Travel Agencies

The travel industry is heavily commission-based. With US travel agency revenue exceeding $20 billion annually, commission often represents 30-60% of total compensation for travel consultants.

Commission Models

Product Type	Typical Commission
Package tours	10-16% of trip value
Airline tickets	0-5% or flat fee
Hotel bookings	10-20% of hotel value
Travel insurance	20-40% of premium

Roles

Travel Consultants: OTE of $45,000-70,000 with 30-50% variable.

Corporate Travel Managers: OTE $65,000-100,000 with bonus on contract value.

Key Challenges

• Seasonality: 60% of bookings in peak season creates income volatility
• Cancellations: Commission often returned on customer cancellations
• Online competition: Falling margins pressure traditional agencies