Travel agents defend profession following The Sun article on InteleTravel 

Travel agents have defended their profession and stressed the importance of quality training and recruitment following an article in a national newspaper about InteleTravel.

 

Scores of agents posted responses to the article in The Sun newspaper on Saturday which outlined fears about the way agents were recruited to join the homeworking group.

 

The article highlighted that some agents were “rarely breaking even” and found it difficult to leave the job. It focused on celebrities who had joined the company as a “side hustle” to make some extra money.

 

More: All publicity is good publicity – or is it?

 

Some agents were critical of how the US-owned travel agency network operated while others – themselves InteleTravel agents – said they were glad they had joined the group.  

 

Senior industry agents also reacted to the story, calling it “deeply concerning” and raising concerns about InteleTravel’s recruitment methods and about the impact of the story on the professional reputation of other agents in the sector.

 

Advantage Travel Partnership chief executive Julia Lo Bue-Said said: “It’s important to remember the vast majority of travel agents across the UK are highly professional, trustworthy, and dedicated to delivering outstanding service.

 

“Being a travel agent is not a hobby, it’s a profession that requires knowledge, experience, and a deep commitment to clients. It should never be treated as a casual side hustle to make some extra money.

 

“Booking a holiday isn’t just a transaction, it’s the realisation of people’s dreams, often one of the most meaningful and significant purchases they’ll make in a year. That responsibility must be handled with care, integrity and professionalism.”

 

She added that the agency consortium always urged consumers to check an agent’s credentials, such as Atol, and read reviews before booking to ensure “peace of mind and a positive travel experience”.

 

Designer Travel managing director Amanda Matthews said her concern about mass recruitment of ‘new-to-travel’ agents was around the level of support given to those new recruits to become “brilliant, trustworthy travel agents".

 

“Anyone who has a career as a professional travel agent will know that it’s not a ‘get rich quick’ job that you can do in your spare time,” she said, adding: “My fear is that we all get tarred with the same brush and the overall professionalism of the travel industry is brought into question. I am all for competition, I am all for bringing new blood into the industry, but in a controlled and honest way.”

Reputation fears

Marketing consultant Steve Dunne, chief executive of Digital Drums, said such stories “could push back the reputation of the travel agents a generation”.

 

“The issue is that trust and reputation take an age to build and, if shattered, it can lead to consumers moving away and towards the more trusted big brands and established players,” he added.

“The job is now for Abta, Advantage and others to step in and correct the misperception this article paints - that homeworking as a travel agent is not a pyramid or a multi layered marketing scheme; that the industry has a code of conduct, that agents are put through vigorous recruitment process and trained on an ongoing basis.”

 

In a social media post reacting to the story, Jenny Jackson, of Luxury Travel Gurus, said: “I have no problem with anyone looking to start in the industry, but being part of a 30,000-plus organisation promoting cheap travel for themselves, it is impossible to guide and support everyone and we know all the uplines have no interest in properly ‘training their teams’ in selling travel and following compliance as they have no travel experience.

InteleTravel agents respond

“So many ex-InteleTravel agents have seen the light and moved to smaller consortia where they are doing really well and have learned to be successful selling travel the right way, with great support from experienced managers and mentors.”

 

A number of InteleTravel agents posted reaction in defence of their organisation and stressed that agents can just sell holidays and do not have to sign up to the part of the business responsible for the recruitment of other agents, called PlanNet.

 

James Pirie-Warsop said: “I’ve been with Intele for about two or three years and I’m glad I did [join them]. Yes, there’s a multi-level marketing side but you don’t have to do it.

 

“Mistakes can happen and I’m sure even some of the biggest companies have made mistakes.”

 

Hayley Stinchcomb said: “I joined the business four years ago and was able to raise my kids around building my business, earn more than I did having my own hair salon and work a hell of a lot less.

 

“I have travelled to places we used to dream of and met and helped some of the most amazing people.”

 

Maryam Khan added: “I personally think calling it a business is where people have a problem. Maybe it shouldn’t be called a business, maybe people would feel more comfortable if it was offered as a travel subscription service.”

 

Tricia Handley-Hughes, UK and Ireland managing director of InteleTravel, told Travel Weekly: "As the trade knows, we have thousands of agents that successfully sell travel. 

 

"There is no financial connection between PlanNet and InteleTravel.  They are separate companies."

 

More: All publicity is good publicity – or is it?