Full-time
or part-time?
Choosing a full-time or part-time homeworking role can be tricky – there are pros and cons to both. Juliet Dennis speaks to three agents to find out their experiences
K
nowing whether to jump straight into a full-time position as a homeworking
agent or start part-time can be a difficult decision. Some homeworkers work full-time on
their agency from the beginning; some juggle their time between their travel agency business and another job; others make the leap from part-time to full-time once they have dipped their toe in the water. Deciding on the hours you work is
a personal choice and there can be benefits and downsides to both. Here, three homeworkers explain how they make it work for them.
A We started in travel on retirement; I was a senior police officer and my wife Jo was a nurse. We wanted flexibility, to be our own bosses and indulge our love of travel. It has developed into full-time, but the hours fit around our commitments. One of our biggest early bookings, worth £47,000, was completed on a beach in Thailand.
Q Has your previous career
experience helped? A We’re used to getting calls at all hours and our previous training was useful in calming clients down over a missed connection or even an approaching hurricane. It’s about being accessible, rather than working every hour.
travelweekly.co.uk
FULL-TIME AGENT Geoff Wessell, managing director, Ginge Tours, Protected Trust Services Q What are your working hours like?
Q Benefits of full-time homeworking? A Flexibility. You can take a morning off and
work from anywhere. But you shouldn’t expect it to pay the mortgage from the outset; it takes time to build up your reputation and client base. The best bookings tend to be a long way from departure, so £1,000 commission might not reach you for 10 months or longer.
Q How do you manage your time? A We try to keep to ‘office hours’ at home
and have changed a bedroom into an office. This allows us to shut the door and walk away in the evening. We still check our phones for the odd enquiry, but we’ve learnt the importance of downtime.
Q What advice would you give
people considering homeworking? A See it as a long-term plan, but not your only source of income early on. That said, don’t do it as a ‘side hustle’ only. It requires dedication to succeed.
JULY 2026 17
PICTURE: Shutterstock/Cagkan Sayin
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64
