17 JAN 2017: A recent independent survey of Canadian hosted travel agents found that over 50 percent had become home based in the last five years, illustrating the phenomenal growth in this sector. The survey gave astonishing insight into why so many experienced agents are choosing to go home based.

Almost half said they were earning more now than when they worked in a bricks and mortar agency.

The survey of almost 200 hosted travel agents across Canada included agents from all the leading host agencies. It was commissioned in December 2016 by the Travel Agent Next Door to gain further insight into the growing number of hosted agents and to determine how best to serve their needs in the future.

All major host agencies are represented.

The agents surveyed were currently affiliated with eight different host agencies, with 12% not divulging who they were associated with.

A surprising 94% were primarily selling leisure travel, contrary to the popular assumption that the travel agent is losing ground to customers booking direct online.

Other key findings from the agents were:

• Only 6% of respondents prefer a salary or salary + commission structure
• 92% of respondents said they believe they have a better work life since becoming an at home hosted agent
• 25% of the home based agents are male
• Over 60% were experienced agents before going home based

“This is just the beginning of really understanding hosted agents and their needs,” said Flemming Friisdahl, founder, The Travel Agent Next Door.

“We will continue to invest in third party independent surveys to understand this growing market and how best to serve them.”

“We will be sharing our findings with the industry and our supplier partners so that they can best harness the power of home based hosted agencies to sell more product,” he added.

The Travel Agent Next Door will feature further findings from the survey in a series of infographics and communications in the coming months.