How LDS Moms Are Turning Travel Passion Into Flexible Careers
Let's assume that you’re a mom whose favorite hobby is traveling. You've got all kinds of inspiration from Pinterest boards and perfectly thought-out itineraries and tons of vacation pictures on your phone. However, along with your kids who require your transportation to practice piano lessons and participate in soccer, you also have other obligations and even the need to stay home more often.
Maybe you’re an LDS mother whose passion for traveling conflicts with her family schedule. The good news for you is that there are no reasons to give up any of them! Just like "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," you can easily enjoy both hobbies!
In today's world, tourism has become extremely flexible, family-friendly and unbelievably profitable career path for mothers. Especially for moms from Utah or Latter-day Saint communities, where LDS ladies create their own travel businesses and book vacations to Disney parks, cruises or wherever they want without compromising anything!
We'll share how exactly LDS moms build their home business in the travel field, what kind of work it includes, how much money it is possible to earn, what training it requires, and how you can start building it from scratch!
Why Travel Careers Work So Well for LDS Moms
Values that line up with your life
Family travel planning itself, by nature, is about family connections, memories, and bonding. So it aligns perfectly with gospel priorities.
Rather than working the traditional 9-5, you’ll be:
Working to create reunions, Disney vacations, cruise holidays, and family events near temples.
Promoting times together away from technology and stress.
Creating experiences that may enhance testimonies, family connections, and gratitude.
You don’t simply “sell vacations,” but help clients create experiences worth sharing for decades.
And since your job allows you to work from home and control your schedule, you’ll be able to:
Join scripture study, take children to school, and put them to bed.
Safeguard Sundays and Temple days.
Commit yourself to service without asking permission from a boss.
Real income, not just “fun money”
Let's just cut to the chase on commissions.
Travel Advisors/Agents usually work on a commission structure with travel suppliers (i.e. cruise ships, resorts, etc.). This means that:
The clients will not necessarily pay you for their services (Unless you charge a planning fee on top).
Your commission is earned based on what the client book for you.
Average Commission Structure:
Cruises: Usually between 10%-16% of the cruise price.
Package Tour: About 10%-20% based on company policy.
Hotels: Between 5%-10% with more if it is a luxury hotel.
Travel Insurance: Can sometimes range from 30-40% of the premium.
So, if a Utah-based family uses your services to book an $5,000 trip at Disney World, you are looking at a potential commission of $500-$800 when it pays out. On $4,000 cruises, you could potentially earn anywhere between $400-$600!
For some LDS women who use it as a side-hustle, they usually make somewhere between $500-$1,500 monthly by booking a few trips! However, for those who take it seriously, there is potential to earn $50,000 - $100,000 or even higher annually once they have clients and a niche established!
Flexibility that actually feels flexible
“Flexible” is one of those words that is overused in job ads. However, when talking about travel jobs, it’s an understatement because:
You can do the job during naptime, during school hours, or even at midnight.
You can take a break from your work for a few months at a time.
You don’t need a physical office.
You can check emails at night or have short calls, but it will be up to you when. And depending on what’s going on in your family life, you can increase or decrease the amount of work you do!
Consider becoming a travel agent with us here at MainStreet Travel, we offer a high 70/30 commission split, training, fun FAM trips, zero booking requirements, and a supportive community of agents!
How the Travel Agent Job Really Works
Let’s “un-mystify” what a home-based LDS travel advisor actually does.
On a normal week, you might:
Answer DMs and emails from people wanting quotes for Disney, cruises, or national parks.
Research resorts, itineraries, or cruise lines based on a client’s budget and preferences.
Price out options in booking systems your host agency or suppliers give you.
Confirm bookings, follow up on payments, and send reminders before travel.
Check in on clients during or after their trip.
It’s a lot of:
Communication
Organization
Problem-solving
Relationship building
If you’re the “planner friend” in your circle, that skill set already lives in your brain!
Do You Need Certifications or a Degree?
Short Answer is no, you do not require a specific education or licensing to become a travel advisor in Utah. However, there are certifications that will help you perform well and add to your credibility as an advisor.
