Ask the experts
Before starting your homeworking journey, you’ ll have plenty of questions – Rhodri Andrews puts a few to our panel of experienced home-based agents
Our panel
DAN BARTHOLOMEW OATES travel agent, The Awesome Adventure Company (Travelosophers)
S
SINEAD ROCHFORD independent travel agent, InteleTravel
tarting out as a homeworking agent can be a daunting prospect. So we’ve posed a few questions to our panel of experienced homeworking agents – a few of which
act as mentors in their own agencies – to help you get a better understanding of the day-to-day role before you take the plunge.
Q How easy is it to get to grips with homeworking? Dan Bartholomew Oates: If you have a positive attitude and a willingness to learn and adapt, then getting to grips with it can be quite easy. You need to be self-motivated and get on with things under your own steam. Sinead Rochford: I found it much easier than I expected. Like anything new, there’s a steep learning curve at the beginning, but if you’re organised, motivated and passionate about travel, you quickly find your rhythm. Samantha Hale: When I started, I underwent a two-week course, which was really helpful, even though I had already been in the industry for 19 years. The help and support available is second to none. Andrea Hill: It’s relatively straightforward, as long as you’re disciplined and willing to put the effort in. Working from home can be distracting, so having a dedicated, quiet workspace is key. With the right setup and mindset, it quickly becomes second nature.
SAMANTHA HALE personal travel consultant, Hays Travel
ANDREA HILL travel partner, Auria Travel
QHow much travel experience do I need? Dan: Many companies have new-to-travel schemes that allow you to complete a training programme while building your business. If you join a travel firm that doesn’t offer this, you will require some level of travel sales experience – about two years seems to be the norm. Sinead: You don’t need to have travelled the world to become successful, but having a genuine passion for travel and good people skills is really important. Personal travel experiences definitely help, though, because clients love hearing first-hand recommendations. Samantha: I had 19 years’ travel experience across different roles, but you can start homeworking without any experience. Agencies will often have new-to-travel academies to help ease you into the industry.
6 JULY 2026
travelweekly.co.uk
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