With so many ITC models out there, how do you know which company to partner with?

Some of my former colleagues had already joined Travel Counsellors; they were doing very well and loving it. The systems and the support network were vital in convincing me that Travel Counsellors was the right choice for me.

Going on your own and starting your own travel business is a scary leap to make. When doing your research, it is important to look at what you actually get for the commission split.

As a Travel Counsellor your website is set up for you. You get a dedicated leisure website and a dedicated business travel website.

You have a range marketing tools right at your fingertips. My customer data is securely stored in our Contact Centre which means that my client’s personal info is safe and complies with the POPI laws. I have access to pre-set templates to create personalised e-cards that I simply forward to a specific customer, or to my entire database, as I choose. No other ITC company offers this!

Then there’s the awesome myTC app! My customers are so excited to use it! With its live updates and it gives you count-down to your departure date. Clients have instant access to me and to their itineraries. This is all part of Travel Counsellors offering and there are no extra charges. They also provide me with personal and business support to help me to scale my business.

I don't have any worries about anything back-office related, nor about finance. This is all included in my commission split. The support available to me is fantastic and it enables me to always be available to my customers, which I love!

The IT-support is awesome and follows the sun- if my laptop crashes, I call a dedicated IT number that routes to the supporting office. If its 3 am it will direct my call to the Australian office, and we follow the support cycles of our international offices. It's amazing! If my laptop crashes, I will receive a new one in no time. No questions asked!

Our Support Team provides continuous training, and the TC on Tour road shows tare amazing! I always take a lot away from them, and I start implementing the new learnings immediately.

Phenix our live booking platform, enables me to put together competitive dynamic package quotes 24/7. This surpasses when conventional tour operators are not available - and for a better margin, but not a higher price. Using Phenix enables me to customize itineraries for my customers. It allows me to offer them new and innovative options that they’re unlikely to be offered elsewhere.

I love that I can call on my Support Team colleagues for any area of the business where I need help. I go to Chris for local commercial rates, Rachel if I need fares assistance. They are all there to help. As far as I am aware, other ITC agencies are all charged to issue tickets, but with Travel Counsellors, there is no ticketing fee. So, if I need 30 tickets issuing, I don’t have to pay for every ticket. Working on a cost per ticket basis, could potentially be very expensive!

As a Travel Counsellor, I don’t have to be VAT registered, and I don’t have to have my own bank accounts. Plus, I don’t have to manage other people’s money. I don’t want to do this, and I don’t want to be responsible for it. I love that as a company that we have an account with all the major banks in South Africa. If my customers bank with Nedbank then they pay into Travel Counsellors Nedbank account.

I love that I can send my customers professional-looking Travel Counsellors branded documentation. When I compare this to what I had prior to joining Travel Counsellors it’s chalk and cheese! It looks so professional! I get many compliments from my customers about how fabulous our documentation is!

I am exceptionally happy with my salary and I love that I can deliver an amazing service to my customers. I love that I can meet them and whilst I’m spending time with them, I can create an itinerary with them.

I am fully supported and valued as a franchisee of Travel Counsellors. It is so exciting to see my business growing from strength to strength!