Our Stories | Travel Counsellors

When I graduated from the Travel Counsellors Academy programme after 12 months, having booked an incredible £120k worth of sales in my first year, I felt like I could take on the world.

Claire Summers,
Aylesford, UK

Our technology is ground-breaking and always evolving and having such fantastic business development support is comforting.

Guy Johnson,
London, UK

I was so worried about finding customers ... but after becoming the first person from the Academy programme to hit a million in sales, I think it's safe to say I've overcome that fear! My only regret is not doing it sooner.

Mark Hallam,
Redditch, UK

I'd been with the police for 30 years before taking early retirement and joining Travel Counsellors.

Andy Gilhooly,
Edinburgh, UK

I can be far more reactive to my client's needs as a Travel Counsellor so they could not be happier with my service.

Sue Mole,
Epsom, UK

"I have all the tools to work with and could be earning a fortune if I was more pro-active so I'm getting some mailshots together to put through doors."

Linda Wilkinson,
Workington, UK

"I not only paid my mortgage on time every month, but I have actually paid it off completely - 12 years early!"

Damian Newell,
Bingley, UK

"I now have customers for life and all the referrals they will now send my way."

Michelle Leonard,
Bolton, UK

"I have learned to believe in myself and the service I deliver."

Penny Harrington,
Painswick, UK

"High Street agents wouldn't bother, but to us it's second nature. I don't see it as going the extra mile - its just 'my service'"

Pauline Dougherty,
Gillingham, UK

"I always buy children on my bookings a Christmas present. This year they are getting a bar of chocolate in the shape of Santa or a children's book.

Louise Cutting,
Derby, UK

Just one phone call that took 10 minutes of my time and I have made two new friends who I hope will entrust me with their next holiday booking.

Gail Herring,
Halifax, UK

I loved the homely family feel I got from Travel Counsellors from the beginning; everyone was so friendly and genuine. I knew I wouldn't be a number, like I was with my previous High Street travel agency.

Clare Lockett,
Peterborough, UK

One of my first bookings was a wedding group to Antigua after attending a wedding fayre within 2 weeks of starting. They went on to make a £30,000 booking. It was an amazing feeling.

Maria Foxwell,
Bath, UK

"I'm earning more now than when I was working in the High Street, but it’s the fact that I feel more recognised than I have in the 20 years I've been in travel which means the most."

Joanne Kemp,
Redditch, UK

Catherine Oliver

My sympathy goes out to you owners and managers of small independent agents. I understand exactly how you’re feeling... I had 16 years at the helm of my business on the outskirts of Worcester. But the really great news is you’re just a phone call, and a simple step away from a job that kicks leases, VAT paperwork, staff sickness and ABTA and ATOL quarterly returns red tape into touch. Being a Travel Counsellor simply opens up a world of opportunity - work life balance, increased earnings,...

<p align="LEFT">My sympathy goes out to you owners and managers of small independent agents. I understand exactly how you’re feeling... I had 16 years at the helm of my business on the outskirts of Worcester. But the really great news is you’re just a phone call, and a simple step away from a job that kicks leases, VAT paperwork, staff sickness and ABTA and ATOL quarterly returns red tape into touch. Being a Travel Counsellor simply opens up a world of opportunity - work life balance, increased earnings, reward and recognition and the chance to do what you love best - sell holidays. Travel Counsellors hugely prestigious Queen’s Awards reflect all the things that make the company a global leader in personal travel service. Unique quote and book software; a 24/7 helpdesk team at Bolton head office; uncapped potential earnings already exceeding £150K and a global network of like minded professionals just a webcam away. The red tape simply gets you down. I never got time to do the thing I love, selling holidays, and I’m the best seller in the world! And in my first year, I made more money working from home, than I did running a business with six staff and a turnover of £2 million. That really says it all.

Gaynor Burgess

As a manager I regularly worked weekends and Bank Holidays. For too long my family life simply revolved around managing people and shops. My real enjoyment, selling holidays, was a thing of the past and after 20 years, I’d reached a major crossroads in my career. And then I researched homeworking... and I’ve got to say... it’s simply changed my life. There were options, but Travel Counsellors were head and shoulders above the rest for delivering robust support to grow your own business......

<p align="LEFT">As a manager I regularly worked weekends and Bank Holidays. For too long my family life simply revolved around managing people and shops. My real enjoyment, selling holidays, was a thing of the past and after 20 years, I’d reached a major crossroads in my career. And then I researched homeworking... and I’ve got to say... it’s simply changed my life. There were options, but Travel Counsellors were head and shoulders above the rest for delivering robust support to grow your own business... and at your own pace. I now have my own business and I’m able to work comfortably around my clients. For the first time I’ve taken my six year old daughter Ella to school. No more Breakfast and After School Club... I’m there in the morning with the other mums... and I pick her up at half past three. I give her tea, do homework together and put her to bed. It’s perfect. And then I’m happy to get the laptop out and get some business done. I find a lot of the time this fits perfectly with a lot of my clients who are at work all day anyway, and prefer to speak in the evening. I’m just over a year into this new way of life – doing what I love best – hard work, but incredibly rewarding and with smiles on family faces.

