The Cruise Planners Franchise Blog | Cruise Planners Franchise

Career Change 2025: Start a Travel Agent Franchise

Written by Cruise Planners | September 17, 2025 at 7:10 PM

Bloomberg reports a surge of finance and legal professionals leaving six-figure careers to become travel advisors. LinkedIn data shows a 50% increase in people identifying as travel agents over the past three years, driven by burnout and the desire for more flexibility as the $141 billion travel market continues to grow.

If high-performing professionals on Wall Street are rethinking their careers, what does that say for the rest of us? 

Why Corporate Burnout Is Driving Professionals to a Travel Agent Career 

Employees are praised for working around the clock, but the real cost is felt at home as families carry the weight of your empty presence while your mind stays consumed by everything waiting at work. 

In financial powerhouses like New York, Miami, Chicago, and Los Angeles, the lights never go out because someone is always at their desk. Constant meetings. Sudden company shakeups that put your job on the line. Promotions that never come. Vacations you keep postponing because work won’t wait. Rushed mornings getting your kids to school just to rush off to the office. 

It wears you down slowly. Until one day you can’t keep up. And you start to wonder: Is all this sacrifice worth a paycheck that doesn’t match my real value? Professionals everywhere are asking: Do I really want the next decade to look like the last one?

Why Becoming a Travel Agent Is a Smart Career Change 

If you’ve been rethinking your career, it’s likely because you want more balance, a sense of purpose, and the flexibility to prioritize your family and well-being while working on your own terms. 

The travel industry has become a powerful escape for career changers. Nearly 6 in 10 career changers have taken a pay cut to make the switch, and 88% say they’re happier because of it. The message is clear. Those who make the leap aren’t looking back. 

Unlike startups, Cruise Planners, a travel franchise offers lower risk, a proven business model, a recognized brand, and ongoing support to help you succeed. You don’t need to spend the early years as an entrepreneur trying to figure everything out on your own.  

How Cruise Planners Helps You Start a Travel Agent Business

Our proven travel business model   gives you a proven business model and all the tools, training, and support you need to launch your own travel business even if you have no prior experience. 

How Cruise Planners Helps You Succeed: 

  • Comprehensive training: Launch your business at STAR University, a 6-day travel certification program in Florida that teaches marketing, sales, travel products, and technology. Continue growing with ongoing training, seminars, and specialist certifications. 
  • Industry expertise: Get guidance from their executive team with over 135 years of combined experience and tips from top-performing franchisees. 
  • Partner access: Build relationships with over 30 preferred cruise, land, and tour partners, and experience ship tours firsthand. 
  • Cutting-edge technology: Receive your own website, full CRM, and mobile tools so you can work from anywhere. 
  • Marketing support: We provide franchise owners with personalized, data-driven email campaigns, social media programs, and targeted direct mail pieces to reach clients based on their travel preferences and location. 
  • Ongoing coaching: Access pre-training videos, weekly live broadcasts, webinars, and one-on-one business development support.

The Bigger Picture: How the Travel Industry Works Today

The travel industry has changed dramatically in the last decade. Traditional storefront travel agencies are no longer the norm—today, most travel professionals work from home, using advanced booking tools and marketing technology to serve clients across the globe. 

  • Host Agency Advantage: By aligning with a host agency like Cruise Planners, new advisors gain immediate access to preferred travel suppliers, insider promotions, and the support of an established brand. 
  • Independent Yet Supported: Many career changers consider becoming an independent travel agent but quickly realize the benefits of plugging into a proven travel agency franchise system. You still own your business, but you aren’t left on your own to figure out customer service, airline tickets, or travel insurance sales. 
  • Luxury and Niche Travel Growth: From all-inclusive resorts to luxury travel experiences, travelers are seeking curated, personalized itineraries. This demand creates opportunities for new agents to specialize while still tapping into a broad market. 

In short, today’s travel business blends independence with collaboration. Franchise owners can leverage decades of expertise while enjoying the freedom of running a modern home-based travel agency. 

Why a Travel Agency Franchise Beats Going It Alone 

Starting any business is daunting, but joining a low-cost franchise in a booming industry gives you an edge from day one. 

  • Proven Travel Business Model: Cruise Planners provides more than just a name—it’s a complete travel business infrastructure that includes CRM systems, websites, booking tools, and automated marketing. 
  • Marketing That Works: Instead of building your client base from scratch, you’ll have access to powerful marketing tools, social media campaigns, and personalized outreach tailored to each client’s travel experiences. 
  • Comprehensive Client Offerings: Franchise owners don’t just sell cruises. You’ll book airline tickets, resort stays, excursions, and even travel insurance—earning commissions on every aspect of your clients’ travel experience. 
  • Affordable Entry Point: Compared to industries like real estate or brick-and-mortar retail, the franchise fee for a home-based travel agency is low, making this one of the most accessible paths to business ownership. 

When you join a travel agency franchise, you aren’t just chasing commissions—you’re building a future-proof career in one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. 

If Wall Street professionals are trading quotas for boarding passes, why aren’t you?

You’ve prioritized your job too long, even during times when you should have put yourself first.  We offer a turnkey business, a lifestyle that lets you control your time, and a supportive community that won’t let you figure it out alone. 

You aren’t just booking travel; you will be living it too. It’s your move. If you’re ready to see how this could fit into your life, become a Cruise Planners travel advisor.