a different kind of travel agency
Travel with Awestruck is a leading agency within our industry, maintaining an intentionally lean team of exceptional performers. Whether you are a full-time advisor or just starting out part-time, we provide deep industry expertise and structured business coaching to help you turn your passion for travel into a career. We do things differently because we believe that travel advisory is a career and a vocation – not a hobby.
Why Join Travel with awestruck
While every agency will offer you “training,” we offer differentiated business building expertise. Every independent advisor on our team has complimentary access to world-class growth coaching led by our ex-Harvard, ex-McKinsey Chief Growth Officer. She has led multi-billion-dollar business growth initiatives for some of the largest consumer brands in the world, She has worked side by side with and coached Fortune 100 executives — and now, she is on call to coach you.
Our model works. While every host agency will offer you basic onboarding, we can credibly say we know how to build multi-million-dollar travel businesses because we have done it – multiple times. Nearly every advisor who has joined our team — whether brand new or 10+ years in — has seen double-digit growth within their first 1-2 years with our brand.
Unlike many host agencies run by administrators and backed by investors who have never booked a trip, Travel with Awestruck is led by multi-million-dollar sellers who are still active in the field. We do not depend on agent fees and independent advisor revenue because we are seller-led. We know your challenges because we live them — and we’ve designed our support to help you succeed in the real world, not protect the bottom line in the back office.
In today’s travel industry, we increasingly see agencies holding independent advisors to employee standards. Travel with Awestruck was founded to escape agency practices that we believed to be predatory towards independent contractors and create something different: a professional agency that protects its independent advisors as much as it protects its owners. Independent means independent – and we take that seriously because we have experienced the alternative. At Travel with Awestruck, you will never need to fight for your commission, you are welcome to have your own brand, and we will never pressure you to sell exclusively with us. We want you to stay forever – and we think you will once you experience the Travel with Awestruck difference – but we will never pressure you to do so.
We are known for our integrity and have a pristine reputation (and close partnerships) with top suppliers and other industry leaders. We are a true team, and we support one another fiercely. Top suppliers know us, trust us, and advocate for our advisors — because we show up with our values, not just our volume.
We believe the best work happens in a community of like-minded professionals. That’s why we keep our advisor base limited and values-aligned — so every member feels deeply supported and proud of the company they keep. We carefully vet our advisors to ensure that they share our brand’s values and commitment to service, beginning in our independent advisor application. Because we are not run on an agent fee or agent revenue-based model, we can afford to be selective with our team and maintain an intentionally lean independent advisor base. This allows us to truly invest in each of you – wherever you are in your career.
As a Signature member, you and your clients gain access to elite perks, supplier exclusives, and custom-branded marketing tools that elevate your business. While other agencies offer vague “marketing support,” we deliver world-class assets including e-marketing, direct mailing, micro-sites, and print publications straight to your clients, all with your name, contact information, and branding. Think: luxury travel magazines delivered to your clients’ doors — with your name on the cover.
We are also a member of leading industry organizations, including:
- IATAN – The International Airlines Travel Agent Network
- CLIA – Cruise Lines International Association
- Signature Travel Network – Our leading consortium
- ASTA – The American Society of Travel Advisors. Our independent advisors receive exclusive benefits with ASTA, including the Verified Travel Advisor accreditation program and individual ASTA Independent Contractor Memberships at deeply discounted rates
- Destination Wedding University
- Destination Wedding & Honeymoon Specialists Association (DWHSA)
- Mentor Chamber of Commerce – Our headquarters are located in Mentor, Ohio
- Business Network International (BNI)
travel with awestruck accolades have included:
ALG Vacations Diamond Elite Agency
Classic Vacations Group Star Performers (Top 25 Group Agencies in North America)
AIC Hotel Group Triple Platinum Agency
Hyatt Inclusive Collection Confidant (Top 100 Advisors Globally)
Playa Spotlight Award (Top 100 Advisors in North America)
Preferred Sandals Resorts Agency
who is travel with awestruck in our industry?
join the team that sets the standard
Is Travel With Awestruck the right fit for you?
We are looking for advisors who are professional, service-obsessed, values-driven, fun-loving, and ready for breakthrough growth
We are highly selective in who we onboard as independent advisors. We welcome independent advisors at all stages of their careers, including new advisors who have never worked in the travel space and 20+ year industry veterans with multi-million-dollar businesses, but we are conscious of only bringing on advisors who we believe will be the right fit for our highly collaborative team.
You would likely be a good fit if you…
Embody a service-first mindset. You place what is best for your clients above all else (including your brand status and commission tiers). You view your clients as friends and family, and treat them as such
Are serious about scaling your travel business but need the right support to get there. You dream of building a career as an award-winning, top-producing independent advisor, but you feel stuck. You are looking for an experienced, top-performing leadership team that will guide you and provide coaching to help you reach that vision (instead of disappearing once you’ve paid your annual fee)
Bring creativity to your work and life. You are always the first person in the room to raise your hand with new ideas, and you never get tired of trying new approaches
Value collaboration. You would love nothing more than joining optional monthly team calls, participating in group chats, and teaming up for outbound marketing events with other high-performing, independent advisors. You love to learn best practices from others, and to share your own ideas
Love a little healthy competition. The idea of participating in our industry-leading monthly sales incentive program (where our leaders fund and give away free resort nights, luxury travel gear, and gift cards to your favorite local spots) excites and motivates you
Consider yourself a lifelong learner. You would love the chance to learn from industry experts and business strategy leaders, and view feedback as a gift
Want access to the advantages usually reserved for owners. You want to be able to attend FAM trips, represent our team at award shows, and meet with our suppliers directly to grow your brand and better serve your clients, instead of waiting in the wings for the information to trickle down to you