TravelAge West
Intel and Insights for Today's Travel Advisor

Explore TravelAge West

Destinations

Back
  • Africa & Middle East
  • Asia & South Pacific
  • Caribbean
  • Central & South America
  • Europe
  • Hawaii
  • Mexico
  • USA & Canada

Travel Types

Back
  • Family
  • Adventure
  • Cruise
  • River Cruise
  • Tour Operators
  • Luxury
  • Hotels
  • Culinary
  • Romance
  • Wellness
  • Sustainability

Directories

Back
  • Hotels
  • Cruise

Interactive

Back
  • Click & Win
  • Geo Quiz
  • Slideshows & Video
  • Wave Winner Videos

Professional Development

Back

Industry Insight

  • Business Features
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Opinion
  • Tech
  • Podcasts
  • Coronavirus and Travel
  • Need to Know Research

Education

  • Certifications
  • Digital Guides
  • Fams
  • Thought Leadership
  • Advertiser Spotlight
  • Webinars
  • Quick Q's

Events

  • Global Travel Marketplace
  • GTM West
  • WAVE Awards
  • GTM by Northstar

Get Us in Your Inbox

I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.

Search TravelAge West

Clear Field
Emma Weissmann
Emma WeissmannContributing Writer
,
Jamie BiesiadaContributing Writer

Share

  1. Home
  2. Podcasts
  3. Trade Secrets

How Do I Get Started as a Travel Advisor?

Nov 06, 2023
Consortia/Host Agencies  Training and Education  Travel Agents  
How Do I Get Started as a Travel Advisor?
Credit: 2023 Tori Halpin/Jenn Martins

Subscribe now using your favorite service:


Thinking of becoming a travel advisor? This is the Trade Secrets episode for you, featuring the sound advice of Steph Lee, founder of Host Agency Reviews.

During this episode, delve into the world of travel advising as a profession, including what to know about starting a business, what challenges you may face and more. Already established in the industry? We’ve got plenty for you to mull on, too, from using host- or consortia-provided marketing materials, advice on moving into a management role, and more.

This episode is sponsored by ALG Vacations.

Theme song: Sock Hop by Kevin MacLeod (License). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Credit: 2023 Jenn Martins

Further Resources and Related Reading

Steph Lee’s Facebook, Instagram and email
Host Agency Reviews (HAR)
Friday 15 podcast
Travel Agent Chatter podcast
Questions to Ask a Host Agency
cheat sheet
Host Week
Host Agency Reviews' travel jobs board
Hosted Travel Advisor Report 2023

Independent Travel Advisor Report 2023
Seven-day agency setup program (Lite or Accelerator Course)

Get Us in Your Inbox

I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.

Travel Advisor Resource Center
ASTA’s Roadmap to Becoming a Travel Advisor
Lucia
The Professional Association of Travel Hosts (PATH)

From TravelAge West:
Travel Advisors, Here’s How to Protect Yourself From Fraud

Ask a Question on the Podcast

If you're a travel advisor with a question about the latest travel news, trends, best business practices or more, please call our hotline and leave a message at 201-902-2098 or send an email to [email protected].

About the Hosts

Emma Weissmann is the Managing Editor of TravelAge West, a print and online magazine for travel advisors based in the Western U.S. She is also the host of the Humans of Travel podcast, where she interviews notable individuals in the travel industry about their lives — the highs and lows that make them human.

Jamie Biesiada is a Senior Editor with Travel Weekly. She is an award-winning journalist, including being named the American Society of Travel Advisors’ 2019 Travel Journalist of the Year. Her roots are in community journalism, where she was the editor of several local newspapers and a regional entertainment magazine.

About the Show

Trade Secrets, a podcast from the editors of Travel Weekly and TravelAge West, is where travel advisors ask — and answer — questions. On each podcast, our editors will ask a veteran travel industry insider to join them and field listeners’ questions. Topics will range from business advice to industry trends, history and more — as long as it’s travel-related, we want to address it! Find Trade Secrets wherever you get your podcasts, or at www.travelagewest.com/podcasts/trade-secrets.

Tell Us What You Think! forum

Related Content

Which Travel Insurance Policy Is Right for My Clients? (Parts 1 and 2)

Which Travel Insurance Policy Is Right for My Clients? (Parts 1 and 2)

  • Most Read
  • Most Shared
  1. Where to Experience Dia de los Muertos in Mexico in 2026
  2. 5 Future Leaders to Watch List, 2026
  3. Here Are All the Fall Travel Trends for 2026
  4. What Is City-Maxxing? Here's What to Know About the New Travel Trend Created by the Ultra-Rich
  5. Who is Leah Talactac, Viking’s New President and CEO? Here’s Her First Interview in the New Role.

