Travel Homeworking Companies UK: How to Choose the Right One

Originally published: 20 July 2025 | Last reviewed and updated: 13th August 2026

Choosing between travel homeworking companies can be surprisingly difficult.

Most will talk about flexibility, support, training, commission and the opportunity to build your own travel business. On the surface, the propositions can look remarkably similar.

Look more closely, however, and there can be significant differences in:

• what you pay;
• how commission is calculated;
• when you are paid;
• whether you operate under your own brand;
• what training you receive;
• what happens after training finishes;
• which suppliers and booking systems you can access;
• how customer money is handled;
• whether customers are provided to you;
• how much control you have over your business;
• and what happens to existing bookings and future commission if you leave.

There is therefore no single best travel homeworking company in the UK for everybody.

The better question is:

Which homeworking model gives me the right combination of commercial terms, support, freedom and responsibility for the business I want to build?

This guide will help you compare companies properly before signing anything.

If you are already considering The Independent Travel Consultants, you can also see our current fees, commission structure and joining process on Join Our Team.

What Is a Travel Homeworking Company?

A travel homeworking company provides some or all of the commercial infrastructure that enables somebody to sell travel while operating their business from home.

The exact relationship varies.

You might encounter:

• homeworking divisions of larger travel groups;
• franchise businesses;
• membership-style homeworking networks;
• host or supporting travel agencies;
• accredited-body or consortium arrangements;
• and models aimed specifically at experienced travel professionals.

That distinction matters because “homeworking company” does not describe one standard commercial arrangement.

One company might expect you to trade entirely under its brand.

Another may allow you to develop your own travel brand.

One might charge an initial training or franchise fee.

Another might charge only a monthly membership fee.

One may require full-time commitment, while another may allow you to build your business alongside employment.

Current UK providers publicly advertise materially different models, costs and commission arrangements, which is why comparing the actual contract and proposition matters more than comparing headlines.

1. Start by Understanding the Business Model

Before comparing percentages and supplier lists, ask:

What am I actually joining?

Are you:

• becoming a franchisee?
• becoming a self-employed agent operating through another travel company?
• joining a membership organisation?
• buying a business package?
• becoming part of an established branded network?
• or operating under your own customer-facing brand while using somebody else's travel infrastructure?

None of these models is automatically better.

But they give you different levels of independence, responsibility and control.

If somebody describes the opportunity as “your own travel business”, ask exactly which parts of the business are genuinely yours.

For example:

• Can you choose your own business name?
• Can you build your own website?
• Who owns the customer relationship?
• Can you market under your own identity?
• Are there restrictions on your niche?
• Can you sell whichever suitable suppliers are available through the network?
• What happens to your customer relationships if you leave?

If you are comparing a homeworking arrangement with buying a franchise, read Best Travel Franchise Alternatives in the UK.

2. Compare the Total Cost — Not Just the Joining Fee

A headline such as:

“No joining fee”

or:

“Start for £295”

doesn't tell you what the arrangement will actually cost.

Calculate the first-year cost.

Include:

• joining fee;
• training fee;
• monthly membership;
• franchise fee;
• website charges;
• booking-system fees;
• CRM costs;
• merchant or card costs passed to you;
• marketing packages;
• compulsory insurance;
• administration charges;
• renewal fees;
• and anything else that is mandatory.

Then ask which costs are optional.

A useful comparison is:

Total compulsory first-year cost ÷ 12

That gives you a more realistic monthly cost of belonging to each company.

Also ask what you receive for that money.

A £20 monthly membership providing very little is not automatically better value than £50 or £100 that includes substantially more infrastructure.

The question is not:

“Which company is cheapest?”

It is:

“What am I paying, what do I receive and does that make commercial sense for the business I intend to build?”

For a deeper look at this, read Travel Homeworking Fees Explained: What You Should and Shouldn't Pay For.

3. Never Compare Commission Percentages Without Asking “Percentage of What?”

Commission is one of the biggest areas of confusion when comparing travel homeworking companies.

You might see:

60% commission

70% commission

80% commission

or even higher percentages.

But the headline percentage isn't enough.

Ask:

What is the percentage applied to?

Is your share calculated from:

• gross supplier commission;
• margin after particular booking costs;
• commission after merchant charges;
• or another net figure?

Are costs deducted first?

