How Much Does It Cost to Start a Travel Agency from Home? | 2025 UK Guide

Let’s be honest—when you’re thinking about starting your own travel business from home, the first question that hits is: how much is this going to cost me?

Not ballpark guesses. Not wishy-washy advice from someone who’s never done it. You want real numbers, real options, and a straight-up breakdown of what it takes to launch.

Good. That’s exactly what this post gives you.

When you start a travel agency from home, you’re not investing in shop space or signage. You’re paying for:

• Solid training that teaches you how to sell travel properly

• Access to supplier systems and booking tools

• Legal cover via ATOL/ABTA protection (usually through a host)

• Ongoing support, marketing tools, and admin systems

• The backing of an established brand (if you go with a host agency)

In short, you’re paying to set yourself up like a pro—so you can earn commission, build a client base, and run a real business.

This is by far the most popular route in the UK—and with good reason. It’s simple, low-risk, and gives you access to everything you need under one roof.

🔎 What’s Included?

• Supplier access

• Training and onboarding

• Booking systems (like Inteletravel, Jet2holidays, etc.)

• Back office support

• Legal protection under the agency’s licences

💰 Typical Costs:

• Setup fee: £200–£12,000 (one-time)

• Monthly fee: £79–£250 (varies depending on the package)

🔥 At Medlife Homeworking, we’ve stripped out the nonsense:

• Ignite Package: £199 setup + £79/month

• Velocity Package: £299 setup + £119/month
  No bolt-ons. No upsells. No shady small print.

✅ Why It Works:

• No travel industry experience needed

• No need to deal with suppliers directly

• Instant legal and booking support

• Ideal for part-time or full-time launch

This is the option that works best for most new agents—especially if you’ve never sold travel before.

Feeling brave (and experienced)? You can build your agency from the ground up—website, suppliers, licences, systems, the lot.

💰 What You'll Need to Pay For:

• Business setup & licensing: £100–£500

• ABTA or ATOL bonding: £1,000–£20,000+ (if you want to sell packages)

• Supplier relationships: May require proof of volume or credentials

• Website and branding: £300–£2,000+

• CRM and marketing tools: £50–£100/month

• Professional indemnity insurance: £200–£300/year

❗The Catch:

• Most tour operators won’t deal with you unless you’re bonded or part of a network

• No built-in support or training

• You're liable for everything

This route can work if you're ex-industry, already have clients, or want full control—but it’s not for beginners.

You’ve probably seen them. “Become a travel agent for £200!” “Start a travel business with zero experience!” It sounds appealing—until you realise it’s not about booking travel, it’s about recruiting other agents into a pyramid.

🚩 Common Issues:

• You’re encouraged to recruit, not sell

• Training is vague or outdated

• You don’t get access to proper supplier contracts

• You rarely own your bookings or client list

The entry fees might be low—£150–£400 to join, plus monthly costs—but the long-term value is often zero.

If you’re serious about starting a travel business, don’t touch MLMs with a barge pole.

Once you’re set up, you’ll still have some ongoing costs to run your business smoothly.

Here’s a breakdown of typical monthly expenses:

At Medlife, your monthly fee already covers the essentials—support, systems, and training.

Not really. You don’t need to go all-in from day one. In fact, most Medlife agents start part-time while they build up their client base.

Starting part-time means:

• Lower pressure

• Fewer marketing costs upfront

• You can test the waters before fully committing

What matters is that you stay consistent, even if it’s just a few hours a week.

Let’s break it down simply.

🟩 If You’re Joining a Host Agency:

• Upfront cost: £200–£12,000

• Monthly cost: £79–£249

• Initial tools/branding budget: optional (£50–£200)

👉 Realistic starting budget: ~£500–£1,000 total

🟥 If You’re Going Independent:

• Upfront cost: £1,000–£20,000+

• Monthly cost: £100–£200+

• Everything is on you

👉 Great if you’ve done this before. Risky if you haven’t.

Let’s say you book a £3,000 holiday at 15% commission. That’s £450 commission x 80% that Medlife Pay, thats £360 earned. Do that twice a month and you’ve covered your monthly fee—and started earning profit!

Once clients come back and refer their mates (they will), your earnings grow. The more you put in, the more you’ll get out. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme, but it is a solid business model.

A few things to keep your eye on before signing with any provider:

• Do they hide their pricing behind a “book a call” wall? (Why?)

• Do they upsell every step of the way?

• Is the training actually relevant to 2025, or stuck in 2010?

• Do they own your client list? (Deal breaker.)

• Do they talk more about recruitment than travel? 🚩

If it’s not clear, move on.

Starting a travel business from home isn’t about spending the least—it’s about spending wisely. Don’t fall for shiny marketing or vague promises. Choose a setup that gives you:

• Real support

• Up-to-date training

• Access to suppliers

• Control over your clients

• Space to grow at your own pace

That’s what gives you long-term value—not the cheapest possible buy-in.