach for the Raleigh market specifically!

Your Network Is Your Launch Pad

Start with the people you already know. In the Research Triangle, your personal network likely includes educated professionals who earn good incomes and love to travel. Announce your new business on LinkedIn (where the Triangle's professional class is extremely active) and send a personal note to people you'd genuinely enjoy helping. Don't mass-blast; be specific and personal!

Get Into the Right Rooms

In Raleigh, that means:

Tech industry meetups and startup events if corporate travel is your focus
University faculty networks if academic travel interests you
Wedding expos and bridal shows if romance and honeymoon travel is your lane
Chamber of Commerce events for general small business networking
NCTIA (North Carolina Travel Industry Association) events for industry connections

Content That Builds Trust

A focused travel blog, Instagram account, or email newsletter positions you as the go-to resource in your niche before a potential client ever needs you. Raleigh's population is digitally savvy and content-hungry. Share real insights, destination tips, honest hotel reviews, hidden costs to watch for. Useful, specific content builds the trust that converts followers into paying clients!

Referral Partnerships

Wedding planners, HR managers at tech companies, financial advisors, and luxury real estate agents in the Triangle all work with clients who travel. Build those relationships deliberately. One strong referral partnership can change your entire business trajectory!

What a Real Week Actually Looks Like

This is what a day-to-day schedule looks like at the grass roots level because the reality of the lifestyle is one of the most exciting things about this career!

Monday: Reviewing an itinerary for a honeymoon couple that are interested in traveling to Italy for 10 days; handling a change request from a corporate client in relation to their flights; attending a webinar by a new travel supplier about travel in Ireland.

Tuesday: Conducting a video chat with a client couple to get information regarding their planned trip to Disney World; developing their custom quote using the booking software.

Wednesday: Following up on a quote from last week; posting a travel tip to Instagram; writing a newsletter piece about Punta Cana as it now offers direct service from RDU.

Thursday: Attending a cruise supplier training seminar provided by a representative of a cruise line company; responding to questions from your client regarding travel insurance.

Friday: Finalizing the booking process for the couple's upcoming Caribbean cruise trip; logging into your dashboard and checking your commission; scheduling yourself for the next FAM trip.

Most travel agents who work from home say that they have a very flexible schedule since they are responsible for setting it according to their client's needs and life!

Your Questions, Answered Straight

Do I Need a License to Become a Travel Agent in NC?

No, North Carolina doesn't require any licensing to practice as a travel agent. No need to register as a Seller of Travel either. Accessing an IATA number would be the major requirement (obtained via a host agency).

How Long Does it Take to Start Booking Flights in Raleigh?

In theory, you could be ready to start booking flights anywhere in the world within 1-2 weeks. Becoming certified in CTA takes 3-6 months. Achieving an actual income level requires 1-3 years of effort. This is quite a difference.

Can I Work as a Travel Agent from Home in Raleigh?

Yes, and the majority of independent travel agents do so. You will only need reliable internet, a professional website, a telephone, and a booking software. Make sure to check out the city's rules for running home-based businesses.

How Much Money Can I Make in Travel Sales?

In Raleigh, the typical income ranges from around $38,000 to $75,000 per year. Specialists in corporate or luxury travel make much more than that. Your first year will probably be modest; after that, income compounding starts kicking in.

What Is the Best Niche for a Travel Agent in Raleigh?

This depends greatly on your experience, but the most profitable niches would include luxury honeymoon travel, academic travel, and corporate travel. Raleigh has numerous companies where you could easily find potential clients for each niche.

Should I Become a Member of ASTA?

Membership is voluntary, but it might prove helpful. ASTA offers opportunities for learning, networking, industry advocacy, and becoming a Verified Travel Advisor. As you grow your business, this might prove quite important.

Will Working in Disney Travel Be Profitable?

Absolutely! North Carolina residents represent an important segment of Disney's customers, and Disney World is under two hours away from Raleigh (by plane). There is an ample opportunity to join a host agency that provides specialization in planning Disney vacations.

Will it Be a Good Career Change from Tech/Biotech?

Definitely yes, especially in Raleigh. Your industry knowledge gives you instant credibility among your clients. You would have a distinct advantage over other travel agents when working with clients in these sectors if you were previously a software engineer/biotech specialist.

How Do I Find Clients as a New Travel Agent?

Use your network and focus your outreach on people you know. Choose a narrow niche. Write helpful content on the subject. Ask satisfied clients for referrals. Repeat the process.

What Should I Do if I Can't Get Any Clients at First?

Some host agencies (Avoya, for example) provide "live leads" services to send inquiries to you directly. This could be a temporary solution until you find your first clients.

What Comes Next Is Up to You

What makes Raleigh unique is that it is experiencing an incredible time right now! The tourism numbers being smashed. An airport undergoing its $2.5 billion-dollar renovation. A vibrant economy filled with educated, well-paid individuals who enjoy traveling. Plus, a state-level government whose policies make it easier to establish a travel company than virtually anywhere else in the nation!

The best way to approach your new business venture starts simply! Forming your LLC (if you want). Finding a host agency with great training and a focus on travel agents. Picking out that specific market or region where you want to be an expert, since your passion for a place or activity will serve as your best sales pitch. Finally, going and telling others what you specialize in. Asking about their bucket list destinations or travel activities!

One of my favorite parts about the business you're entering is that it rewards the passionate hard workers! Those agents who care for their clients' vacations. Care about becoming experts at their chosen destination. Care about the details that create experiences that last. Again, it isn't a cliche statement. This is what separates successful travel agents from those that abandon the effort after their first year or before!

Now take all this imformation and use it to help yourself become one of the best new travel agents at the best host agency!

Becoming a Travel Agent in Raleigh, NC