You have the training and the software. Now you need clients. A step-by-step 90-day plan to land your first ten, without a marketing budget.
Short answer: Pick one niche, write a clear offer, tell the people who already trust you, deliver a standout proposal and trip, and ask every happy client for one referral. Use the first 30 days to get your first bookings from your network, the next 30 to earn referrals and proof, and the last 30 to build a repeatable source of enquiries.
Updated October 2026. This plan avoids statistics on purpose. Results depend on your market, niche and effort.
Many new agents do the work of becoming an agent, such as training, a business name and a booking tool, and then wait for clients. The real work is demand. New agents also tend to describe themselves too broadly ("I book all kinds of travel") which gives people no reason to choose them or to recommend them. The plan below fixes both.
A niche is a kind of traveller or a kind of trip. It can be a place ("Italy for first-timers"), an occasion ("honeymoons and anniversaries"), a group ("multigenerational family trips") or a need ("accessible travel for wheelchair users"). Choose one you know well or can learn deeply. A narrow focus makes you easier to remember, easier to refer and easier to find.
Use this pattern: "I design [type of trip] for [type of traveller] who want [outcome], so that they [benefit]." Example: "I design slow-travel trips in Italy for couples who are tired of rushing, so they come home rested." That sentence goes on your profile, your email signature and your first message to every contact.
People cannot judge your skill from a promise. Build a complete sample proposal for an imaginary but realistic trip in your niche. Make it look like the real thing: cover photo, why this trip, day-by-day plan, places to stay, price options and clear next step. A shareable link that opens in a phone browser works better than an attachment. It is your portfolio.
Make a list of 50 people who know you and might travel or know someone who does. Message each one individually, not with a mass post. A good message is short: what you now do, who it is for, and one question, such as "Do you have a trip coming up, or do you know someone who does?" Attach the sample link. Expect most replies to be slow. A few will become your first clients.
Your first ten clients are your marketing. Over-deliver on responsiveness and detail. Check in during the trip. Send a short message when they return. This costs you nothing and is what people remember.
Ask each client for a short quote and permission to use it, and a photo from the trip if they are happy to share. Real words from real clients beat anything you write about yourself. Ask what was the best part and what you could do better.
The best moment to ask is when the client is delighted, often just after they return. Make it easy: "Is there anyone you know who is planning a trip? I would love to look after them the way I did you. You could forward this link." One referral from each client doubles your network quickly.
Wedding planners, relocation consultants, corporate event planners, school organisers and wellness retreat hosts all meet people with travel needs. Offer a simple arrangement: you handle the travel, they get a thank-you or a share, and you stay in your niche. A few strong partners can feed you for years.
Create a short enquiry form with a link you can share anywhere: your profile, your email signature, messages and social posts. Collect the essentials: who, where, when, budget and what matters. Then every enquiry arrives in a consistent format. See the 30 discovery questions to ask travel clients for what to include.
Answer the questions your niche asks. A page titled "Where to stay in Tuscany for a first visit" can bring in people actively planning that trip. Write from experience and be specific. One useful page per week for a few months builds a body of work that ranks and that you can share.
Most new agents lose bookings by not following up. Send a proposal, then follow up on a schedule: a day or two later, then a week, then a gentle close. Read how to follow up on travel proposals.
Note where each enquiry came from, how long you took to reply, and what happened. After 90 days you will know which channel to double down on. Simple numbers beat guesses. See which sales metrics travel agents should track.
| Niche | Who it is for | Sample one-line offer |
|---|---|---|
| Slow travel in one country | Couples tired of rushing | "I design unhurried trips in Portugal with three bases and plenty of empty days." |
| Honeymoons | Newly engaged couples | "I plan honeymoons that balance real rest with one unforgettable experience." |
| Multigenerational family trips | Grandparents, parents and children | "I plan trips where three generations all get what they want." |
| Accessible travel | Travellers with mobility needs | "I plan accessible trips with every step, ramp and transfer checked." |
| Milestone celebrations | Birthdays and anniversaries | "I turn a milestone into a trip they will talk about for years." |
| Destination weddings and guests | Couples and wedding parties | "I handle travel for your wedding guests so you do not have to." |
Choose the one where you have real knowledge or lived experience, because that is what clients can feel.
"I have started a travel business designing [type of trip]. Do you have anything coming up, or know someone who does? I would love to look after you. Here is a sample of what I build: [link]."
"I am now a travel advisor focusing on [niche]. If you or anyone you know is planning a trip, I would be glad to help. A short sample is here: [link]. No pressure, and I would appreciate it if you passed it on."
"I design travel for [type of client]. Many of your clients probably ask about travel. I would love to be the person you recommend. Here is how I work: [link]. Happy to talk through how we could collaborate."
New agents often under-price or work free. Decide your policy before you quote. A reasonable approach is a modest planning fee that is credited to the booking, plus supplier commission or markup. Read how much a travel agent should charge and how to price a custom trip before sending your first quote. You can always raise prices as demand grows. It is hard to raise them from zero.
The first three months are about learning and proof, not income. Expect some trips to take longer than planned and some enquiries to go nowhere. That is normal. What matters is the pattern: you are talking to people each week, sending proposals, following up, and improving each time. Agents who keep that rhythm for a few months usually find that referrals begin to carry more of the load.
Start with people who already know and trust you: friends, family, former colleagues and your community. Offer a specific kind of trip you are good at, ask each early client for one referral, and show your work with a clear sample proposal. Referrals and a narrow niche usually beat broad advertising for a new agent.
Yes. A niche, such as honeymoons, a region you know well, family trips or accessible travel, makes you easy to refer and easier to rank for in search. Broad positioning makes you compete with every large booking site.
Many new agents get their first few bookings from their personal network within the first month or two, because trust already exists. Building a steady flow from strangers takes longer and depends on your niche, content and referrals.
A simple one helps: what you do, who it is for, a sample proposal and a way to enquire. But your first clients will mostly come from conversations. Do not delay outreach while you perfect a site.
Ask at the moment of delight: when they send a photo from the trip or return home happy. Make it easy by giving them a short message to forward or a link to your enquiry form, and thank them personally.
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