From Employee to Entrepreneur:
The Business Launch Blueprint for Travel Pros
Take the Leap. Own Your Future.
Create More Freedom, Income, and a Life You Love.
What You’ll Learn
Additional Course Features
Interviews with top travel advisors and industry experts
Expert insights and video content that adds context and perspective throughout.
Downloadable library of templates, scripts, checklists, sample fee schedules, and more.
Roadmap Certification upon completion of the course’s final assessments.
Multi-format interactive, video and animated content developed by top instructional designers.
Access to exclusive partners & programs.
Unlock Access
To Exclusive Partners and Programs
To Exclusive Partners and Programs
Align yourself with the best in the industry and take the next step toward building your business.
Explore the Full Course Curriculum
COURSE OUTLINE
Module 1: Dream Job: The Travel Advisor Career
- Welcome to the World of Luxury Travel Advising: Where Passion Meets Purpose
- The Value of a Great Travel Advisor
- Industry Trends: The Travel Advisor Career Outlook
- Earning Potential: How much money can you really make?
- Launching Your Business: Key Considerations
- Insider Insights: Interview with a top travel advisor
Module 2: Travel Industry Mastery
- Key Players in the Travel Industry
- The “IC” Model: Independent Contractor (IC) vs. Employee Travel Agent
- Host Agencies
- Consortium
- Travel Agency Accreditations
- The Hotel Industry: Everything You Need to Know
- Travel Industry Associations
- Tourism Boards
- Useful Resources: Researching Destinations, Suppliers & Industry News
- Travel Technology
- The Nuts & Bolts: Host Agency Operation
Module 3: Working with Clients & Suppliers
Working with Clients
Charging Fees
Developing an Itinerary
Working with Suppliers: Best Practices
- Working with New Clients
- Communicating Your Value & How You Work
- Vetting Clients: Are You a Match?
- Trip Details: Drilling Down To What Clients Want
- Collecting Traveler Information
- The Collaborative Trip Planning Process
- To Be, Or Not To Be… Available 24/7
Charging Fees
- Rationale: Why Charge Fees?
- How to Position Fees to Your Clients
- Types of Fees
- Trip Planning Fees
- Other Fee Types: Case Studies and Rationale
- Rolling Out a New Fee Schedule to Existing Clients
Developing an Itinerary
- Developing An Itinerary: Identify Potential Challenges
- Managing Client Expectations
- Creating An Itinerary Outline
- Booking Priorities Based on Specific Trip Types
- The Client’s Final Itinerary: What Should It Include?
Working with Suppliers: Best Practices
- Choosing the Right Suppliers
- Booking Channels
- Contacting Suppliers: Best Practices
- Develop Relationships & Meeting with Suppliers
- FAM Trips
Module 4: Booking Processes
Hotels
Tours
Cruise
Rental Cars
Rail
Air
Travel Insurance
- Master how to source and book luxury accommodations tailored to your clients’ style and budget, while securing exclusive upgrades, value-added amenities, and VIP status through preferred partner programs
Tours
- Learn how to design and book bespoke private tours and high-end experiences by partnering with luxury tour operators and DMCs, ensuring white-glove service, insider access, and elevated client support throughout the journey.
Cruise
- Confidently match clients with the right luxury cruise experience—whether ocean, river, yacht, or expedition—by understanding ship categories, suite types, itinerary nuances, and the premium services that matter most to discerning travelers
Rental Cars
- Develop a seamless high touch process for working with your clients to book luxury vehicles and rental cars - while understanding key differences with international bookings, insurance options, and maximizing preferred supplier commissions.
Rail
- Understand how to integrate upscale rail travel into your itineraries, from first-class high-speed routes to iconic luxury trains, ensuring seamless service, elevated onboard experiences, and strategic connections across destinations.
Air
- Build fluency in air travel booking fundamentals and gain valuable industry intel - from understanding airline contracts and why they matter when it comes to your earning potential – to mastering the ins and outs of how the airline industry works behind the scenes -so that you can collaborate confidently and effectively with your host agency and supplier partners to secure high commission tickets for your clients.
Travel Insurance
- Learn how to position and sell the right travel insurance products for high-end clients, while earning surprisingly high commissions and safeguarding the full value of premium itineraries.
