Travel FranchiseBusiness OpportunityBe YOur Own BossNo. 1 Travel FranchiseStart your own travel agencyTravel Work from home
Business profile
The Holiday Franchise Company
The business was created after recognising a need to welcome and support people into the industry who didn't have experience, but had amazing skill sets and a passion for travel, so we created a unique franchise model, which allows us to utilise and build on franchisees own travel experiences.
As part of Hays Travel Independence Group (Hays IG) we have access to 500+ suppliers, so we can tailor our franchisees business to their preferred area of specialism, whether that be type of holiday or destination.
Franchise Overview
We are backed by multi award winning Holidaysplease, who started in 2003 on a £6K investment and now turnover in excess of £30m, and are currently ranked as the number one travel agent on trust pilot.
We are the first travel franchise to get accreditation by both The British Franchise Association and The Approved Franchise Association.
We currently have a network of Thirty-three franchisees across the country. This enables us to provide intensive one to one, training, support and development.
What Makes Us Different?
Build Your Own Brand
With us, you are a stand-alone business. We support you to create your own brand making you a fully bonded independent travel agent. This means you are building a business you could go on to sell.
Flexible One-to-one Training
All training is bespoke to you and your business, ensuring you're getting the most from your time and money. The five days can be spread out to suit your schedule, with flexibility on start and finish times.
Cloud-based Systems
Our in-house system can be accessed on any device meaning you can work anytime, anywhere. You don't need a dedicated laptop with you, all you need is an internet connection.
Scalability
Our in-house system will grow with you and your business. Users can be added without any further cost if you choose to build a team. It enables tracking on performance.
Inhouse Tour Operator
We have our own in-house tour operator, that only serve our companies. This means you have a dedicated Head Office sales team to help you close sales with preferred commission levels well above the industry average.
We Only Take 2% Revenue
We don't offer commission splits like other companies, we only take 2% of the revenue which means you earn more on every booking.
No Renewal Fee
We are looking for longstanding partnerships so we don't charge our franchisees renewal fees, meaning more profit for your business.
The British Franchise Association
We are proud to be accredited by the British Franchise Association who are the voice of ethical franchising in the UK.
Encouraging Women Into Franchising
We are proud members of EWIF who focus their time and energy supporting women who are looking for a route into the franchise industry.
Business Planning Meeting
If we both feel we are the right fit then we invite you to sign a deposit agreement of £500 + VAT to secure your business planning meeting. The deposit is non-refundable, however, if you enter into the full franchise agreement the deposit will go towards the cost of the package you decide to take.
It's a half-day spent with one of our directors who have built a £30 million online travel agency from scratch and who have won 'Online Travel Agency of The Year', to explore earnings, costs and cash flow.
Our Accredited Training Program
Our on-boarding training programme "Journey To Success" is a bespoke programme delivered one to one, over a number of months, at dates and times to suit your schedule.
This consists of:
Creating & maintaining your website
Google Ads
Sales Through Service/Local marketing
Customer Management System
Supplier networking
Operational Efficiency
The Institute of Travel & Tourism.
We are the first travel franchise to have their training accredited by The Institute of Travel & Tourism.
We hold regular training via webinar to keep our product knowledge up to date.
We are proud to announce our addition to our accredited one-to-one training program with our brand new E-Learning site Journey to Success. It is a one-stop site with all the knowledge at your fingertips and available 24/7 on any device. The courses include:
Creating & maintaining your website
Google AdWords
Destination Guides & Content
Cruise Line Guides & Content
Tour Operator Guides
Our Live Training Sessions
Our Mental Health Program
Partner Reward Programs
Virtual Reality showcase
Plus much more!
Ongoing Support
Support is key to your success.
The Holidays Franchise Company is run by travel experts, our team have worked for some of the biggest names in the industry, so they understand the role of a travel agent and the skills and knowledge needed to be successful.
We hold our annual team conference where we mix both business and pleasure. We enjoy networking with each other, it is a great opportunity to share tips.
We bring in suppliers to upskill us on destination and product knowledge, and our favourite part is the annual company awards, where we recognise a host of different achievements.
