Start a travel business from home with training, booking tools and personal mentoring. Unlocked helps you explore becoming an independent travel agent, even if you are new to the industry.
Learn what the work involves, how commission works and what joining costs before deciding on your next step.
Talk it through with the communityChoose the route that fits the way you want to work, then understand the responsibilities before you join.
You can look for a trainee role, apprenticeship or an employed position with a travel business. The employer sets the entry requirements, working hours and pay arrangements.
The National Careers Service travel agent guide explains UK career routes and the skills employers look for. Compare a homeworking job with your own travel business.
Unlocked supports the independent business route: you develop your own customer relationships, book through InteleTravel and learn with a community. This is a business opportunity with membership costs and commission income, rather than an employed vacancy with a salary.
Meet the people who offer mentoring and explore whether this way of working suits you.
Two different roles, working around your independent travel business.
Unlocked Travel Community provides personal mentoring, practical learning resources, weekly support calls and people to share the journey with.
You build your own business and customer relationships, with a community to learn alongside.
Meet your mentorsInteleTravel is the travel agency you register with for booking-platform access, supplier relationships and agency training. Its agency membership has its own agreement and conditions.
Established in the US in 1991, InteleTravel launched in the UK in 2017.
PlanNet is a separate business-sharing programme. It is included in the combined option below, and is separate from earning commission on travel bookings.
You don’t need previous sales or travel industry experience to explore joining.
A love of travel is a starting point. Listening, organisation and reliable follow-up turn it into a useful service.
You listen to a customer’s plans, clarify their budget and preferences, research suitable options and help them understand the booking. The work also includes keeping records, following up and handling questions when plans change.
Our holiday enquiry checklist shows the details that make a good starting brief.
You can explore building the business around other commitments. Plan regular time for training, research, enquiries and customer care, rather than only the moments when a booking is made.
Discuss availability and support with the community team, including what happens if a customer needs help when you are away.
You do not need a large social following to start learning. Think about the people you can genuinely help, the trips you know well and the questions you can answer. Personal recommendations, useful content and consistent follow-up can help you build relationships.
Training and marketing templates support your work; they do not guarantee enquiries or sales.
Choose an area you are interested in learning deeply, such as family holidays, cruises or a destination you know well. Research seasonality, different budgets and the questions customers ask before expanding your offering.
Explore our destination guides and community travel specialists for a sense of the different interests a travel business can serve.
Travel planning becomes a service you offer to customers, with commission on eligible bookings.
Eligible travel bookings made through InteleTravel can generate supplier commission. The rate depends on the travel supplier, product and booking terms.
Your share and payment timing are set by the relevant agency agreement. A holiday’s selling price is not your income, and cancellations or business costs can change what you receive.
If you choose the separate PlanNet representative option, that business-sharing arrangement has its own agreement and compensation plan. It is separate from travel booking commission.
Commission eligibility, your share and payment timing depend on agency and supplier terms. Business income is not guaranteed.
Average commission
10% - 18%Average commission
10% - 12%Average commission
10% - 20%Average commission
10% - 16%Average commission
8% - 15%Average commission
5% - 10%Average commission
5% - 8%Average commission
25% - 28%Choose the route that suits what you want to do. The travel agent and business-sharing options have separate costs and agreements.
You can focus on travel. The InteleTravel-only option lets you book travel without taking the PlanNet representative option.
UK prices shown from the 2026 opportunity call. The combined option in Ireland is €187 setup, then €57/month. Discuss the current fees, inclusions and cancellation terms with the community team before deciding.
Thinking about starting your own travel business but still not sure if it’s right for you?
Ask the community a questionYou can explore joining Unlocked without previous travel industry or sales experience. Training, mentoring and weekly calls are part of the support described here. You will still need to spend time learning the tools, booking process and customer service responsibilities.
Listening, clear communication, attention to detail and organisation are useful foundations. You will use online systems and need to follow up reliably with customers. Ask the community team how the training supports the areas where you need more confidence.
InteleTravel is the agency behind the travel booking platform, supplier access and agency training. Unlocked Travel Community provides personal mentoring and community support alongside your independent travel business. The agency membership has its own agreement and conditions.
The UK InteleTravel-only option is £142 setup, then £32 per month. InteleTravel plus PlanNet is £156 setup, then £46 per month. PlanNet rep only is £14 setup, then £14 per month and does not include travel booking access. Confirm the current terms and inclusions with the community team before joining.
Eligible bookings can generate commission. The amount you receive depends on the booking, the agency arrangement and your agreed share. Ask when payment is released and how cancellations affect it. Revenue is not the same as profit: business costs still need to be covered.
Your starting point and available learning time will affect your progress. Ask the community team for the current onboarding steps and training requirements. Completing initial training and building a regular customer base are different milestones; there is no guaranteed time to your first booking.
No. You can choose the InteleTravel-only option and focus on travel bookings. The PlanNet representative programme is a separate option for sharing the business opportunity; it is not required to take the travel-only route.
No large following is required to explore joining. You can build relationships through people you know, recommendations and useful travel content. Whichever approach you choose, attracting and looking after customers takes consistent effort.
Ask the community team about training, the time you have available or the costs of getting started. You can explore the details before deciding whether an independent travel business is right for you.
This is a conversation about running your own business, with its own costs and responsibilities. There is no pressure to join.
Meet the mentorsThe skills to learn first, a practice enquiry and questions about training support.
Read the guideFollow a seven-step UK travel agency launch plan. Compare business models, plan startup costs, check selling arrangements and test your first enquiry.
Read the guideFollow a worked commission example and check your share, deductions, business costs and payment timing.
Read the guide