Katie Chamberlain

The earning potential of running your own business with Travel Counsellors is absolutely out of this world. It’s fantastic. A fact borne out by the company’s top five average earners who take home more than £150,000 a year. One month I earned more working for Travel Counsellors than I did in a year working in the High Street... and I’ve been in the industry 23 years. It’s a lovely feeling to get that recognition and status – of being at the highest level in the company. But the business...

<p align="LEFT">The earning potential of running your own business with Travel Counsellors is absolutely out of this world. It’s fantastic. A fact borne out by the company’s top five average earners who take home more than £150,000 a year. One month I earned more working for Travel Counsellors than I did in a year working in the High Street... and I’ve been in the industry 23 years. It’s a lovely feeling to get that recognition and status – of being at the highest level in the company. But the business doesn’t just walk in through the door. You get out what you put in. And I’m driven to put in the hours. I’ve got brilliant head office support, the flexibility of being at home, and a client base that grows by relationship building and recommendation – the best way to build any business. My experience and knowledge gives customers an invaluable level of service that they’d never find online.

Tracy Foley

Working for two of Travel Counsellors competitors I felt lonely, isolated and was seriously considering leaving the industry that I love. I had been promised good quality leads, great potential earnings and a flexible lifestyle. But the reality was no flexibility, poor earnings and customers only concerned about price. They had no interest in building relationships or considering the actual service they were getting. Some people actually phoned and asked if I could cut the cost of...

<p align="LEFT">Working for two of Travel Counsellors competitors I felt lonely, isolated and was seriously considering leaving the industry that I love. I had been promised good quality leads, great potential earnings and a flexible lifestyle. But the reality was no flexibility, poor earnings and customers only concerned about price. They had no interest in building relationships or considering the actual service they were getting. Some people actually phoned and asked if I could cut the cost of their holiday by one pound! I decided to give it one more go. This time with Travel Counsellors. It’s like another world. There’s no comparison at all. I’ve got freedom, I’ve got terrific support from head office and a brilliant network of colleagues, literally around the world. If ever I need support or guidance I can pick up the phone and everyone is so incredibly helpful. And because of our fantastic in-house booking system, I’ve never earned so much in my 25 years in travel. There are lots of homeworking companies out there, but they don’t come close to this company. Travel Counsellors has literally restored my faith in the travel industry.

Claire Summers

Before becoming a Travel Counsellor, I was a client relations manager but felt stressed most of the time. There were just too many hours and I had absolutely no control over how I managed my own staff as senior management always wanted it their way. I felt like I wasn't listened to. What has surprised me most is that business development and other Travel Counsellors are always happy to help and rally around if you need anything. My life is now surrounded by a special network of supportive people and everyone is always so happy to give their time with no gain for themselves - it speaks volumes about the kind of people that join us. I have dedicated myself to going above and beyond for my customers. During the ash cloud crisis, I drove to a local supplier for train availability as they were not answering the phones. I sat in reception until someone would see me to get the answers I needed. Being a Travel Counsellor is about always going further than anyone else for your customer - that's why they keep coming back. When I graduated from the Travel Counsellors Academy programme after 12 months, having booked an incredible £120k worth of sales in my first year, I felt like I could take on the world. What's more, having the freedom to choose my own hours, without any pressure from Head Office to reach set targets and all the tools l need to make my business as success, I felt totally at home... literally! I love what I do.

Donna Waddington

Before becoming a Travel Counsellor, I was a senior manager for a small travel agency. Having worked there for years and making a lot of sacrifices, I returned to work after 8 months maternity leave. I was told bank holidays would be taken away from me in order that I work 4 days a week, which made me feel extremely let down as I knew there were other members of staff less senior than me who received them. It sounds insignificant now but that was the warning bell for me. I didn't want another 15-20 years to pass by and suddenly find my children all grown up, leaving home and be filled with regret that I'd stayed there. That's when I found Travel Counsellors. Life as a Travel Counsellor is very busy and very demanding but it's an incredibly rewarding life. I love a challenge - that's really what I love about the job secretly as I would wither away if two days were the same. I still can't believe how quickly we move with the times but manage to stay friendly and professional. We're constantly moving forwards yet there's always time to make people feel respected and cared about. My customers know I care because I remember everything they like or dislike - if it's important to them, it's important to me. I even remember when their children got married or their grandchildren's name. It's the small things which make the greatest impression. I even have some customers who say I'm part of their family now - I love that.

