Home » Over-the-Top Benefits of becoming a Travel Agent

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Would you believe you can pay for quick certified travel agent training and also own your own online travel business for about $1,000?  I'm talking about being an official agent and owning a site like Expedia or Travelocity for that amazingly small sum. Where else in the world could you buy a respected start-up business for such an amount?

What are some of the over-the-top benefits of having that travel agent I.D. card? One huge perk is what they call FAMs, short for familiarization trips. Travel vendors create these programs to acquaint travel agents with their facilities, hoping that they may refer other travelers to book a trip.

 

 Discounted rates may apply to: 
   *Hotel lodgings
   *Luxury Cruises
   *Car Rentals

   *Vacation Packages and Tours
   *Entry to Theme Parks, Shows and varied Attractions
   *Complimentary upgrades and VIP treatment

You can also use your card to get discounts on all sorts of things.  You simply ask what the standard rate is. Then you tell them you are a travel agent and ask what the travel agent rate is. If they are not already booked up, that's when you'll see the rate drop up to 50%-80% off the standard rate.  You can get discounted or upgraded for travel insurance, circus tickets, train and bus fares, zoo visits, package tours, safaris, white water rafting, and many other attractions. Airlines function with such a tight profit margin that you may not receive a discount on tickets, but it is possible you could receive an upgrade to first class if there are vacancies.
Once you become a certified travel agent here is a summary of the type of benefits you will have: 
    *Up to 70-80% savings to some of the world's most enviable destinations
    *4-, 5-and 6-Star resorts and cruises
    *Amazing savings on last minute, blowout travel packages
    *Access to fantastic FAMs (familiarization trips)
    *Book your own travel and reap commissions for it!
    *A chance to gain commission on booking group travel or travel for friends, family, and business associates.
    *The opportunity to continue your travel training for even more industry certifications and even fatter savings.
    *Yank out that travel agent card and get discounts on amusement parks, helicopter rides, scuba diving, or anything else you can think of.

There are great tax advantages to being an agent also. As a certified travel agent, you are an independent contractor operating your personal business from your home or office. This may allow you certain tax advantages, such as tax deductions relating to the operation of your business (telephone, mileage, additional expenses) or expenses  incurred to learn about a new destination, or to promote your business to fellow-travelers, etc. A travel agent friend of my wife's just saved $2,000 in tax write-offs because of her travel and other business-related expenses.

Now let me tell you a little secret. If you decide to write travel articles and publish them online, you may reap some sweet benefits you never expected. For example, let's say that you wrote several articles about a particular fabulous Bed & Breakfast inn that lured your eye. Let the B & B owners know what you've done and let them Google the articles for themselves.  Sometimes owners are so grateful that they'll offer you a night or two free or at a highly reduced rate in their luxury lodgings. Not bad for a few hours of your time.

If you enjoy travel, why not get paid to do it?  This opportunity has no down-side.