How do I become an independent travel consultant?

I want to become a completely independent travel consultant without joining another agency. How do I do this: licenses, certifications, insurance, access to agent-only databases, suppliers, and CSR?How do I become an independent travel consultant?The only way you're going to be able to do that is to first be an agent with a host agency. In order to get your IATAN credentials you have to have already made $5,000 in a years time booking travel. It's like becoming a real estate broker, you can't become a real estate broker until you've been an agent first.



Plus, you're looking at several thousands of dollars to start up an agency. But, it's all a moot point. Suppliers aren't going to talk to you unless you've been a travel agent. The best thing to do is start with a host agency, that way you also don't have the financial risk. For all you know you might not end up liking it or not make the amount of income you need to make.



Get some experience, and then in a year start thinking about opening your own agency. Just dedicate a year to the industry, see if it's all you thought it would be, book a lot of travel and create good realtionships with suppliers and get a good reputation, and then you'll have no problem starting up your own agency.



Or you could purchase an existing agency, but again you're looking at $50,000+ to do that.