Two former Future Travel managers are to launch a homeworking company in partnership with TTA Worldchoice, paying up to 70% commission.
Independent Travel Experts (ITE) hopes to attract 50 homeworkers by the end of the year claiming it will provide a higher level of support than its competitors.
Agents will be self-employed and will be expected to have a ready-made client base and target new business through networking.
ITE is likely to attract homeworkers who are unhappy with the merger of The Co-operative Travel Group and Thomas Cook, as well as shop staff affected by the 75 planned shop closures.
TTA Worldchoice operations director Gary Lewis said: “At the retail shops we know there will be redundancies. People will want to take control of their own destiny and will be looking for opportunities.”
Director Amanda Taylor, former brand manager of Future Travel, said: “A lot of the homeworkers have worked for large multiples before and they joined Co-op to get away from that. I still know a lot of the homeworkers and I’m aware there is uncertainty.”
TTA operations director Gary Lewis said the joint venture fitted the consortium’s strategy to operate a range of business models for every type of travel business. The group plans to reveal more on its strategy at its conference later this month.
He said: “We feel now is the right time for us to gain market share in the homeworking sector and we are confident the joint venture will deliver quickly against its growth plans.”