Guy Johnson

Before becoming a Travel Counsellor I was a retail travel agent but I really wanted to be my own boss. I met someone on an educational trip who suggested working from home for Travel Counsellors and the tipping point to joining was when I went to Bolton and saw the set up. Travel Counsellors is different because of the attention to details and the desire to help the Travel Counsellors as people, rather than taking a commission slice and giving nothing back. It's really refreshing. Our technology is ground-breaking and always evolving and having such fantastic business development support is comforting. They can always be relied upon. Imagine a world where you can set your own terms and be your own boss with an amazing structure support behind you - that's Travel Counsellors. I have the flexibility to work when I want and to devote as much time as I want to each customer. The ability to be there for my customers when they need me and being able to arrange the perfect trip for them is fantastic.

David Griffin

Ask anyone in the travel industry what they love about their job and you’ll get a resounding selling travel . I loved to find the perfect holiday for customers, from the glamorous and glitzy metropolis of Los Angeles to the sublime shores of the Caribbean I made dreams come true and I loved it. Yes, that’s right, loved it. Past tense. I can remember when I fell out of love with travel. I’d actually go as far as saying I grew to hate my job. I’d spent 10 happy years with a well known travel giant but when I was promoted to manager it did change. Not only was it quite a commute from my home in Southport but I was also removed from what I loved about my job – selling travel. My days became filled with staffing headaches, endless admin and operational issues. When I did manage to find the time to help out with a customer enquiry, I was restricted to the company's portfolio which didn’t quite feel right as it seemed less about what the customer wanted and more about what the company wanted to sell - round pegs, square holes. Frustrated, tired and feeling pretty miserable I started looking for a new adventure just 7 years after being promoted. I wanted a role that I could once again enjoy but also supported us financially – of course, being from the travel industry already it was the obvious place to start looking. After all, that was my first love (after my wife that is). After exploring my options, Travel Counsellors seemed to be a perfect fit. I took some time to visit head office and was immediately met with a warm welcome and friendly people. I was able to spend as much time as I felt I needed with the recruitment team to understand how I could make this happen, from the support (which I can now tell you is unrivalled) and the depth of training and resources available, to the unique and personal support given so freely by both established Travel Counsellors and the head office gurus. My first few weeks were eye opening. Imagine being able to put the customer first each and every time, planning a trip bespoke to their needs, their dreams and not being restricted to a particular package or supplier. I was like a kid in a sweetshop. Today, if my customers want to glide over Tanzania’s Serengeti Plain – I ask for how long. If they want sun loungers with real mattresses – I ask how deep. And if they want hotels with blackout curtains so the kids lie in or an ice cold mojito with their favourite twist – I do my best to find just that… perfect for them, not us. I really love it. And my customers love it too which shows in my 100% customer satisfaction score (Independent net promoter score voted by my customers) – that’s higher than the likes many well respected brands. Plus, over 80% of my client base comes back year after year as loyal, repeat customers. It speaks volumes to me. Getting it right for the customer, whilst loving what I do not only makes me feel empowered but genuinely excited about what the next day will bring. But none of this would have been possible without the unbelievable support of head office. They manage all of my admin post booking, allowing me to concentrate on the customer. Before I joined, I wondered how I would adjust to working from home without a large team around me in the office, but there is always someone available on our internal message boards and video chat for support and advice, whether that’s someone in the office or another Travel Counsellor on the other side of the world. I never feel alone. What’s also great is that the whole business lives and breathes our strapline ‘with us... it’s personal’. And with us it really is personal. Put the customer first, not the product. Put the customer first, not a sales target. Put the customer first and you’ll learn to love your job again, just like me. So, what does my success look like? I managed to reach my goals quite quickly but I’m always pushing myself to achieve more, and this is something Travel Counsellors has supported. And just like Travel Counsellors as a company I never sit back on my laurels. The business development team work with me every day to set achievable goals which really help to motivate me year after year. My success and earnings is down to doing what I really love, putting the customer at the centre of what I do, being in charge of my own business, and having the freedom and support I need to succeed, my way. Today, I’ve been a Travel Counsellor for over 15 years and with over 1,400 global Travel Counsellor colleagues rooting for me and over 200 head office staff, I’ve never been happier and neither has my family.

I love the homely family feel I got from Travel Counsellors

Clare Lockett

It's our sincerity which makes us different.

Richard Thompson

One of my first bookings was a wedding group to Antigua

Maria Foxwell

I'm earning more now than when I was in my High Street role

Joanne Kemp

I knew I could really live my passion for travel

Marc Fitchett

I am happier and more relaxed

Joanne Parsons

My ideal work life balance

Sharon Matthews

I was completely sold

Deborah Little

I think we are unique

Gill Peach

What our Travel Counsellors have to say

We are the world's most loved travel company, with more than 1,800 Travel Counsellors globally

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What our Travel Counsellors have to say

Catherine Oliver

Gaynor Burgess

Katie Chamberlain

Tracy Foley

Claire Summers

Donna Waddington

Guy Johnson

David Griffin

Sue Mole

Linda Wilkinson

Damian Newell

Michelle Leonard

Penny Harrington

Pauline Dougherty