Why are so many people social media travel agents now?
Posted by venomsnake2222@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 45 comments
There seems to be an explosion of people that have moved on from selling avon, perfumes, vitamins or cosmetics to now having their own "travel agency". What exactly is fueling this and has anyone actually bought a holiday through their mate? Seems like another pyramid scam.
mathaic@reddit
As someone who has worked in the actual travel industry, majority of these are literal Multi Level Marketing schemes. Are they bad? Not all of them, you can go as an independent travel agent yourself, but its hard without the right support, payment of whatever fees etc... even then I think the profit margin is around 1% but as to why so many now, a lot of these MLM's push to recruit others I hear, but thats usually a red flag to me as it being a bad one, but thats why you see so many on social media, its not a factor of selling holidays so much I doubt a lot of them make money on this factor alone, but I am presuming its possibly recruiting you also into it, because you see all there travelling on social media, and are like I wanna do that as a job, and you get more drawn into that than actually buying a holiday. But some that I researched are legit MLM's and don't push recruiting others so harshly I hear. Either way its a strange industry like this, I can't remember what you need, but its usually common you pay fees for particular licenses or something like that, abta registration, getting access to systems to get different prices etc...
thecatwhisker@reddit
I’m pretty sure it’s just Plan Net Marketing dancing about in a cape pretending to be all that and a bag of chips.
It’s a MLM. Most of them, if any, aren’t really selling holidays they are selling the ‘lifestyle’ - Do you ever see them post any deals like a say, a real travel agent does? No, me either. They bang on about being a travel agent and being independent blah blah passive income blah six figures residual income blah blah more word salad.
Basically you sign up and pay £150 and then £39 a month to get access to some booking platform where you might get a discount of holidays or not - I don’t know about that part - and they get a chunk of commission for signing you up, any holidays you book and your monthly payment too and anyone who signs up soon realises the only way to actually make anything here is to sign people up too.
I’ve a girl on my feed I went to school with recycling footage of her holidays to make it look like she’s literally always on holiday. Amy for the love of god stop sharing that one video of you dancing on a bar in a blue bikini from last year but from different angles.
Ok_Discussion844@reddit
This exactly. You pay for “training/ certification” and you pay a fee each month to get access to a bunch of crappy platforms on the basis that they have better deals. But the reality is you spend way more looking for deals, and they don’t have the same rooms as on booking - so sure you can get deals on luxury rooms but it’s not much better if you were booking an average one. They give you emails you can send for better discounts but again, that’s a lot of work emailing back and forth every hotel. The commission you make per booking is tiny and gets paid out 3 months after. The biggest deals are when there are promotions, but usually those big brand promotions are available to the public too or anyone on a newsletter. They make the most money on referrals - so why they say it isn’t a pyramid scheme because you pay for other benefits (access), most end up really making it off referrals. Like you say above, a lot is about selling a lifestyle and selling the ability to make money independently. But if you’re in a high tax bracket, then the cost vs time spent is not worth it imo.
Fickle-Ranger-1258@reddit
It the latest MLM fad. It reminds me of a few years ago when an old friend from school messaged out of the blue to see you skincare or health juices.
Leading-Late@reddit
It's an MLM/pyramid scheme. Tons of local parents have tried to recruit me...
Nigelb72@reddit
They probably went to a totally free presentation on holiday and ended up giving them 2 grand for a starter kit to be a self employed rep
t_aerackk@reddit
Selling Mad Honey cause it's fun
I have been working for 4 years and found job is frustrating and the only thing I love to see and hear is sales. I am also trying to market the product here as there is a lot of hard work in making and lesser in selling. As people are always buying, the only reason you need is reach right product to right people at right time.
Maybe I am Google, maybe not, maybe a bot
AllanSundry2020@reddit
I think the Jet2 holiday music has subminimal message in it
talaialat@reddit
I also thought it was scam when one guy send me a message telling me about a free site to find travel buddy. But it seems not and it seems free. I didn’t use it thoigh footstring.com
cheandbis@reddit
A pyramid scam?
P.s. fancy 2 weeks in Egypt?
WiseBelt8935@reddit
visit the pyramid pizza hut
venomsnake2222@reddit (OP)
You'll probably be more reliable than the guy posting on my social media. Last time I saw him he was huffing balloons in a pub toilet. No Darren I'm not giving you 2 grand for an all inclusive in Turkey.
