by Jen Mallia
Last updated: 4:55 PM ET, Thu July 10, 2025
Do you charge service fees for your time? Across the world, travel advisors are relying less on commissions for the entirety of their wage, and leaning into service charges as compensation for the time they spend working for clients. Professionals of all sorts charge hourly or project-based consulting fees, and according to a new report by the World Travel Agents Association Alliance (WTAAA) more and more travel advisors are doing so too. It’s a move driven by increasing expectations from clients.
"Today's travellers want complex itineraries, upfront pricing, and 24/7 support, and they want advisors who can dedicate their full expertise to creating the perfect trip,” says Otto de Vries, Executive Director for the WTAAA. “Professional fees enable advisors to be true consultants, not just instruction-takers."
The report shows that rather than relying on fluctuating supplier commissions, travel advisors are charging upfront for their knowledge. The report cites advantages for clients and advisors, such as a the increased ability to:
- Deliver more personalised service.
- Dedicate time to complex itineraries.
- Reinvest in technology tools like Al-driven trip management platforms.
- Offer travellers greater value with full transparency.
"This marks a new chapter for our industry," said de Vries. "We are witnessing a structural transformation where advisors around the world are no longer defined by what they book but by what they know. They're increasingly being compensated like true professionals, which ultimately delivers more value to travellers through personalised planning, transparency and trust."
Worldwide Differences
The numbers vary widely regionally. In Canada, only about half of the travel advisors surveyed charge service fees consistently. On the high end, in New Zealand, more than 95 percent of agencies report charging structured professional fees, since airline commissions were cut by up to 100 percent. Implementing fees has driven profit margins from under 5 percent (on commission-only bookings) to between 12-20 percent per transaction, depending on how complicated the trip is.
Europe reports a 66 percent adoption rate, with widespread non-refundable consultation deposits. Among fee-charging agencies surveyed in the EU, 85 percent report improved revenue predictability and 60 percent cite higher profitability.
In the United States, 55 percent of traditional travel agencies now charge professional fees; a combination of consultation charges and residual commissions.
On the other side, fee adoption remains “limited” across much of Asia-Pacific. Latin America markets are mainly sticking with embedded pricing models instead of explicit advisory charges; however, the report found “luxury focused firms show early signs of moving toward tiered consultancy packages.”
A Matter of Transparency
Canadians in the survey expressed “confidence gaps” when presenting pricing models directly to clients, which may be because, traditionally, travel advisors have not charged service fees.
And the hesitation is fair. 70 percent of respondents across the survey reported some initial pushback from clients when introducing fees. But clear communication is the key.
"Clients don't reject fees, they reject poorly communicated ones," noted a German agency in the study. "When we explain that our €150 deposit covers ten hours sourcing exclusive villas and negotiating group rates, they see the investment value immediately."
According to the report, emerging fee models mirroring other trusted professions, such as:
- Consultation deposits.
- Project-based pricing for complex itineraries.
- Subscription memberships for frequent travellers.
- Corporate retainers.
"This evolution positions travel advisors where they belong, as trusted professionals whose expertise commands fair compensation," added de Vries. "The future belongs to those who confidently charge what they're worth, because great advice isn't free."
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