Certifications and training that will help you succeed.
TAP (Travel Agent Proficiency): An introductory level exam that covers industry knowledge. Some training courses include it, and can make you more credible with the basics.
CTA (Certified Travel Associate): An advanced level certification focusing on client services, sales and other business skills that comes after a bit of experience in the field.
Disney College of Knowledge: A specialized training program offered free by Disney itself, which prepares travel advisors for handling clients from the Disney niche market, which is very popular among LDS families.
In addition, every big cruise ship and resort brand offers online courses, which can be highly beneficial! There is no need to get all the alphabet soup after your name straight away. Most LDS moms:
Join a host agency offering training along with membership.
Take a travel advisor fundamentals course.
Then take additional courses, particularly Disney or cruise lines.
Join the Family or Go On Your Own
The first thing to decide when getting into it is whether you aim to join a host agency as an independent contractor, or, start from scratch and build your own independent travel agency.
So, what is a host agency?
Imagine a host agency as a "parent company" that you'll be working with. You'll be running your own little business, but you'll be relying on the agency for their:
Industry reputation and connections.
Their booking systems, and often even a website.
Often, there is also some kind of support, community, and even training provided.
Pros:
Start-up cost is drastically reduced and you're saving a lot of time.
They handle any legal and logistical work for you, including contracts.
Higher commission rates from the very beginning.
Cons:
There are shared commission rates (70–90% goes to you while they get their cut).
Following their general business practices and sometimes even their branding.
So how does being fully independent look like?
Being fully independent would mean that:
You'd need to apply and pay for your own IATA/CLIA/ARC numbers.
Negotiate directly with suppliers.
Buy and set up all tech, websites, insurance and so on.
Pros:
Keep all the commissions that you earn for yourself.
100% flexibility in business practices and branding.
Potentially much easier to build up a bigger agency and get agents under your wing.
Cons:
Cost of setting up your own business could easily reach $15,000+.
Very time-consuming process.
All the liability and insurance risks on you.
In almost all cases, joining a host agency first would be a much smarter step to take, especially if you're an LDS mom who's starting out in Utah!
What Does It Costs to Start a Home Travel Business?
You don’t need an elaborate office or tons of money in equipment. The costs of joining an agency are minimal today, but setting up your own business starts at thousands! That’s what we’ll show you now.
Typical Pathway Through a Host Agency
Fees: the cost of joining a host agency can be around $200-$600 per year, depending on the agency you choose.
Training: normally included, might be a bit extra, $0-$500 depending on the course.
Computer and Internet: you probably have it but if you don’t, a decent internet speed is around $70/month. A computer can cost anywhere from $100 - $2,000+ depending on what kind you want to get. I recommend getting one with lots of space for photos!
Basics of office software (Google Drive, emails, and other basics): normally available for free or cheap. Try and choose an agency that offers software for you to use for free. Many moms open up their businesses for a few hundred dollars or even less, if they choose an appropriate host offering all the training and software.
Pathway for Opening An Independent Agency
On your own, you will have to:
License the agency.
Provide credentials and insurance.
Develop a dedicated website for booking.
Get legal and accounting assistance.
All this could potentially add up to $5,000-$15,000 or even more just to get started! It’s certainly doable, yet not necessary. For an average Utah mom dabbling in this field, there’s no need to do all that!
Why Utah (and LDS Culture) Is a Secret Superpower
The fact that you’re in Utah and within LDS culture actually means you have a huge advantage already! Why? Because everyone around you travels! Utah families love to travel, especially to Disney!
Think about it:
You have family reunions which take place in some really neat locations.
You have mission homecoming vacations and temple trip vacations.
You have youth temple trips, couples' trips and girls' trips, for example.
Each one of these requires planning and can become one of your clients.
LDS-related travel niches.
There are some really profitable and popular travel niches that work really well for your unique LDS family and lifestyle:
Disney Expert: For families who enjoy clean entertainment and magic experiences.
Cruise Expert: For multigenerational vacations and organized travel.
