Do You Want to Be a Travel Agent… or a CEO of Travel? [2025 UK Guide]

You want to work in travel. You want the flexibility, the freedom, and the joy of sending people off on their dream trips.

But here’s the thing: there’s a huge difference between being a travel agent and being the CEO of your travel business.

Most people never make that leap.

They stay in “agent mode”, taking orders, sending quotes, working reactively. And while there’s nothing wrong with that, it’s a completely different game from running a travel business with strategy, intention, and scale in mind.

If you want to start a travel agency in the UK in 2025 and actually make it profitable, you need to think like a CEO from day one.

Here’s the unfiltered breakdown:

If you’re just starting out, it’s tempting to focus only on learning how to make bookings and get commission. But without a CEO approach, you’ll end up:

• Chasing one-off sales

• Feeling like you’re always “hustling” for the next client

• Burning out before your business has a chance to grow

When you start a travel agency in the UK with a business-owner mindset, you’re building something that can sustain you for years, not just cover next month’s bills.

A job ends when you stop working. A brand lives on and grows.

Branding is more than a pretty logo:

• It’s the niche you specialise in (luxury honeymoons, family adventures, cruise specialists, etc.)

• It’s your values and how you serve clients

• It’s the reason someone chooses you over any other travel agent

As a CEO of Travel, you design a brand that becomes a magnet for your ideal clients.

This is where most new agents go wrong — they have no idea how much they need to earn to make the business viable.

If your goal is £4,000/month, you work backwards:

• Average booking value: £3,000

• Commission rate: 15% = £450 per booking

• Your split with host agency: 80% = £360 per booking

• £4,000 ÷ £360 = 12 bookings a month

Once you know the numbers, you can plan your marketing to generate the volume you need — instead of hoping it happens.

A travel agent spends all their time quoting, replying, chasing payments, answering DMs.

A CEO of Travel has:

• Automated email sequences to nurture enquiries

• Pre-built social media content calendars

• Booking systems with supplier integrations

• A clear process for enquiries to become clients

It’s not about working harder — it’s about making sure the business runs even when you’re on holiday yourself.

You’re not just “selling holidays.” You’re selling expertise, trust, and an easier life for your client.

Ways to show authority:

• Write SEO blog posts that answer travel questions

• Host live Q&A sessions on Instagram or Facebook

• Collaborate with local businesses (wedding planners, photographers, event venues)

• Share your personal travel experiences and insider tips

When people see you as the go-to person for a certain type of trip, price becomes less of a barrier, and loyalty skyrockets.

One of the fastest ways to stall is to think you have to know everything before you start. You don’t.

Most successful travel CEOs didn’t start with years of experience, they started with:

• A clear niche

• A strong marketing plan

• A commitment to learning as they go

The market rewards action, not perfection.

This is the big one. Your marketing needs to go beyond “Here’s a deal” posts.

A CEO of Travel marketing plan includes:

• Content marketing: Blogging, reels, destination guides

• Lead generation: Free downloads, webinars, local events

• Social proof: Testimonials, case studies, client stories

• Brand storytelling: Why you do what you do, and who you do it for

When you market with purpose, you’re building a pipeline of clients, not just promoting whatever’s on sale that week.

A travel agent thinks about next month’s bookings. A CEO thinks about:

• Where the business will be in 5 years

• What products/services will be added

• How the business could run without them personally handling every booking

You’re not just in the travel business — you’re building an asset.

You can be a travel agent who books holidays. Or you can be the CEO of Travel, running a business that gives you the income, flexibility, and lifestyle you actually want.

The difference?

• A travel agent sells trips.

• A CEO of Travel builds a business that sells trips, and freedom.

If you’re ready to stop thinking like an order-taker and start thinking like a business owner, the time is now.

🔥 Ready to go from travel agent to CEO of Travel? Join Medlife Homeworking and get a fully bookable website, modern marketing training, and the systems you need to build your travel empire.

Related Reads:

• Homeworking Travel Agent vs Franchise – Which Is Better?

• How Much Can a Home-Based Travel Agent Earn in the UK?