Curious about investing in your first travel agency franchise? Knowing how to choose the right franchise comes down to properly researching your options and choosing an opportunity that fits your goals and lifestyle. Different franchises in the travel agency require a multitude of investment costs, marketing considerations, franchisee skill sets and more. At Dream Vacations, we’ve broken down eight factors that you should explore when choosing a new travel agency franchise to join.
1. Investment Costs
One of the top aspects of franchise ownership to consider is the cost of investment. Travel agency startup costs can vary from franchise to franchise, and they may cover different types of expenses. Having a thorough understanding of how much you’ll pay to become a franchisee and what that cost actually covers is key when figuring out how to choose the right franchise.
Prospective franchisees with Dream Vacations can expect to pay a one-time fee that covers their investment. Because Dream Vacations is a home-based franchise, the investment costs are low and come with an array of discounts, including a 20% discount for first responders, medical professionals, and teachers, as well as a 30% discount for U.S. veterans and immediate family.
2. Overhead Costs, Equipment & Supplies
In addition to the franchise fee, there are other costs associated with becoming a new franchisee. Some franchises require their owners to cover the lease of rented commercial space and pay for equipment they need to run the business. Other charges may include daily commute costs and refilling supplies.
At Dream Vacations, the unique capabilities of a home-based franchise allow you to save on these and other costs. Our work-from-home model allows franchise owners to run their business from the comfort of their own home – in a way that’s the most financially efficient. All you’ll need is an internet connection and a passion for sharing the joy of travel with your clients.
3. Daily Tasks & Responsibilities
Beyond financial considerations, an important piece of determining how to choose the right franchise is understanding what a day in the life of franchisees actually looks like. What can you expect your daily tasks and responsibilities to be with each franchise? What will each working day look like as you connect with clients and coordinate their vacations, and what will be your responsibilities as you run your business?
Franchise owners with Dream Vacations can expect to make their own schedules and plan their daily tasks as they see fit. Much business will take place over the internet, while many franchise owners choose to meet clients face-to-face. Our franchisees can even travel remotely while running their business – and many do!
4. Commission Rates
A common question in the minds of prospective franchisees is “How much do franchise owners make?” For travel agency franchises that offer commission, you can make some hypothetical calculations to determine how much money you may make as a franchise owner. A critical factor to examine is the actual percentage of sales commission that is available to earn.
With Dream Vacations, our franchisees earn 100% of sales commissions from vacations they sell to clients, making us one of the most profitable franchises to own in the travel industry.
5. Support System
Since every franchise is different, some skill sets and personal experiences are more beneficial to new franchise owners than others. Doing some research on what sort of training, networking and business development support is available to you as a new franchisee is key to knowing how to choose the right franchise for your needs and expertise.
At Dream Vacations, we are committed to setting new franchise owners up for success, and that’s why we provide in-depth travel agent training for beginners. These include thousands of online training modules, as well as in-person training, regional summits, and national conferences. You’ll become part of our family of dedicated business owners and passionate travel enthusiasts.
6. Marketing
Marketing is crucial to ensure your franchise has longevity, and that it continues to attract new clients over time. It’s always a good idea to take a look at the type of marketing support each franchise offers to its owners to see what that marketing potential may be. At Dream Vacations, we understand the value of quality marketing, which is why we provide turn-marketing support, such as website creation, social media posting, email marketing and more.
7. Perks
Most travel agency franchises offer some type of travel perks to their franchisees, but what do those perks actually look like? Franchise owners with Dream Vacations can take advantage of generous travel opportunities at free or greatly reduced rates so they can familiarize themselves with the same trips they’ll sell to their clients. Plus, our annual national conference is held aboard some of the industry’s newest and most exciting ships!
8. Accolades & Rankings
Every national franchise in the U.S. has a ranking, and knowing this information can offer some insight into the quality of that franchise. For example, Dream Vacations was ranked the number one travel agency franchise in Entrepreneur’s annual Franchise 500 ranking for the second year in a row in 2023. It’s also consistently ranked as one of the best franchises to own for veterans by Franchise Business Review, U.S. Veterans Magazine and other authoritative publications in the industry.
Knowing How to Choose the Right Franchise Is Easy With Dream Vacations
Want to learn more about how you can become a franchise owner with Dream Vacations? Fill out our brief information request or give us a call today!
