Is it possible to be a travel agent as a hobby and not lose money?
November 27, 2023 7:55 AM

I've always had the travel bug, and love the idea of becoming a travel agent as a hobby, rather than a job. Ignoring the costs of the initial startup and the sunk costs of my time, is there a way to do this and not lose money? I'd be satisfied with break-even. More details inside...

I have a full time job that I don't plan on leaving. This is more just about learning the back end of the travel industry and maybe helping friends out. Perks and stuff would be nice, but I won't be doing a ton of all-inclusives or cruises so I know that will be minimal. I'd just buy stuff for myself, immediate family and friends.

I believe the big ongoing expense is joining some sort of agent network. I'm fine paying a big portion of my commission to someone else, but I'm concerned about monthly or yearly costs, plus any expenses I'm not aware of.

Is there any way to do this and maybe come close to breaking even? Note, I live in Canada, if that matters.
posted by evadery to Work & Money (2 answers total) 3 users marked this as a favorite
You might find this link from the Government of Canada useful.
posted by plant or animal at 8:26 AM on November 27, 2023


A friend of mine is a travel advisor through this site: https://www.foratravel.com/join-us. I don't know much beyond what she explained, but it seems like it could fit the bill for getting started in an affordable way. Worth checking out.
posted by luzdeluna at 5:56 PM on November 27, 2023


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