Days_Off_Travel

Job Description

You will work as a travel agent from your home, functioning as an independent contractor - an affiliate of Days Off Travel. As an independent contractor, you would be responsible for your federal, state and social security taxes. You will be issued a 1099 at the end of the year for all commissions earned.

Qualifications

If you excel in customer service, are able to talk to people, are friendly, helpful, a quick learner, and are motivated you have all the qualifications you'll need to get started. Previous travel and/or sales experience will greatly benefit you.

You will need to purchase your own Errors & Omissions (E&O) Insurance Policy. We require that you have a $1,000,000 (one million) policy. This best protects you and your clients. Details on E&O insurance can be found in the manual.

We're often asked, "Other host agencies add their ICs to their E&O policy. Why don't you?"
We stopped adding our affiliates to our E&O policy back in 1994 to ensure that everyone was adequately protected against lawsuits. When you have the agency and all their affiliates under one policy, there is limited protection. The best illustration is a cake.

Imagine you have 4 people and 1 cake to feed all four. If one person decides they want 2 pieces then there are only 2 pieces left for the other 3 people. The same is true for a $1,000,000 E&O policy . Let’s say an agency has 10 employees and 30 independent contractors and a E&O $1,000,000 policy, theoretically this would allow for each person to have a claim against the policy of $25,000.

But if Agent Bill's clients’ expenses were more and they are awarded punitive damage so that Bill makes a claim against the policy say for $300,000, leaving only $700,000 left to cover the other 39 people. This means the other 39 people now are only covered for $17,948.72 for the rest of the year. So that $1,000,000 policy the other host is offering truly isn’t a $1,000,000 policy IF someone else needs to make a claim against it.

Why have independent contractors?

Days Off Travel has independent contractors to allow you an opportunity to start a home based business as a primary or secondary source of income. Many agencies won't hire newly trained agents, our affiliate program provides an opportunity for these travel agents to utilize their training and skills.

Is a home based business for you? Are you a sales professional looking for unlimited earning potential? A mom or dad wanting to work from home? Retiree who isn't quite ready to retire? Looking for a career change but still want the safety of your "day job"? Have planned your own trips and had fun doing so? Consider starting your own home based travel agency. Our program allows you to start a home based business with minimal start up fees.

Newly trained agents who have graduated from travel schools or who have taken classes at their local community college are finding that the job market is a Catch 22 situation: you can't get a job if you don't have the experience. You can't get experience without a job. Our Affiliate program gives you the opportunity to use your training to gain the skills and experience necessary to either continue as a successful home based agent (the current and future wave) or for those who seek the comfort of working in an office, to qualify for entry level positions.

The Big Question: what will I make?

We pay up to 100% commission including overrides and bonuses on all sales of cruises, adventure travel, tours, vacation packages, hotel bookings and car reservations. Your commission level will depend on your experience and the program you select. To see if you qualify for 100% commission, see below. And to sweeten the pot, each month we offer bonus commission in addition to any supplier bonus commission offerings. Supplier bonus commission is paid 100% to the selling agent. Plus, we also offer the opportunity to earn free cruises based on sales. These cruises are positive space cruises not travel agent reduced rate cruises where you have little advance notice. The more you sell, the more money you make and the more opportunities you have to travel for free

No sales quotas for Newbies. Sell as little or as much as you like - we make no demands on how much you need to sell. However, we are in the business of selling travel and expect that you are as well. As an affiliate of Days Off Travel the expectation is that you will be selling travel. If you are merely looking to obtain discounted or free travel for yourself we are not the host agency for you.

When do I get paid?

Commissions are paid every two weeks. You will get paid after your client has returned from their travel.

Year End Bonus

At the end of every 12 months we pay you 1% bonus commission based on your overall net (base) sales, something no other host agency offers. Essentially you will be making an additional 1% commission not including any additional agency bonus commission.

Free Travel

FAMs (travel agent familiarization trips) are a helpful sales too. As such we have a generous fam policy: there are no restrictions on the number of fams that an affiliate can take provided that they are actively selling. You may take as many fams or as few fams as you would like.

You keep all tour conductors (TCs) earned 100%. Days Off Travel is one of the few host agencies give you the TCs. TCs are the free berths that are available when you sell the required number of cabins on a cruise or spots on a tour or vacation package for groups of individuals traveling on the same travel date. You are free to use the free berth to travel with your clients or you can keep the money value of the berth. The choice is yours.

