Let’s get some perspective, there’s a bit of selective nostalgia going on here.
The suggestion that selling travel properly is some dark art reserved only for those who’ve spent decades behind a high street counter just doesn’t stack up in the modern world.
Yes, there are rogue opportunists.
Yes, some people dip a toe in, decide it’s not for them, and move on.
That happens in every industry. Including travel.
What’s being quietly glossed over is how the industry actually operates today.
Selling holidays in 2026 isn’t rocket science.
It’s systems, suppliers, processes, support and compliance.
When someone joins a proper, established host agency, they’re not winging it from a Facebook group and a referral code. They’re plugged into:
• The same booking systems traditional agencies use
• Structured training that continues well beyond day one
• Experienced back-office teams who handle complexity
• Clear escalation routes when things go wrong
• Established supplier relationships and contracts
And crucially, bookings sit under ABTA and ATOL protection.
Client money isn’t disappearing into someone’s Revolut account. It’s held exactly where it should be.
Plenty of excellent travel agents didn’t start out in travel. They came from hospitality, sales, aviation, customer service, retail, or completely unrelated careers. What makes a good agent isn’t their starting point, it’s:
• How well they’re trained
• Who they’re backed by
• Whether they’re accountable
• Whether they actually care about their clients
As for recruitment, let’s be honest. Traditional agencies recruit too. They just call it hiring and don’t talk about it publicly. There’s a world of difference between recruitment-led nonsense and a scalable model where experienced agents support new ones properly.
The “who will look after your booking in 18 months?” question is also easily answered when someone operates under a solid host agency. The individual may change. The infrastructure does not.
Travel has changed.
Consumers have changed.
Careers have changed.
Pretending the industry stopped evolving around 2003 doesn’t protect clients. It just protects gatekeeping.
If someone is properly trained, backed by a reputable host, financially protected and accountable, they’re no less legitimate because they didn’t start behind a shop window with a Thomas Cook logo above the door.
The industry isn’t being diluted.
It’s modernising.
And the professionals who are genuinely good at what they do don’t need to be afraid of that.