Module 5: Understanding How Travel Advisors Get Paid
- Commission Payment Processes
- Invoicing & Commission Tracking: Best Practices
- Charging Service Fees: Best Practices
Module 6: Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Business
Developing a Simple Business Plan
Setting Up Your Business: Checklist and Next Steps
- Introduction: Creating Your Roadmap
- Why You Need a Business Plan (Even a Simple One)
- Get Clear on Your Vision, Purpose & Goals
- A Guide to Business Planning
- Your Roadmap: Business Plan Template
Setting Up Your Business: Checklist and Next Steps
- Determine Your Brand Name
- Forming a Business Entity
- Choosing the Right Host Agency
- Marketing: Develop a Simple Launch Plan
- Selecting a CRM System
- Obtaining E&O Insurance
- Business Setup Checklist
Frequently asked questions
Will this course be effective for someone who is just getting started? I have no experience running my own business.
Yes, this course was designed to start from where we all start – the beginning.
It provides comprehensive training on the foundational knowledge you’ll need to better understand the nuts and bolts of the industry and how the travel advisor business works.
We’ll also provide a step-by-step guide for launching your own business. We simplify things down to an easy-to-follow process and give you a better understanding of the support, tools, and resources you’ll have access to as you kick off your new career as a travel advisor, so that you have the confidence you need to hit the ground running.
It provides comprehensive training on the foundational knowledge you’ll need to better understand the nuts and bolts of the industry and how the travel advisor business works.
We’ll also provide a step-by-step guide for launching your own business. We simplify things down to an easy-to-follow process and give you a better understanding of the support, tools, and resources you’ll have access to as you kick off your new career as a travel advisor, so that you have the confidence you need to hit the ground running.
I am currently traditionally employed as a travel advisor but want to start my own business. Is this course right for me?
Absolutely! Some of the most successful people who start their own business as a luxury travel advisor have previous experience being employed as one. And while they’re level of experience may vary once they decide to take the leap – they all share some things in common. They are tired of working for someone else. They know they can make A LOT more money running their own business once they start crunching the numbers. They want more freedom, flexibility, and the ability to (actually) travel the world and work from anywhere. And they want to be part of a fun, connected community of like-minded entrepreneurs who all share the same love of travel, support each other, and build great friendships and connections that last a lifetime.
I have a business and am ready to scale. Do I take the course? Or is it for my new hires?
That’s great that you are ready to take the next step toward growing your business. We know how challenging it can be to find the right people to join your team. But finding the time to train them as a small business owner with limited time and resources is often the most difficult challenge of all. Without proper training for your new hires, you can often end up stuck on the hamster wheel and unable to delegate – or retain the people you’ve invested in.
That said - the training course is for your new hires. Whether they are a subcontractor or employee.
But we also offer consulting sessions for business owners who need some guidance when it comes to hiring and training effectively. As sometimes, it starts with figuring out how to run your own business a bit more efficiently so that you can find the time to grow your team. But often business owners want advice on how to attract and retain the right people. Our first step is to understand your specific needs. And then we’ll craft our sessions based on the strategies you’re looking for.
That said - the training course is for your new hires. Whether they are a subcontractor or employee.
But we also offer consulting sessions for business owners who need some guidance when it comes to hiring and training effectively. As sometimes, it starts with figuring out how to run your own business a bit more efficiently so that you can find the time to grow your team. But often business owners want advice on how to attract and retain the right people. Our first step is to understand your specific needs. And then we’ll craft our sessions based on the strategies you’re looking for.
What is the difference between Roadmap’s training and what else is out there?
Great question. Roadmap was developed to create a solution to an ongoing problem. Training within the host agency and independent travel advisor community is very fragmented. More importantly, the current training programs that exist are either not comprehensive enough for anyone who wants to build a sustainable, profitable business. Or – the content is outdated, ineffective, or built using archaic platforms and technologies. Beyond that, almost none are focused more on the luxury market. Which is where the real earning potential is.
We decided it was time to solve this problem. And so we created the most comprehensive training program on the market, developed by industry experts who know what it takes to succeed, and utilizing cutting-edge technologies and top instructional designers to take the learning experience next level.
We decided it was time to solve this problem. And so we created the most comprehensive training program on the market, developed by industry experts who know what it takes to succeed, and utilizing cutting-edge technologies and top instructional designers to take the learning experience next level.
Why should I trust Roadmap training? Who developed it?
ROADMAP is recognized among the industry elite as the gold standard luxury travel advisor training program.
It takes teams of experts in different areas to develop a comprehensive – and effective – training that also provides a seamless user experience and an engaging, dynamic learning experience. This type of training requires insights from people who have run luxury travel businesses themselves and understand what it takes to succeed, as well as a collective of industry veterans in various roles to add expertise and perspective throughout the course content. And finally, you need top instructional designers and cutting-edge technologies to ensure you’re getting an enhanced learning experience that is effective for any learning style, maximizes retention, and ensures our graduates are ready to hit the ground running as they launch their own businesses.