Overall_Gap_5766@reddit
He sounds like exactly the kind of bloke who would be very familiar with Turkey. Thailand too presumably.
cheandbis@reddit
2 grand for an all-inclusive holiday in Turkey? I'd gobble that up.
eww1991@reddit
Yeah, but from Darren?
VolcanicBear@reddit
Yeah man, Daz is safe. I'd do it without a second cluck.
Nuthetes@reddit
I'm surprised travel agents themselves are still a thing to be honest, considering how easy it is to book a flight and a hotel online in half an hour.
Are travel agents actually cheaper than doing it yourself? Surely since you are cutting the middle man out, it's gonna cost less if you use skyscanner and booking.com
Tiamyria@reddit
We used one for our honeymoon simply because we wanted to travel a foreign country and didn't want the hassle of booking everything over the 3 weeks.
Labionda20@reddit
I have wondered this. Know a woman who was a Zumba instructor part time, suddenly she’s a travel agent with no experience.
ChrisRR@reddit
Your algorithm has caught you looking at travel so had started advertising you travel
AirconGuyUK@reddit
I was wondering this too the other day. A few of my school mates (millennial) have started doing it.
khryne333@reddit
My parents signed up for this franchise and cost them £15k and no customers so now they are £15k down. I tried telling them no one is going to go with them when you got Expedia, sky scanner etc but they didn’t listen. It’s defo MLM
LivingInTea@reddit
Just another MLM.
If you have an agency that outsources work for a commission, then they’re able to trick people into doing the lifting for them. Those people struggle, the agency comes out on top.
sindher@reddit
That's crazy talk anyways do you want a holiday to the Maldives for 10 grand?
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strawbebbymilkshake@reddit
Would love to hear your take on airline food next
AskUK-ModTeam@reddit
A top level comment (one that is not a reply) should be a good faith and genuine attempt to answer the question.
Avionykx@reddit
For about the past 20 years I've used one of these through a well known brand.
To be honest, the bloke we had, was absolutely solid. We'd be able to say "Want to go here on this day, leaving about this time and getting back around this time" and he'd sort the lot - door to door. No messing around with silly timings or being tied to one provider.
The best bit about it was that it was generally cheaper/equivalent to going to a standard package holiday and it was pretty much bespoke to our needs.
Sadly the bloke passed away a couple of years ago and we've switched to a new one I found through social media and actually they've been nearly as good.
I guess they just take commission and buy the services from corporate accounts that get them discounts? I've used them for a bit of business travel as well as family holidays. Couldn't recommend them enough but I guess it's down to who you get?
MagicBez@reddit
This is heartening to read. Every so often we'll plan a holiday and run the rough itinerary by a travel agent to see if we missed anything or if they can get a better price etc.
They always seem to come back way more expensive than doing it ourselves. If you've found ones that come in cheaper I think you should hold onto them tight!
midnightsock@reddit
Its surprising for me (in a good way) that people still use travel agents in 2025!
GarrySpacepope@reddit
My parents have for a few big trips post retirement. Used a large (ish) company. They had a couple of half day planning meetings, and lots of communication with somebody who was expert in the areas they were going to each time. They could just advise on realistic travel times, what was worth avoiding, dont go here ona Sunday cos it's all shut type stuff.
The other part of it was having a dedicated 24hr number they could phone from anywhere in the world if their reservations were mucked up in some way and the confidence someone would pick up the phone, and then actually sort the problem out for them.
Very much a luxury, but they felt the extra service was well worth paying for.
Fickle_Hope2574@reddit
Much like the wcw megastar it's easy money. No work at all involved just make posts, persuade people to pay you and buy the actual package for a lower price.
Gisschace@reddit
It’s not easy money at all - they’re selling the idea it’s easy money but actually it’s hard graft getting people to actually pay you, most people have neither the skill, or are interesting or patient enough to see it through.
They get nowhere then move on to the next grift
VideoNo82@reddit
My wife, while not a "travel agent", does virtual work for a concierege company and spends a lot of her time arranging trips, bookings etc for other people & groups - she's damned good at what she does and is IATA registered etc.
There are honest people out there who do this kind of stuff but there are a lot more chancers who think it's easy money (tell my wife that at 2am when she's waiting for a booking confirmation from a hotel).