If you purchase our Designer+ package you will also receive:
Bi-monthly reviews of your online marketing
Bi-monthly business development call
Annual business and personal review
As you can see you will be far from alone in this venture.
Do I need travel experience to start my own travel agency?
No, as we provide all of the necessary training. However, you will need to have a passion for travel as it will come across to customers when you speak to them.
How long is the training?
Our initial training is seven sessions long, held here at our Birmingham Head Office or done remotely.
This will cover the essentials of how to deliver exceptional customer service, building your website, how to market your business, using our fantastic booking system, and an introduction to your key suppliers, for them to train you on their product offering.
Your knowledge is critical to ensuring you deliver outstanding service so you will have access to supplier online learning portals and regular e learning and webinars from our suppliers.
The learning never stops.
Can I specialise in a certain type of destination or holiday?
Absolutely. You will have the ability to book any type of holiday or destination (as long as cleared by FCO) so we will work with you to tailor your offering to create your own niche agency either by destination or type of holiday.
Holiday types and destinations can be expanded as your knowledge and business grows
How do I attract customers to my business?
We have taken our own travel agency Holidaysplease from £6,000 in capital to turning over nearly £30m annually, so we know what it takes to attract the right type of customer.
Our training will cover how to drive traffic to your website, grow a presence on social media, as well as identifying networking opportunities.
Remember your friends, family and people in your local area are a ready-made customer base. Everyone likes going on holidays!
Will I get access to trade price holidays?
Yes, you will get some of the best prices available and which are not available to the public.
It is helped by the fact that we have been members of the Hays Travel consortium since 2005 which pools the purchasing power of over 150 travel agents to produce over £500m of buying power a year. You can also get invited by suppliers to go on free trips called "educationals"!
How much can I earn?
Based on our current booking values you will be earning on average between £300 - £500 commission per booking. Just ten bookings a month should earn £35,000 - £60,000 a year. 20 bookings a month is obviously double that. Some people in our parent company can do thirty+ bookings in a month.
How long will it take for me to re-coup my franchise fee?
Based on the above commissions an investment of £13,795 - £15,795 should be paid off in between forty to sixty bookings.
Are you ABTA and ATOL bonded?
Yes, we are both ABTA (P6851) and ATOL (5534) bonded and only deal with credible operators.
You will have your own ABTA number and will be covered by our ATOL protection.
How many franchisees are you looking to attract?
We're not targeting a set number of franchisees.
We are looking for quality people who will work with us to build a longstanding, profitable partnership.
I'm looking to start a business with a friend, do we have to pay two franchise fees?
You have the ability to team up with a business partner, you would only pay one franchise fee, which means you can share the cost of the investment.
Do I have to work on my business full-time?
No, this business can be worked round other commitments.
However, we do stress that the more time you can commit, especially in the set-up phase, the quicker you will establish and grow.
We factor this into your business plan so you will have realistic projections on what you could earn based on the hours you can commit.
Do I have to be based at home?
As with any new business we recommend keeping costs/overheads to a minimum, so we would advise you to base your business from your home.
As your business grows you may choose to grow a team, open a call centre, or even explore opening a retail premises.
Our systems are cloud-based so this means you can work from anywhere*, anytime.
*Whilst our systems allow you to work anywhere you must have a fixed trading address
Do I get a set territory to trade in?
No, as your business is online, the whole of the UK is your market
Do I have to pay a deposit?
If you would like to proceed a £500 +VAT deposit is taken to secure your business planning meeting.
This comes off the total cost of your chosen franchise package.
Does the franchise fee have to be paid in advance of starting the set up of my business?
After paying your deposit, you can pay the rest of the franchise fee or if you prefer you can pay half of the balance to enable us to start work on your business, the other half would be paid two weeks before your going live date.
Does my business need to be VAT registered?
Once any business reaches a certain threshold of revenue it needs to be VAT registered.
Your financial advisor can guide you on the benefits of registering your business immediately vs. waiting to hit the given threshold.
Do I need insurance for my business?
We have insurance (such as professional indemnity insurance) but you will need to take on your own insurance, we will guide you on the minimums needed.