We are proud to say that our best-in-class training program is endorsed by Internova Travel Group and its luxury subsidiary Global Travel Collection (GTC), the industry’s most influential and prestigious network of top travel advisors and luxury suppliers around the globe.
It takes teams of experts in different areas to develop a comprehensive – and effective – training that also provides a seamless user experience and an engaging, dynamic learning experience. This type of training requires insights from people who have run luxury travel businesses themselves and understand what it takes to succeed, as well as a collective of industry veterans in various roles to add expertise and perspective throughout the course content. And finally, you need top instructional designers and cutting-edge technologies to ensure you’re getting an enhanced learning experience that is effective for any learning style, maximizes retention, and ensures our graduates are ready to hit the ground running as they launch their own businesses.
We are proud to say that our best-in-class training program is endorsed by Internova Travel Group and its luxury subsidiary Global Travel Collection (GTC), the industry’s most influential and prestigious network of top travel advisors and luxury suppliers around the globe.
Is this course worth $2500?
At the end of the day, that’s a question only you can answer.
We know it’s a big decision. But investing in yourself and the training it takes to build a real business is the first step toward really changing your life -and opening doors to an entirely new career, increased earning potential, and ultimately creating a better life.
Once you have the foundational training, you need to hit the ground running, the only real way to build something is to dive in and learn as you go. But without a baseline level of knowledge, your chances of success decrease dramatically without proper training. That’s true for starting any business.
One way to look at it is …. What is the ROI? If you spend $2500 now, most top travel advisors will tell you can easily make that with one booking. Or a handful of bookings when you’re first getting started. Our advice? If you want to win in life and business - invest in yourself. It’s the only way.
We know it’s a big decision. But investing in yourself and the training it takes to build a real business is the first step toward really changing your life -and opening doors to an entirely new career, increased earning potential, and ultimately creating a better life.
Once you have the foundational training, you need to hit the ground running, the only real way to build something is to dive in and learn as you go. But without a baseline level of knowledge, your chances of success decrease dramatically without proper training. That’s true for starting any business.
One way to look at it is …. What is the ROI? If you spend $2500 now, most top travel advisors will tell you can easily make that with one booking. Or a handful of bookings when you’re first getting started. Our advice? If you want to win in life and business - invest in yourself. It’s the only way.
How much time will it take to complete the course?
The course is made up of 6 modules and 60 lessons. It’s a self-paced course, so how quickly you move through it really depends on how much time you have to devote to it during your week. It’s safe to say you’ll likely need about 10 - 12 hours to complete it. But it really depends on your own learning style and preference to how quickly you’re looking to move through it.
I am not currently affiliated with a host agency. Can Roadmap connect me to one?
Yes! Beyond the training course, an added benefit for our course graduates is that we help you take that next step in starting your business.
Aligning yourself with the right host agency is extremely important to ensure you have the right support, resources and community as you build your business.
For graduates who are not yet affiliated with a host agency, Roadmap is proud to partner with Global Travel Collection.
Global Travel Collection’s host agency program is highly selective, exclusive to experienced travel advisors only and a select number of new-to-industry candidates who have demonstrated high growth potential.
Through ROADMAP’s exclusive partnership, course graduates are referred to GlobalTravel Collection’s advisor selection team, with the opportunity to be considered for its exclusive network.
Aligning yourself with the right host agency is extremely important to ensure you have the right support, resources and community as you build your business.
For graduates who are not yet affiliated with a host agency, Roadmap is proud to partner with Global Travel Collection.
Global Travel Collection’s host agency program is highly selective, exclusive to experienced travel advisors only and a select number of new-to-industry candidates who have demonstrated high growth potential.
Through ROADMAP’s exclusive partnership, course graduates are referred to GlobalTravel Collection’s advisor selection team, with the opportunity to be considered for its exclusive network.
Who is the founder of Roadmap?
Susan Duffy is the founder of Roadmap. You can read more about her here.
Will this course continue to be updated?
Yes, this course will continue to be updated to ensure the information in our training is always current – and accurate – as this is an industry that is continually evolving.
We will also continue to add new supplemental content, mini courses, and entirely new courses focused on more advanced business skills or specific areas of expertise.
Once you enroll in our course, you will receive any updates as we release any new courses and content.
We will also continue to add new supplemental content, mini courses, and entirely new courses focused on more advanced business skills or specific areas of expertise.
Once you enroll in our course, you will receive any updates as we release any new courses and content.