A lot of these so called travel agents will have very little or no access to the kind of resources she has (Sabre etc) and none of the insurance backup.
Caveat emptor etc.
Pembleton8@reddit
Grifters gonna grift
scarabx@reddit
I actually have some industry knowledge here.
+ people still like to use travel agents because where at first the internet was great for getting info, now there's so MUCH info (and so much of it is bias depending who's paying for it to be there, or it's AI slop) that it can be very overwhelming when booking something that, while maybe not once in a lifetime, is usually a big expenditure that makes people nervous. OR they're rich and can pay someone to do the legwork for them. Either way, there's good reason to have someone you can ask sometimes as with most things.
Do I? No...but I'm v confident in making these decisions. (and worked as an agent years back and still work in travel tech). If I was spending a fortune on a once in a lifetime trip like a honeymoon maybe I'd consider it but probably not. I know a lot of people that end up not going anywhere or going with package holidays because it's less stressful though.
+ There's been a big push in the last 10 years (longer really but it's sped up) to make travel booking tools more online, more user friendly, more available via apps on your phone etc. It was seen by certain companies that this also made it much easier for travel agents to work remotely, and more importantly pretty independently as the tools behind it all are easier to set up for it. (it used to be harder to get licenced and get secure access for an individual to the booking tools).
+ Some companies then saw that just like a lot of online systems, once you've got them working they don't need a whole lot of work or money to scale up (simplifying there ofcourse), so for an upfront investment there's no risk to allowing access to them for a subscription fee or similar.
so these agents are paying a large 3rd party to get them licensed, provide the tools, and provide some training usually, and then they can work for themselves.
It's not a pyramid scheme, it's genuine, but with two caveats -
1/ it means there's less controls on how good the agent is. Some are amazingly knowledgable, either ex big company travel agents who to concentrate more on the part of the job they enjoy, or have a better work/life balance, or some that are just keen travellers with lots of experience of destinations and getting good deals. Unfortunately some are also useless and have no knowledge and are blagging it. Go with people you get recommended by trusted people just as you do with tradesmen etc.
2/ Like a lot of these seeming 'easy paycheck' jobs you'll see a lot of people enthusiastically talking about how it's a flawless idiot proof get rich quick scheme (just as with everything from crypto to flipping things on ebay to onlyfans) which means there are lot of rookie/bad ones and I'm sure some scams too. As above, go with well reputed/recommended agents if you want to use one.
PolebagEggbag@reddit
Gonna change my Instagram handle to add on every new trend I see on it. JohnFitMUATravelCookFX
Lurker7138@reddit
Pyramid scheme! I'm expecting soon and a local hairdresser suggested it to me while i was getting my last haircut and I thought here we go! Prey on the vulnerable! I googled it afterwards and it seems to be a fee for the certification and then there was a £30 a month fee to be part of the team or something. Wild.
Wumutissunshinesmile@reddit
It's always a pyramid scheme. Dunno how they get suckered into them.
easymrorange@reddit
At least 5 people I went to school with have set up these “independent travel agencies” over the last few months. They initially post heavily on Instagram with lots of holiday packages and last minute deals etc. Then they start trying to rope people into doing the same and how they work their own hours, make good money and can work from anywhere etc. I think all of them have stopped posting now and gone back to their day jobs. Definitely a pyramid scheme.
bleachxjnkie@reddit
I knew someone who did that. Pyramid scheme
Old-Albatross-6351@reddit
It’s a pyramids scheme. Most of them aren’t making any money. You pay to be a travel agent and then try to sell things to others or convert them to become travel agents. I’m a small influencer and get these spam messages every day.
Feeling_Phrase1340@reddit
I knew a guy who 'sold' cars for a PCP influencer of sorts - people would have a chat with him , over say, Whatsapp, and say, this is my budget, this is what I like etc.
He pockets a commission and the 'buyer' gets the convenience of not having to do loads of searching.
sjintje@reddit
From following a tourist sub, people seem to want someone to provide specific advice, even though every question is almost identical (down to them all apparently not wanting to do the usual tourist stuff..) and the advice is basic chatgpt (or reddit) queries. I imagine it's a pretty easy thing to get into, if you can persuade people to give you money.
I've only specifically seen it once, on checking someone's history, he seemed to be acting as a low level travel agent and was just asking everything on reddit,
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