Find out whether the booking might carry:

• payment-processing costs;
• protection or insurance costs;
• booking fees;
• ticketing charges;
• supplier costs;
• or other deductions.

When is commission paid?

This can have a significant impact on cash flow.

Some arrangements pay after the customer travels. Others may have different payment structures.

A £500 commission payment due next summer is not £500 available to your business today.

Are higher commission levels conditional?

Ask whether advertised maximum percentages require:

• minimum annual sales;
• particular booking volumes;
• experience;
• specific product types;
• or another qualification.

The best comparison question is therefore not:

“What's your commission percentage?”

It is:

“Show me how my actual consultant commission would be calculated on a typical booking and tell me when I would receive it.”

That one question can tell you far more.

Our Independent Travel Agent Commission guide explains the difference between booking value, gross commission, consultant commission and actual business income.

4. Find Out Who Is Responsible for Finding the Customers

This should be discussed before you join.

Ask directly:

Will you give me sales leads?

Do not infer the answer from phrases such as:

• marketing support;
• national advertising;
• customer enquiries;
• website presence;
• lead generation;
• or social-media support.

Those things do not necessarily mean customers will be supplied to you.

Some companies may distribute leads.

Some may occasionally generate enquiries.

Some may list consultants on a website.

Others expect homeworkers to create their entire client base.

If leads are offered, ask:

• Are they guaranteed?
• How are they allocated?
• Are they exclusive?
• Is there a charge?
• Who owns the resulting customer?
• Is there a different commission split?
• What proportion of consultants' business actually comes from supplied enquiries?

And if no leads are provided, ask what training is available to help you learn how to find customers yourself.

A company can give you hundreds of suppliers and excellent booking technology, but neither creates a client base automatically.

Consultants are expected to build their own client base, although ITC also provides consumer-facing visibility through our Find a Consultant directory. This should be treated as an additional route to discovery, not as a guaranteed source of leads.

5. Understand Who Holds the Customer's Money

This is one of the most important questions in the entire comparison.

Ask:

When my customer pays for their holiday, where does that money actually go?

You should understand:

• who contracts with the customer;
• how payments are collected;
• where customer funds are held;
• who pays suppliers;
• what protection applies to the booking;
• and what you are expected to explain to the customer.

Do not choose a company simply because you see an ATOL, ABTA, trust or protection logo.

Understand the actual arrangement behind your bookings.

The Civil Aviation Authority specifically recognises homeworking travel agents as self-employed travel professionals. Where a homeworker does not hold their own ATOL, the CAA says they must operate as an agent for an ATOL holder or within another relevant exempt category. Where an ATOL holder sells through an agent, a written agency agreement and appropriate documentation requirements apply.

That is much more useful to understand than asking whether a homeworking company is simply “ATOL protected”.

6. Look Beyond the Training Course

Almost every travel homeworking company talks about training.

The more revealing question is:

What happens after I finish the training?

A new consultant will eventually encounter situations that no introductory course can completely prepare them for:

• an unusual amendment;
• a supplier cancellation;
• a complicated family booking;
• a payment problem;
• an unhappy customer;
• an ATOL question;
• an unfamiliar supplier;
• a schedule change;
• a booking error;
• or a situation where they simply aren't sure what to do.

Ask:

• Who can I contact?
• How do I contact them?
• What kind of questions can they help with?
• Is there operational support as well as motivational support?
• Are there experienced travel professionals available?
• What happens during an urgent customer problem?
• Is support structured, or does everything happen in one social-media group?

A community is valuable.

A community is not the same thing as an operational support system.

7. Ask What the Training Actually Covers

“Full training provided” is too vague.

Ask to see the curriculum.

For somebody new to travel, I would expect meaningful preparation around areas such as:

• customer enquiries;
• consultation and qualification;
• supplier types;
• packages;
• accommodation;
• flights;
• booking conditions;
• payment processes;
• quoting;
• commission and margin;
• customer protection;
• documentation;
• complaints and problems;
• aftercare;
• marketing;
• finding clients;
• and the systems you will actually use.

Destination training is useful.

Knowing the best beach in Barbados does not help much if you do not know how to process a booking correctly.

8. Check Whether the Company Is Suitable for Your Experience Level

Some travel homeworking companies specialise in experienced agents.

