Agent finds money in air fares
Travel agent owner Alan Brooks makes a comfortable living selling only airline tickets. The philosophy he shared with TravelMole:
“I can make more money selling one $7,000 ticket than selling ten $700 tickets.”
Mr Brooks and his then partner went into business as Brooks McGuire & Co. in 1980 as a regular travel agency.
“We had 15 employees, an entire cruise department,” he said.
But in recent years, Mr Brooks operates his Blowing Rock, NC-based business just with his partner, Jay Clifton. The agency only sells international business class fares.
He said his volume is way down, but his profits are up 200%, though he declined to be specific.
The typical airline ticket is anywhere from $3,500 up. Mr. Brooks said by buying in volume and through arrangements with airlines, he saves his travel agency clients’ customers money, sometimes at 40% or so.
The company limits to selected areas of heavy business travel such as Europe and Asia.
The entire marketing effort is regular e-mail broadcasts to travel agents.
Mr Brooks says he does not want just any client. “We don’t want shoppers and browsers,” he said.
When he started his specialty several years ago, his company was among a handful in that area. “But now there are about 250 companies,” he said.
Despite that, Mr Brooks says he is earning enough to meet his goal of retiring in two years.
Report by David Wilkening
David
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025