AND as part of our generous compensation program, we offer the opportunity to earn free cruises.

Support & Training

We provide complete support. Got a question? Need help or suggestions? We are here for you. We have a dedicated Affiliates only phone number for your exclusive use. We also offer free online training, monthly teleconferences, quarterly training and a year end conference.

In desperate need of marketing materials? Free marketing materials (cruise line postcards, letterhead, posters, and mailers) are available! You can even order free supplier brochures to be delivered directly to your home.

You'll be informed of specials, training and other opportunities. Supplier daily specials, seminars, FAMs and other training opportunities are emailed to you.

Online (Internet) Booking

Why pay for a CRS such as Sabre or Apollo when you don't have to? Save yourself time and money. You will be assigned a user id and password for your exclusive use for online (internet) booking. If you have dial up or would prefer making all your bookings via telephone you are free to do so. We do not require you to use our online booking system.

For your clients

Want the best prices for your clients? We have group space blocked on hundreds of sailings a year. You will have complete access to booking your clients into this group space: rates are extremely competitive. Many sailings offer amenities such as a bottle of wine, shipboard credit, prepaid gratuities, and/or specialized lecture series and events.

Manual

We have a procedure and training manual that explains our program in detail, complete with step by step examples of how to book a vacation and cruise, provides tips and ideas on marketing and how to find customers. But most importantly, the manual contains both the form you need from our office to get paid commission and the contract for you to sign.

Once you have mailed your signed contract and a copy of the declarations page from your paid E&O insurance policy you can begin.

Your first step towards affiliation with Days Off Travel or if you'd like more information to determine if we are the right host agency for you is to purchase the manual. The manual contains contracts for all program levels, choose the program you wish to participate in and complete the contract for that program. Contracts are only available in the manual. We do not fax or email copies of our contract without purchase of a manual.

There is a $35 charge for the manual which includes priority mailing.

More Information

To receive a manual, please send a check or money order in the amount of $35 made payable to Days Off Travel. Credit cards are not accepted for payment of the manual. Manuals will be mailed via priority mailed 5 - 10 business days after your check has cleared. For money order payments manuals are mailed out the next business day.

Send your check or money order to:
Days Off Travel
561 Vale View Drive
Vista, CA 92081-6720

Please address specific questions to affiliates@daysofftravel.com

For questions not answered on this site, please call our affiliates line at 760-458-0524. Calls to our business line and/or toll free number regarding our independent agent program will not be returned. Questions regarded detailed information about our program is contained in our manual. Invest $35 in your future and purchase a manual.

Program Details Chart

Select the program that bests meets your needs. (As we hope you can tell, we like to have fun, hence the names of our program levels.) Once you have received your manual you choose the program level you wish to affiliate and complete the required contract. All program level contracts are included in the manual.

Newbie

Choose this program if you are just getting into the travel industry and do not have any practical experience selling travel. Travel school graduates should choose this option. Our Newbie level gives you the support you need to be successful. Newbie details and costs:

CRM System
provides you with customer management, database marketing, bulk emails, invoicing, commission tracking, group reporting, inventory management and office automation tools. Internet enabled so you can access your database anytime, anywhere from any internet computer. Secure and password protected.
Website
a professional maintained content rich site that will be updated on a regular basis for you. Ability to make changes yourself without needing to know html.
Agentnet
the ultimate business-to-business, Web-based communications tool, packed with comprehensive information and valuable resources for both initiating and closing sales
Marketing Program
all-inclusive, direct mail and email marketing program
Training
monthly, quarterly, and yearly training opportunities
One on One Support
monthly follow-up, business and marketing suggestions and assistance in developing clientele
Preferred Suppliers
vast network of cruise lines, tour operators, airline consolidators, car rental companies, and more!
Group Space
Access to blocked group space on hundreds of cruises a year
Affiliate Update
monthly newsletter providing you with bonus commission opportunities, business articles, agency updates, and more
Bonus Commission
monthly, quarterly, and yearly bonus commission opportunities
Sales Goal Incentive
opportunity to earn an additional five percent (5%) commission
CO-OP
opportunity for co-op advertising
CLIA Card
a CLIA card once you've met qualifications
IATAN Card
an IATAN card once you've met qualifications
Seller of Travel
Seller of Travel coverage
50/50 commission split