Adventure Travel Planner: For national park trips (Zion, Bryce, Arches, Moab, Alaska, Hawaii, etc.).
Group Tour Coordinator: Family reunion tours, youth trips and cruise groups, for example.
You have first-hand knowledge of all this from your experience. It's something that ordinary online agencies will never know about you! Built-in trust and word-of-mouth marketing.
Travel clients will trust you more if they:
Have shared values with you.
Recognize you from church and community activities.
Trust leads to sales and sales lead to referrals, and this is what helps LDS women create successful travel businesses without even having to advertise much!
How Much Can You Actually Make? (Let’s Talk Numbers)
Commission percentages sound nice, but what does that look like in real life?
Example Commission Scenarios
$4,000 cruise booking
At 12–16% commission = $480–$640.
$3,500 Disney World package
At 10–15% commission = $350–$525.
$2,000 hotel + transfers package
At 10% = $200.
Now imagine you book:
3–5 decent-size trips per month as a part-timer, or
10–20+ as someone treating this more like a full-time business.
Suddenly it’s not just a “cute little side hustle” anymore!
Sample Income Tiers
These are rough, not guarantees, but they help you get a feel:
Very part-time (5–10 hours/week)
A few bookings each month.
→ Maybe $800–$1,500/month once you’ve built some momentum.Serious part-time (15–20 hours/week)
Regular bookings and a growing list of repeat clients.
→ Often in the $2,500–$4,500/month range.Full-time (30+ hours/week)
Strong niche, repeat clients, referrals, group trips.
→ Can hit $4,500–$8,000+/month or more.
There are LDS and Utah-based moms hitting those higher tiers, usually after a year or two of consistent work and good client care!
How to Find Your First Clients Without Feeling Weird
What might be the most terrifying prospect for most mothers is, "Okay, but how exactly do I get people to work with me?" The good news is that your initial clients will come from very close to home. Start with people you already know, let your family, church ward members, and friends know that you've become a travel advisor.
Be specific, "I'm a travel advisor that specializes in planning Disney, cruises, and national park vacations." Offer to price or help someone with a trip they have coming up. There is no need to be pushy here. All you are doing is:
Telling them that you exist.
Informing them that it won't cost them anything extra to utilize your service (in fact, quite the opposite).
Make a minimal social media presence.
It's not important that you go viral or anything on platforms like TikTok (though it really helps). Instead, try creating basic Facebook or Instagram page called [Your Name] Travel Advisor/Travel planner.
Some post ideas could include: "Three things I would do differently next time at Disneyland," or "Two families I helped plan cruises in Utah this month."
Highlighting client wins: "Smith family just upgraded to a balcony cabin!" can get people excited about taking a vacation! Remember, you are not trying to become an influencer; just be visible and useful to those around you.
Focus on local/Utah/LDS Angles
Give advice on adding St. George or southern Utah vacation ideas to trips to California or Disneyland.
Create posts related to organizing family vacations at sites such as Bear Lake, Park City, or national parks combined with cruises or amusement parks.
Provide a "Free 15-Minute Vacation Consultation" offer in your church ward or community Facebook group.
Ultimately, make people say, "Okay, this is exactly who I need to talk to." The more you get your name out there the more clients you bring in, which brings in more money!
Choosing Your Specialty (And Why That Matters)
Trying to book every type of travel for everyone can burn you out fast. Specializing makes your life easier and your marketing clearer! Once an agent specializes their income increases in almost every scenario!
Smart specialties for LDS and Utah moms
Disney & theme parks
Great fit for families and church culture.
Tons of repeat business as kids grow.
Cruises (especially family and multigenerational)
High commission, high satisfaction.
Easy to package with flights and pre/post stays.
Family adventure & national parks
Especially natural for Utah, where you already understand hiking, weather, and logistics.
Luxury family or faith-friendly travel
Smaller client pool, bigger commission per booking.
Once you pick a lane, it also helps SEO and discoverability because you can:
Write blog posts or social captions focused on that niche.
