Choosing a Host Agency Is a Personal Decision | Travel Research Online

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Choosing a Host Agency Is a Personal Decision

Hi Mary,

Are you able to send me some recommendations for host agencies? I watched the video but still feel like I need some guidance. My company is based off of outdoor adventures such as hiking, mountain biking, white water rafting, skiing, camping, etc. if you get a moment please check out my site at www.inclusiveexcursions.com

Thank you for your help!
-Casey Tynan

​Hey Casey!

This is a really good question. In addition to the video, you might find the article on finding a host agency helpful as you get further along if you haven’t stumbled into it already.

Beyond that, when it comes to choosing a host, we at Host Agency Reviews remain neutral. Why do we try to adopt the role of Switzerland? Well, choosing a host agency is such a personal decision, and no one host agency will be a good fit for every travel agent.

​We really rely on the reviews of host agencies so readers can learn directly from agents’ experiences with their host firsthand. The reviewers are the ones who are in the trenches and understand the particulars of their host agency.

Another great agent-driven resource to check out is our 7-Day Setup Facebook Group. That’s a great way to hear recommendations and experiences from travel agents firsthand as well. If you’re looking to discuss a particular host agency, you can enter it into the search box (on the left margin) and see what threads are already started in regard that particular host agency.

If you’re a new agent and still looking to have it narrowed down, I’d also recommend starting with the highlighted hosts on our host agency list. Though they’re our advertisers, it’s a bit of a catch-22 because I’d recommend most of them since they’re the big players in the host agency world and the ones that work with newbies. And that’s why they advertise on the site, because we work with newbies!

Also, in terms of your niche, there are ways that you can narrow down your host options further: Since you’re interested in adventure travel, you can ask a host agencies (highlighted on our list or not) how much revenue they receive from tour operators such as G Adventures and Intrepid Travel (these are adventure operators).

The host probably won’t give you a hard and fast number, but If they do bigger business with them, it likely means they have a well-established relationship with those vendors and could be a good fit for someone like you who wants to specialize in adventure, ecotours, geotourism or agritours.

I hope this information helps. Let me know if you have any more questions along the way and good luck!

Best,

Mary


Picture Mary Stein joined Host Agency Reviews in 2016 as its editor. She’s passionate about supporting aspiring travel agents to turn their dreams into their livelihood.
A writer by trade, she can be found working on her novel and teaching creative writing workshops when she’s not tooling around on Host Agency Reviews writing articles and newsletters.
She has received awards for her writing from the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Jerome Foundation and the Loft Literary Center. She lives in Minneapolis, and loves hiking, camping, and traveling (of course!).

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