What it costs to be a Travel Counsellor – and what you get in return

If you're considering starting your own travel business, one of the first questions you'll ask is: how much does it cost to become a Travel Counsellor?

It's a sensible question. After all, when you're investing in your future, you want to know exactly what you're getting in return.

At Travel Counsellors, we believe in being transparent about our costs. More importantly, we believe it's not just about what you pay – it's about the value, support, technology, training, and opportunities that investment unlocks.

In this guide, we'll break down the costs of becoming a Travel Counsellor and explain how your investment is reinvested back into helping you build a successful travel business.

Different training pathways, different investment levels

Everyone’s journey into running a travel business is different, so we offer a number of routes into Travel Counsellors, each with its own level of investment.

Typical UK entry routes include:

• Leisure, Corporate and Business Development: £295 + VAT
• Return to Travel: £995 + VAT
• Travel Trade: £995 + VAT
• Leisure and Corporate Travel Academy: £5,000 + VAT
• Agency Owners: Tailored pricing based on your individual business circumstances

How the commission split works

On top of the entry and monthly fees, Travel Counsellors operates a commission-sharing model.

You earn commission on the travel services you sell. This commission is then split between you and us. 60% goes to you as the business owner, while our 40% share is reinvested into running and continually improving the platform, protection, and support you rely on.

In simple terms:

• You focus on serving your customers and growing your income
• We focus on everything behind the scenes that makes that possible

This model means we only succeed when you do. Your growth is our growth.

Your ongoing monthly fees

Once your business is up and running, there is a monthly fee of £40 + VAT, which covers access to the systems, support, technology, branding, and resources needed to run your business effectively.

At first glance, it can be tempting to view these as costs. However, what sets Travel Counsellors apart is how these fees are continuously reinvested into helping you succeed.

Our investment in you and your business doesn’t stop when you launch your franchise

Many franchise models focus heavily on onboarding before leaving business owners to navigate challenges alone.

We take a different approach.

Your investment funds a comprehensive support ecosystem that starts before your business launches and continues throughout your entire journey.

Award-winning initial training

Whether you're an experienced travel professional or completely new to the industry, you'll receive a structured onboarding programme tailored to your background.

Our training is accredited by the Institute of Travel and Tourism and is designed to help you build confidence, develop commercial skills, and become proficient in the systems and processes that power your business.

Ongoing coaching and business development

Building a successful business isn't something that happens in a two-week training programme.

That's why every Travel Counsellor benefits from ongoing support and coaching.

You'll have access to:

• Dedicated ILM-qualified Relationship Managers to coach you towards achieving your goals
• Personal mentoring during your onboarding period
• Continuous learning opportunities
• Access to a thriving community of over 2,200 Travel Counsellors worldwide

Industry-leading technology

One of the biggest areas where Travel Counsellors reinvests is technology.

Every year, significant investment goes into developing and enhancing the tools that help Travel Counsellors operate more efficiently, deliver exceptional customer experiences, and grow their businesses.

This includes access to:

• Our award-winning booking platform
• AI-powered productivity tools
• Customer relationship management systems
• Marketing technology
• The myTC customer app
• Financial protection infrastructure

Marketing support that helps you grow

Running your own business doesn't mean creating everything from scratch.

Travel Counsellors provides professionally designed marketing materials, campaigns, content, and guidance to help you build your brand and attract customers.

This allows you to focus on building relationships and generating bookings while benefiting from the strength of an established global brand.

24/7 support for you and your customers

Things can, and do, go wrong in the world of travel. That’s why we provide a 24/7 duty office that looks after customers whenever they need assistance.

This gives you the confidence to grow your business knowing that support is available around the clock.

Supplier relationships and educational opportunities

Your fees also help maintain the relationships and partnerships that give Travel Counsellors access to an extensive supplier network.

As a Travel Counsellor, you'll benefit from:

• Access to thousands of travel products and suppliers
• Exclusive offers and promotions
• Educational product trips and familiarisation visits
• Supplier training and events
• Product and destination expertise

These opportunities help you build knowledge, confidence, and credibility with your customers.

A community like no other

One of the most valuable benefits of becoming a Travel Counsellor is something that's difficult to put a price on: community. Although you'll be running your own business, you'll never be running it alone.

From local meet-ups and conferences to peer collaboration and knowledge sharing, you're joining a network of people who genuinely want to help each other succeed.

Many Travel Counsellors say this support network is one of the biggest reasons they've stayed with the business for years.

Looking beyond the cost

When evaluating any franchise or business opportunity, it's easy to focus solely on the entry fee or monthly charge.

The more important question is: What does that investment give you access to?

You need to be sure you’re investing in a proven business model, a support network, and a platform designed to help you build a profitable travel business with confidence.

Ready to find out if Travel Counsellors is right for you?

Our Discovery Days give you the opportunity to meet our team, learn more about the different routes into the business, explore the support and technology available to you, and hear first-hand from successful Travel Counsellors about their experiences. Sign up today and take the first step towards building a travel business that’s backed by award-winning technology, training and support.