Start-up fee = $300

Cost = $250 / year

Goldilocks

The "just right" program. Choose this program if you have been in the travel industry and want to work from home or are looking to change host agencies. Sales professionals may also choose this option. Our Goldilocks level gives you higher commission levels because of your experience. Goldilocks details and costs:

CRM System
provides you with customer management, database marketing, bulk emails, invoicing, commission tracking, group reporting, inventory management and office automation tools. Internet enabled so you can access your database anytime, anywhere from any internet computer. Secure and password protected.
Website
a professional maintained content rich site that will be updated on a regular basis for you. Ability to make changes yourself without needing to know html.
Agentnet
the ultimate business-to-business, Web-based communications tool, packed with comprehensive information and valuable resources for both initiating and closing sales
Marketing Program
all-inclusive, direct mail and email marketing program
Training
monthly, quarterly, and yearly training opportunities
SAS
additional opportunities to attend Seminars At Sea
Preferred Suppliers
vast network of cruise lines, tour operators, airline consolidators, car rental companies, and more!
Group Space
Access to blocked group space on hundreds of cruises a year

Affiliate Update
monthly newsletter providing you with bonus commission opportunities, business articles, agency updates, and more

Bonus Commission
monthly, quarterly, and yearly bonus commission opportunities

Sales Goal Incentive
opportunity to earn an additional five percent (5%) commission

CO-OP
opportunity for co-op advertising

CLIA Card
a CLIA card once you've met qualifications

IATAN Card
an IATAN card once you've met qualifications

Seller of Travel
Seller of Travel coverage

70/30 commission split

Start-up fee = $250

Cost = $150 / year

Old Timer

Been there, done that? Want to earn 100% of your commission without all the costs of having a stand alone agency? You're an adult, do you desire the flexibility of choosing the options you need? The Old Timer program is for you. Old Timer details:

CRM System (optional)
provides you with customer management, database marketing, bulk emails, invoicing, commission tracking, group reporting, inventory management and office automation tools. Internet enabled so you can access your database anytime, anywhere from any internet computer. Secure and password protected.

Website (optional)
a professional maintained content rich site that will be updated on a regular basis for you. Ability to make changes yourself without needing to know html.
Agentnet
the ultimate business-to-business, Web-based communications tool, packed with comprehensive information and valuable resources for both initiating and closing sales
Marketing Program (optional)
all-inclusive, direct mail and email marketing program
Training
monthly, quarterly, and yearly training opportunities
SAS & Inaugurals
additional opportunities to attend Seminars At Sea & Inaugurals

Preferred Suppliers
vast network of cruise lines, tour operators, airline consolidators, car rental companies, and more!

Group Space
Access to blocked group space on hundreds of cruises a year

Affiliate Update
monthly newsletter providing you with bonus commission opportunities, business articles, agency updates, and more

Bonus Commission
monthly, quarterly, and yearly bonus commission opportunities

Sales Goal Incentive
opportunity to earn an additional five percent (5%) commission

CO-OP
opportunity for co-op advertising

CLIA Card
a CLIA card once you've met qualifications

IATAN Card
an IATAN card once you've met qualifications

Seller of Travel
Seller of Travel coverage

100% commission

Start-up fee = $180

Cost = $150 / month
basic package without options
Optional Costs:
CRM System: $15 / month
Website: $10 / month
Marketing Program: $25 / month

I'm confused

We all are at some time or another.
Didn't Days Off Travel used to be the No Fee host agency? What happened?
We realized that we needed to give our affiliates the resources to grow their agencies. As such we restructured our affiliate program to better enable our affiliates to succeed and make more money.

But why should I pick Days Off Travel for my host agency?
We aren't the host agency for everyone. We recommend that you evaluate several host agencies in your search for the perfect host agency for you. The first step in determining if Days Off Travel is a good fit is to get our manual
to learn about us and our program in complete detail. If you decide we are the host agency for you, select the program
you wish to enroll in, purchase your E&O insurance, send us a copy once you have the declarations form and send that along with your signed contract for the program of your choice, along with your start up and yearly fee to us. If you want to be an Old Timer, send everything from above and we'll contact you about monthly payments.