How much do self-employed travel agents make?

Do you love to travel and plan trips? Working as a self-employed travel agent can be a great way to become your own boss and add flexibility to your schedule. But, it’s fair to wonder how much you can earn annually. 

So, how much do self-employed travel agents make? There are a few things to consider to get an idea of what to expect from your income. 

This guide will discuss how much self-employed travel agents make, including: 

• Why to become a self-employed travel agent
• The typical income of a self-employed travel agent 
• How to make the most of your self-employed travel agency 
• How to manage your business finances for success

People often hire travel agents when they don’t have time to plan trips themselves or don’t know where to start. As a self-employed travel agent, you can enjoy a flexible schedule and focus your services. You’ll be able to set your hours, choose your clients, and plan trips that interest you. 

Working as self-employed allows you to build personal relationships with your clients and offer more specialised advice. Plus, your earnings depend on your client base rather than a set salary. So, the more clients you find, the more you can earn. 

Learn more about becoming a self-employed travel agent with our guide. 

So, how much do self-employed travel agents make? It isn’t easy to predict an income for this career because it relies on your client base and available work. But, according to the UK government website, the average salary for travel agents is between £18,000 and £27,000 annually. 

This income could change based on where you work and what kind of trips you plan. For example, you may earn more from planning group travel than individual trips. Then, if you focus on luxury travel, you may make more from each trip. 

Travel agents often charge around 10% commission for each job, so that can give a general of your profit turnover per job. Keep in mind that planning ten luxury or group trips could lead to a higher profit than twenty smaller trips. As your experience and client relationships grow, you may even increase your commission. 

So, your income can vary depending on your focus and your number of clients. But, as a self-employed travel agent, you’ll keep more of this commission without worrying about your employer taking a cut. 

Plus, employed travel agents may earn a salary rather than a commission-based income. They are likely assigned clients by their employer, which means steady work but less room for growth. 

Since your income will depend on how many clients you have rather than a salary, it’s fair to wonder how much self-employed travel agents make. But with a strong marketing strategy, you can find and grow a client base to earn a steady income for your business. 

First, consider building a business brand that targets your specific market. A brand will help you grow awareness and reach the people you most want to work with. Then, you can market your travel agent services on social media and with a business website to make yourself accessible. 

To find new clients, you could advertise your travel agency on freelance sites like Upwork. You can also create a budget for paid targeting advertising on Google or social media to reach the right audience. 

Once you know how much self-employed travel agents can make, it’s important to consider your financial management to make the most of that money. Strong financial organisation can also help you increase your earnings by analysing the data to improve it.

To organise your business finances, start by getting a business current account, which is just like a regular bank account, except it’s specifically for your business. As a result, you can easily separate your business finances from your personal ones. 

On top of this, accounting software will help you manage your bookkeeping and keep accurate records. You need these records to understand your business performance and do taxes. Countingup’s two in one business account and accounting software put your finances in one place so you can get a better grasp of them. Plus, the app saves you time with financial management. 

With automatic expense categorisation using HMRC approved categories and the receipt capture tool, you can stay on top and find expenses. This can help when you book trips for clients and need organised records to create invoices. 

The Countingup app also lets you create and send unlimited invoices on the go. You’ll get a notification when you receive the invoice, and the app can automatically match it to a payment. With tools like these, you’ll better understand how much you earn and spend for your business. 

On top of these tools, Countingup’s app offers year-round tax estimates that will help you plan for tax season and avoid surprises. Plus, the app generates running cash flow insights. This information will make it easier to create income statements and manage your money. As a result, you’ll know when to cut back on expenses and increase prices to earn more for your business. 

As a self-employed travel agent, organised finances can assist your business growth. But, financial management can be stressful and time-consuming when you’re self-employed. That’s why thousands of business owners use the Countingup app to make their financial admin easier. 

Countingup is the business current account with built-in accounting software that allows you to manage all your financial data in one place. With features like automatic expense categorisation, invoicing on the go, receipt capture tools, tax estimates, and cash flow insights, you can confidently keep on top of your business finances wherever you are. 

You can also share your bookkeeping with your accountant instantly without worrying about duplication errors, data lags or inaccuracies. Seamless, simple, and straightforward! 

Find out more here.