From Our Partners

More From TravelAge West

Guy Young has been named chief executive officer of the division in North America.

TTC Unifies Leadership for Specialist & Adventure Brands

The new Signature Expeditions offer rare access and expert guides, with Morocco trips starting at $10,999 per person.

Review: The Signature Expeditions Setting a New Bar for the National Geographic–G Adventures Collaboration

Travelers enjoy a wine tasting at Quinta dos Vales Winery in Estômbar, Portugal during a Tauck Women's-Only Departure.

Tauck Is Now Offering More Women’s-Only Departures — Here’s Why

The company recently expanded into South America with the launch of a riverboat in Peru.

What’s New at Abercrombie & Kent for 2026 and Beyond

Puerto Vallarta has expanded their options for the LGBTQ+ community.

Puerto Vallarta’s Evolution as an LGBTQ+ Vacation Destination

Resting inside the catacombs at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s is a who’s who of prominent New Yorkers.

Review: Catacombs by Candlelight, a Unique New York City Tour

Etihad Stadium, home of Manchester City FC, is one of six venues featured in G Adventures' new Away Games collection.

G Adventures Debuts Soccer-Focused Small-Group Trips

Scenic Aura will be redesigned for its Indian deployment.

Scenic Group Adds Hooghly River Cruising With New India, Sri Lanka Itineraries for 2027

UNESCO World Heritage Sites offer enjoyable experiences for all kinds of travelers.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites Add Cultural Depth to Caribbean Vacations

More Stories Like This

The Trade Secrets Tech Summit will feature technology companies from Host Agency Reviews' Travel Agency Software Profiles.

The Trade Secrets Tech Summit: Technology Travel Advisors Need to Succeed

Read The Story
Bonus Episode: Trading Social Media for Substack (Feat. SmartFlyer’s Kayla Douglas)

Bonus Episode: Trading Social Media for Substack (Feat. SmartFlyer’s Kayla Douglas)

Read The Story
Season 5 Finale: Emma and Jamie's Top 25 Predictions for Travel in 2025

Season 5 Finale: Emma and Jamie's Top 25 Predictions for Travel in 2025

Read The Story
2024 Rewind: What Trends Shaped the Travel Industry — and Impacted Agents — This Year?

2024 Rewind: What Trends Shaped the Travel Industry — and Impacted Agents — This Year?

Read The Story
How Do I Find and Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Travel Advisor? (Feat. Stephanie Lee)

How Do I Find and Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Travel Advisor? (Feat. Stephanie Lee)

Read The Story
What Are Destination Management Companies, and How Can Travel Advisors Best Work With Them?

What Are Destination Management Companies, and How Can Travel Advisors Best Work With Them?

Read The Story
Destination Weddings, Honeymoons and Beyond (Feat. Jennifer Doncsecz)

Destination Weddings, Honeymoons and Beyond (Feat. Jennifer Doncsecz)

Read The Story
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 3: How Can Travel Advisors Get 'Commissions With a Comma?' (Feat. Dondra Ritzenthaler)

Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 3: How Can Travel Advisors Get 'Commissions With a Comma?' (Feat. Dondra Ritzenthaler)

Read The Story
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 2: As a Travel Advisor, How do I Break Into the World of Luxury Travel Sales?

Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 2: As a Travel Advisor, How do I Break Into the World of Luxury Travel Sales?

Read The Story
Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 1: What Are the Latest Trends in Luxury Travel? (Feat. David Kolner)

Trade Secrets at Virtuoso Travel Week, Part 1: What Are the Latest Trends in Luxury Travel? (Feat. David Kolner)

Read The Story
TravelAge West

About TravelAge West

  • About Us
  • Contributors
  • Sales Team
  • Contact Us
  • My Profile
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Data

Advertise

  • Advertise With Us
  • Write For US
  • Media Kit
  • Upload Ad Material
  • Digital Ad Specifications
  • Reprints
  • Subscribe to Print

Stay Connected to TravelAge West

Get Us in Your Inbox

I accept the T&C and Privacy Policy.


Northstar Travel Group

Northstar Travel Group

  • Travel Weekly
  • Travel Weekly Asia
  • TravelPulse
  • TravelPulse Canada
  • TravelPulse Quebec
  • Meetings & Incentives
  • Travel Technology
  • Corporate Travel
  • Hotel Investment
  • Data Products
  • AGENTatHOME

Copyright © 2026 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 301 Route 17 N, Suite 1150, Rutherford, NJ 07070 USA | Telephone: (201) 902-2000

Load Carousel Here
Load Video Here