Others accept people who are completely new to travel.

Some operate different programmes depending on experience.

Do not assume that “no experience necessary” automatically means the training is sufficient.

Equally, do not assume that because you are new you need to spend thousands of pounds before you can begin learning.

Ask:

• What training does a complete beginner receive?
• Is there an assessment before going live?
• Are there supervised or supported early bookings?
• Is experienced-agent onboarding different?
• How long does onboarding normally take?
• What happens if I need more help before I am ready?

If this is one of your main concerns, read Do You Need Travel Experience to Become a Homeworker?.

9. Look at Supplier Access - But Don't Be Distracted by the Biggest Number

Supplier counts are another popular headline.

“Access to 200 suppliers” sounds better than “access to 100”.

But that doesn't automatically make it a better homeworking company.

Ask instead:

• Which major tour operators can I sell?
• Which bedbanks are available?
• Can I book flights?
• Can I dynamically package where appropriate?
• Can I sell cruises?
• Can I arrange tailor-made travel?
• What options exist for specialist products?
• Are there restrictions on particular suppliers?
• What commercial terms apply?
• How easily can I access the supplier I actually need?

Useful access beats an impressive supplier count.

Also remember that supplier relationships can change over time.

Choose the company for the commercial infrastructure and support behind it, not because one specific supplier happens to appear on today's list.

10. Compare the Technology You Will Actually Use

Ask for more than:

“We provide industry-leading technology.”

Find out what you will use every day.

For example:

• Where are leads recorded?
• How do you create quotes?
• Where are bookings managed?
• How do customers pay?
• How are documents produced?
• How are payment deadlines tracked?
• How do you claim commission?
• Is there a CRM?
• Are booking systems mobile-friendly?
• Is training provided for the technology?
• What happens when a system fails?

Technology should remove unnecessary administration.

It should not create another full-time job managing the technology.

11. Find Out How Much Branding Freedom You Really Have

If creating your own travel business identity is important to you, ask about this before joining.

Companies have different approaches.

You may be required to:

• trade entirely under the company's name;
• use a franchise identity;
• incorporate the host company's branding;
• follow strict templates;
• or make the underlying agency relationship clear while developing your own customer-facing brand.

Ask:

• Can I choose my business name?
• Can I have my own logo?
• Can I create my own website?
• What wording must appear in advertising?
• Which protection/licensing information must be displayed?
• Who approves marketing?
• What happens to my brand if I leave?

Branding freedom is valuable.

Compliance still matters.

12. Read the Contract Before You Become Emotionally Committed

This sounds obvious.

It is still one of the most important pieces of advice in this guide.

Do not make your decision during an exciting discovery call and then treat the agreement as paperwork.

Read it.

Look particularly for:

• minimum term;
• notice period;
• cancellation arrangements;
• monthly fees during notice;
• restrictions after leaving;
• ownership of customer data;
• responsibility for active bookings;
• commission on future departures;
• deductions;
• debts or chargebacks;
• use of branding;
• confidentiality;
• and what happens if either side terminates the agreement.

Ask questions about anything you do not understand.

A good homeworking company should be comfortable explaining its contract before you sign it.

13. Ask What Happens to Your Commission If You Leave

This deserves its own question because travel commission may relate to bookings departing months after they are made.

Imagine you make a booking today for travel next year and then decide to leave the homeworking company before the customer departs.

What happens?

Do you:

• still receive the commission?
• receive a reduced amount?
• need to remain a member until departure?
• continue paying membership fees?
• lose some or all of it?
• remain responsible for servicing the booking?

Do not wait until you want to leave to discover the answer.

14. Check Whether You Can Start Part-Time

Travel homeworking is often attractive to people who already have employment, children, caring responsibilities or another business.

But companies do not all operate in the same way.

Some models are designed around full-time commitment, while others allow a consultant to develop their business gradually.

If you intend to start part-time, explain that honestly during your initial conversation.

Ask:

• Is part-time participation permitted?
• Are there minimum sales targets?
• Is training delivered at fixed times?
• What response standards are expected?
• What happens when I am unavailable?
• Can I realistically service customers around my other commitments?

UK government guidance recognises that someone can be employed and self-employed at the same time, although you remain responsible for the tax and business obligations relevant to your circumstances.

The important question is therefore not simply whether part-time homeworking is possible.