Target key phrases like “Utah Disney travel agent,” “LDS family cruise planner,” or “Utah national parks family travel specialist.”
You’re not just “a travel agent.” You’re the go-to person for a very specific type of travel!
Balancing Mom Life, Faith, and a Growing Business
This is the part that really matters, does this actually work in a real LDS home?
Guard your schedule
Working from home doesn’t mean working nonstop. To keep your sanity:
Set simple work blocks (for example, 9–11 a.m. and 8–9:30 p.m.).
Turn off notifications during dinners, church, and family times.
Use an auto-responder if you’re stepping away: “Got your message! I’ll send options by tomorrow afternoon.”
You’re allowed to run a real business and have boundaries.
Protect Sundays and temple time
You can decide ahead of time:
“I don’t work Sundays.”
“I don’t take client calls on temple days.”
You rarely face actual emergencies, and for those rare moments, your host agency or supplier help desk often has support. Most clients are fine with, “I’m offline Sunday, but I’ll respond first thing Monday.”
Let your kids see you build something
One unexpected perk, your kids see you:
Learning, growing, and solving problems.
Using your talents and creativity.
Contributing financially in a way that still keeps them front and center.
That sends a powerful message about work, faith, and family all fitting together!
Quick FAQ
Is this just an MLM?
No. Legit travel agencies and host agencies don’t pay you for “recruiting.” You earn money when actual travel is booked and completed. Your income is tied to real services, not signing people up.
Do clients pay more if they use a travel agent?
Usually not. In many cases, the price is the same as if they booked directly, and your expertise can save them money or get them better value. Your cut comes out of the supplier’s marketing budget, not the client’s pocket.
How long before I see real income?
Most new advisors:
Get training and onboarded in the first few days.
Book their first real trip within a couple of weeks.
Start seeing consistent income within a month if they’re consistently talking about what they do.
This builds over time. It’s more like planting seeds than flipping a switch.
Do I have to travel a lot myself?
It helps, but it’s not mandatory. Tons of training, webinars, virtual tours, and supplier resources help you “know” destinations you haven’t visited yet. As you grow and start getting travel perks and discounts, you’ll likely travel more anyway!
Is it okay if I only want a side income?
Yes. You don’t have to want a six-figure agency to be “legit.” Plenty of LDS moms are happy with:
Extra money for kids’ activities.
Paying for their own family trips.
Covering a car payment or some groceries.
It’s your business. You set the goals!
Your Simple 90-Day Action Plan
If this is tugging at you a bit, here’s one way to start without overthinking everything.
Days 1–2
Research 2–3 host agencies that support beginners and moms. We highly recommend MainStreet Travel Agency or Yeti Travel Agency!
Talk to at least one real advisor who’s with them and ask honest questions.
Choose your host and complete the signup.
Days 3–4
Finish the basic new-agent training.
Start Disney or cruise training if that’s your niche.
Tell your immediate circle: “I’m officially booking travel now.”
Week 1-2
Actively offer to help with upcoming trips you hear people mention.
Share simple travel tips once or twice a week on social media.
Aim to book your first 2–3 trips, even if they’re small.
Week 2+
Tighten your niche focus a bit: Disney, cruises, families, etc.
Ask happy clients for referrals.
Map out simple work blocks that fit your family’s rhythm.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start, that’s the hardest part!
Your Travel Story Isn’t “Someday” Anymore
If you’re an LDS mom with a love for travel, a knack for planning, and a longing for more flexibility, this isn’t just a cute idea. It’s a genuine path!
You can:
Stay rooted in your faith and family first.
Build a flexible, home-based travel business that fits around carpool, callings, and temple trips.
Help other families create the kind of memories you dream about for your own.
You don’t have to wait for your kids to grow up to step into something you’re excited about. You don’t have to choose between “good mom” and “fulfilled woman.”
Your first client might be someone in your Utah ward right now, quietly stressed about planning a Disney or cruise vacation and wishing someone would just take it off their plate! That someone could be you! And this could be the moment you stop saying, “Maybe someday,” and start saying, “Okay. Let’s actually do this.”!
