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By Peter Stilphen, ACC, MCC, ECC
CEO
Coral Sands Travel, America’s Host Agency, is a support only Host Travel Agency for Home Based Independent Travel Agents located in the Fort Myers, FL area. Our network of over 400 home based travel agents is spread throughout the United States, including Hawaii. Our independent agents are comprised of both newcomers just entering the travel industry and experienced travel sellers. Our agents all have one thing in common; they are serious about travel and have a desire to succeed. There are both part-time and full-time agents.
Our Host Agency programs are straightforward without gimmicks. Our 80/20 program requires a $295 sign up fee and a $150 annual fee. We also have a 90/10 program for the experienced travel agent selling a minimum of $500,000 in a calendar year. There are zero sign-up fees and annual renewal fees but the Agent must show proof of prior sales.
As a support only agency (we have no inside sales force to compete with you) we do keep current on all the technology and marketing opportunities and programs that would be useful to our travel agent network. Our consortium, The NEST, offers the best marketing program available and all of our agents have access to all of our organization affiliations for training, marketing, fams and Seminar at Sea programs. Our manuals that we provide our new agents have been extremely helpful in getting a new agency off the ground.
We are members of and affiliated with IATAN, CLIA, NEST, ASTA, NACTA, TPOC, STARS, WRTA and The TRAVEL INSTITUTE. Your clients always remain your clients. Our only clients are you, our affiliated members. You will also have access to an extensive blocked group space inventory to sell to individuals or to your group. You will retain the TC credit and all amenities provided by the supplier.
We provide branded Web sites for our members. A search engine friendly Web site packed with travel information and supplier content for $100 per year. You are free to choose your colors, templates, text and links on each Web site. The website also has a consumer booking engines for air, hotels and car rentals.
We also offer our members a bi-monthly newsletter providing timely information to our travel agents along with a social and business networking site we call the "Coral Sands Travel Travel Agent Community." We will provide access to the IATAN and CLIA photo ID cards where you would need to qualify. The IATAN card through Coral Sands requires earnings of $5000 in annual commissions and the CLIA card requires you to have a CLIA designation or enrolled in one of its designation programs.
When searching for a host agency, be sure to do your homework as ALL HOST AGENCIES ARE NOT THE SAME. You should locate a host that you feel comfortable with and that pays your commissions on time. A true host agency’s main function is “support,” therefore; you may wish to avoid technology/marketing firms, multi-level marketing firms and “card mills” that really aren’t host agencies. We would be pleased to respond to any of your questions and by the way, you will be talking to the “Boss,” not a sales person.
Contact Coral Sands Travel at (866) 481-4678 or visit
www.americashostagency.com
| Coral Sands Travel |
| "America's Host Agency" |
| 1526 Riverbend Drive, LaBelle, FL 33935 |
| Toll Free · (866) 481-4678 · Fax: (407) 479-3461 |
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| National Host Agency |
| Affiliations: |
ASTA, NACTA, CLIA, OSSN, IATAN ,WRTA
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| Years Organization Started: |
1996
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| Years in Hosting Status: |
6
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| Estimated 2007 sales in U.S. |
N/A
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| Number of Independent Contractors: |
470
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| Initial Contracting Fee |
$295
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| Annual Renewal Fee : |
$150
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| Commission Splits Available: |
80/20, 90/10
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| Consortium Affiliation: |
NEST
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Special Services for Contractors: No Productivity Requirements; No Monthly or Transaction Fees; No GDS Required; We Use Agent Friendly Online Booking Engines; Continuous Training and Marketing Opportunities; Seminars at Sea/Fam Trips.
Organizational values statement: There is a difference between host agencies. We are a straightforward, 100% support-only host agency without gimmicks and hidden fees.
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