It is whether you can provide a professional service with the time you genuinely have available.

15. Look at the Culture - But Test the Substance Behind It

Words such as:

family

community

supportive

inclusive

and:

you'll never be alone

appear frequently in recruitment.

Culture does matter.

Working for yourself can be isolating, and having other consultants and experienced colleagues around you can make a genuine difference.

But try to establish what the culture looks like in practice.

Ask:

• Are there regular meetings?
• Can consultants speak openly?
• Is support available when something goes wrong?
• How are mistakes handled?
• Is constructive challenge welcomed?
• Are there experienced people to learn from?
• Do consultants share knowledge?
• Are people encouraged to build sustainable businesses rather than simply celebrate sales figures?

If possible, speak to existing consultants.

And don't only ask:

“Do you like it?”

Ask:

“What do you wish you'd understood before you joined?”

You may learn far more.

16. Be Cautious About Lifestyle and Income Claims

Travel is an attractive industry.

That makes it particularly easy to market the opportunity using:

• beaches;
• laptops beside swimming pools;
• free holidays;
• huge income claims;
• luxury travel;
• flexible lifestyles;
• and “be your own boss” messaging.

There is nothing wrong with wanting flexibility.

But you are considering a self-employed business, not purchasing a lifestyle.

Be cautious if the sales conversation concentrates heavily on:

• guaranteed earnings;
• effortless income;
• instant success;
• automatic customers;
• free travel;
• recruiting other sellers;
• or how little work is supposedly required.

A professional homeworking company should be able to have a much less glamorous conversation with you about:

customers, training, systems, contracts, money, compliance, mistakes, support and cash flow.

Those are the things you will actually need.

A 15-Question Checklist for Comparing Travel Homeworking Companies

Before choosing a company, get clear answers to these questions:

1. What exactly is the business model I am joining?
2. What will my total first-year cost be?
3. How is my commission calculated?
4. When will my commission actually be paid?
5. Am I responsible for finding all my own customers?
6. Where does customer money go?
7. What financial protection applies to the bookings I will sell?
8. What training do I receive before going live?
9. What operational support exists after training?
10. Which suppliers and booking methods can I access?
11. Can I build my own customer-facing brand?
12. Can I operate part-time if that is my plan?
13. What is the minimum contract term and notice period?
14. What happens to active bookings and future commission if I leave?
15. Can I speak to existing consultants before deciding?

If a company cannot give you clear answers, that is useful information in itself.

How The Independent Travel Consultants Compares

The Independent Travel Consultants is the homeworking division of Jamie Wake Travel.

Our consultants are self-employed and build their own client bases while operating through the wider professional travel infrastructure provided by Jamie Wake Travel.

The current standard proposition is:

• no joining fee;
• £50 standard monthly membership;
• 80% starting consultant share of commission after applicable booking costs and payment-processing charges;
• commission paid after the customer has travelled;
• training before go-live and ongoing learning afterwards;
• supplier and booking-system access through Jamie Wake Travel;
• professional customer-payment processes;
• the ability to develop your own customer-facing business identity within the required branding and compliance framework;
• and ongoing operational support rather than being left solely with supplier logins and a training manual.

Jamie Wake Travel is a member of Protected Trust Services, and ATOL protection applies to qualifying flight-inclusive arrangements where appropriate to the booking being sold. We train consultants to understand what protection applies rather than describe every booking simply as “ATOL protected”.

We also make one point very clear before somebody joins:

We do not provide a guaranteed stream of customers or guarantee income.

We can provide the infrastructure, training and support behind the business.

You still have to build it.

You can see the complete current proposition at Join Our Team.

Frequently Asked Questions About Travel Homeworking Companies

Choose the Company - and the Contract - Not the Sales Pitch

Choosing between travel homeworking companies is an important business decision.

Take your time.

Compare like with like.

Ask for actual figures.

Understand how customer money is handled.

Look at what happens when things go wrong, not only when bookings go well.

Read the agreement.

And be realistic about what you will still need to do yourself.

The best travel homeworking company for you should give you enough support to operate professionally while offering the level of independence you actually want.

If you're now comparing providers and would like to understand exactly how our model works, visit Join Our Team.

There you'll find our current membership cost, commission structure, training approach, application process and - just as importantly - what we don't promise.