So You Want To Be A Planner?

IS THIS THE JOB FOR YOU?

Do you find yourself chatting with random strangers about anything and everything Disney or Universal? Do you follow Disney and Universal fan groups, listen to themed podcasts, or watch Vloggers on YouTube just to stay on top of any and all breaking news even if you don't have a vacation scheduled? Are you helping family and friends snag those hard to get dining reservations, creating step by step itineraries, or recommending hotels just for fun?Do you price out vacations to Mexico and the Caribbean even when you know your not scheduling a trip in the near future? If you answered yes to any of these questions then, THIS IS THE JOB FOR YOU!

ARE PEOPLE EVEN TRAVELING RIGHT NOW?

Believe it or not, yes, people are traveling. We are currently seeing some travelers booking some last minute trips as opposed to years passed where they would spend months planning a vacation. Not only are some traveling now, many clients had to postpone this years vacation and are going stir crazy being stuck in the house, because of that, we are seeing a ton of interest for travel in 2021. Postponed family vacations, destination weddings, honeymoons and family reunions are all just waiting to start planning again and that is why WE NEED YOU! 

WHAT IS ACTUALLY INVOLVED

We do not require prior travel agency experience per say, however, since our clients come to us for our first hand knowledge of travel, it is imperative any planners who consider filling out an application hold a vast amount of their very own first hand travel knowledge. We offer in-depth training both directly from our agency in all aspects of the position as well as training from each booking platform, supplier and destination you are going to be working with daily. Training can be flexible and tailored around your schedule. 

The first year of business is truly spent promoting yourself and building your book of business. It can be tiresome and exhausting but also extremely rewarding. Most of our planners came on board because they were already known to family and friends as the go to person to help with their vacations or travel experiences. We offer tons of training, tips and advice for self-promoting and all of the suppliers we work with also offer complimentary marketing collateral to use to help build your business. Unlike other agencies, Starstuff Travel also has our own in house marketing director who is available to you for anything you need. We conduct many webinars every month, run inner agency promotions and hold contests for our planners for potential increased commissions and/or rewards like FREE THEME PARK TICKETS!

WHAT ARE THE PROS

For starters, you get to talk about your some of your favorite destinations daily and if you're like me, a total Disney/Universal geek, you can talk about it all day long! You also get to research new places through out the day (which could also be considered a con since your own personal bucket list will grow). A few times a year we also come together to attend onsite trainings around the world to educate ourselves on what each destination offers. But the very biggest "Pro" in my book is that you play a part in the creation of travel experiences your clients will remember for the rest of their lives, and YOU GET TO MAKE PEOPLE SMILE. 

WHAT ARE THE CONS

While I absolutely love this job and could never see myself in another industry, the cons list is quite long. This job is not for everyone and perhaps very different than many expect. The biggest con is that we do not get paid unless the client books their trip with us and it is not until after the client travels do we even get paid for the hard work we put in. Therefore, you could actually work with a client for a year before actually seeing the commission for their booking and if they cancel for any reason your commission usually vanishes. Since you do not get paid until after travel, you could be waiting months for your first paycheck when you start as a planner. With all of that being said, THIS WAS THE BEST DECISION I EVER MADE!

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN AN AGENCY

You definitely want to do your homework when you are taking the leap to join an agency. Below you will find a few things you should be thinking about when looking into an agency. Also think about reaching out to planners that are currently working with the agency and see what they are saying as well. 

• Is the agency CLIA and/or IATAN certified?
• Will you have direct access to the agency owner and is it 24/7 in case of an emergency?
• Is the agency an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner, are they a Universal Orlando Resort Preferred agency, do they have additional awards with other suppliers they use daily like the 500 Club with Apple Leisure Group and so on. This proves they are in good standing with the suppliers they utilize.
• Do they have specific licensing in the states they are required to have it?
• Will they cover you under their "Errors and Omissions" insurance?

WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP

If you are still interested in possibly making the best career decision of your life, then please head over to the Join Our Team portion of the website by clicking here and filling out our application. After reviewing your application a team member will reach out to you with a follow up email and depending on position availability and interest we will then move forward with a phone interview. For now, please enjoy some photos and video below from a few of our favorite agency trainings together with the suppliers we love, IT IS ALWAYS SO MAGICAL!