Ever since airline tickets came with carbon copies and suitcases had to be carried not rolled, travel agencies have been there to make traveller’s dreams come true. And, as demand for travel grew, so did the number of independent advisors — and many found their start through host agencies: ready-made platforms offering booking tools, supplier access and support in exchange for a commission.
It’s a model that still works for many and in fact, a huge 39% of independent travel advisors launched their business this way and continue to use host agencies to this day. But here’s the catch: the standard 10–15% commission rarely reflects the hours spent crafting personalised itineraries or the years invested in building encyclopedias of travel and destination expertise.
That’s where Waybird comes in. We’re not a host agency, but a back-office solution built specifically for boutique travel specialists designing custom, multi-stop trips and charging service fees that reflect their real value.
How is Waybird different from a traditional host agency?
Waybird’s tech and tools were developed by the same team behind Timbuktu Travel, a travel-tech company that was named the World’s No. 1 Tour Operator by T&L in 2024. In 2022, having faced many of the same difficulties as independent agents over the years, they made their pioneering technology and content available to travel advisors across the world — and Waybird was born.
1. Business model: Travel advisors control prices and earn revenue upfront
Traditional host agencies: These travel advisors rely on a commission-split model, meaning they earn a percentage of the supplier’s commission – but only after the client has travelled. Sometimes payments take months to reflect (and that’s after hours of “commission chasing” too), which is incredibly challenging when running your own travel business.
Waybird: Waybird offers an industry-leading profit-sharing partnership model. Our travel advisors use a markup model (similar to that of tour operators), allowing them to set their own tour and trip prices, offer a simple, one-price package that is easy for clients to understand, and, most importantly, earn revenue upfront. With this model, our travel advisors are paid fairly for the time spent meticulously creating each bespoke tour and are paid immediately after the client travels, without having to wait for commissions.
Example:
Traditional Host Agency Model
| Gross Tour Price | Commission offered by supplier | Total Commission | Profit Earned (after 80% commission split) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 | 15% | $1,500 | $1,200 |
| $20,000 | 15% | $2,000 | $1,600 |
| $30,000 | 15% | $4,500 | $3,600 |
| Total profit | $6,400 |
| Net Tour Cost | Price set by travel advisor (with a 25% mark-up) | Total Profit | Profit Earned (80% share) |
|---|---|---|---|
| $8,500 | $10,625 | $2,125 | $1,700 |
| $18,000 | $22,500 | $4,500 | $3,600 |
| $25,500 | $31,875 | $6,375 | $5,100 |
| Total profit | $10,400 |
2. Custom itineraries: Services designed specifically for curated, personalised trips
Traditional host agencies: Usually offer a wide range of cookie-cutter itineraries and tours, spanning everything from business to leisure trips, cruises to amusement parks – and everything in between. The emphasis is on volume bookings and reselling pre-packaged tours for large suppliers.
Waybird: Focuses on bespoke, highly-personalised trips with a global network of DMCs, specifically created for travel advisors who design complex itineraries to multiple destinations. Our community of like-minded travel professionals take part in product training, travel shows, and FAM trips to stay at the very top of their game, continually improving their on-the-ground expertise and knowledge.
3. Pioneering technology: A super-charged itinerary builder for Waybirders
Traditional host agencies: Offer a patchwork of outdated itinerary tools that often need to be manually populated with information, images and pricing, creating a (very!) laborious quoting process for customised itineraries with multiple stages.
Waybird: Our platforms allows advisors to build complex, multi-destination travel itineraries in five minutes using a library of expert-written content and beautiful imagery from more than 3,000+ hand-picked properties and travel experiences in Africa, Asia and Latin America. With the help of dynamic pricing and live availability, advisors can update quotes instantly to increase client engagement and double conversion rates.
Five ways Waybird is similar to a traditional host agency
1. Waybird empowers travel advisors to become business owners
Independent travel advisors who work with Waybird–or a host agency–remain the owners and operators of their businesses. Advisors are not employees but remain in the driver’s seat, operating with the support of Waybird’s credentials, memberships and reputation. In short, it’s a smart way to get a head start and have a trusted name to lean on.
This kind of partnership gives you access to tools, tech, supplier connections, and back-office support that would be expensive and time-consuming to build from scratch. Instead of spending months (or even years!) chasing down supplier contracts and credibility, Waybird fast-tracks your access to an established network, so you can focus on selling incredible trips from day one.
2. Lower start-up costs and faster launch time
One of the biggest perks of joining Waybird or a host agency for travel advisors is instant access to the essentials, including licensing and supplier agreements, without the hefty upfront costs. Alongside Waybird’s industry-leading tech, it makes it even easier to streamline workflow, boost efficiencies and deliver an incredible level of client service from the get go.
3. Access to essential supplier relationships
Like host agencies, Waybird has extensive, long-standing relationships with the best hotels, resorts, tour operators and destination management companies (DMCs) in the industry. These often come with preferred partner programmes that translate to lower costs for travel advisors and exclusive perks for clients – think room upgrades, complimentary breakfasts and resort credits. Our supplier relationships are particularly strong amongst providers of services for bespoke tours.
4. Training and professional development
Host agencies often provide training on systems, sales, marketing and niche expertise – and that’s exactly what Waybird does too. However, we take it one step further with a robust on-boarding program tailored to custom travel: how to build complex itineraries, price them properly, and learn from mentors who’ve done it all before. Our advisors also have opportunities for FAM trips and ongoing professional development to stay ahead of the curve on emerging destinations, new suppliers, and industry trends.
5. Community of like-minded travel professionals
Being independent doesn’t mean being alone. Like host agencies, Waybird fosters a strong community, but ours is made up of travel advisors who specialise in high-touch, multi-stop trips. It’s a space to share ideas, ask questions, and learn from one another.
To wrap up
Choosing the “right” partner or host agency for you is more than just ticking boxes. Your partner should align with your business aspirations, target audience, specialisation and working style. Whether you’re just starting out or scaling up, Waybird offers the credibility, infrastructure, and community you need to build a thriving business, without going it alone.
What Waybirders have to say
“Waybird has completely transformed the way we manage our travel itineraries. It’s effortless to build, edit, price and present beautiful trip ideas. The travel tech platform is easy to use, visually stunning, and receives exceptional feedback from our clients”. Monique Luyt, Lewis & Luyt Travel
Interested in joining Waybird as your host agency?
Explore what Waybird has to offer by signing up for membership.
