Do you have a passion for travel? We do, too!
Our love of travel is what created Tier One Travel in the first place – that and our passion for people and ensuring they have the most incredible, memorable travel experiences possible.
At Tier One Travel we are also passionate about our independent travel consultants and agencies. We value the trust they put in us and, in turn, we offer them top-tier support and commissions. Our travel agents are recognized by our industry partners as the utmost accomplished professionals, and our brand is recognized as one of the best host agencies in the business.
If you are an experienced travel specialist seeking new opportunities, you’ve come to the right place. Joining Tier One Travel will move you to another tier of freedom and fun. Working at your own pace and in your preferred environment – at home, on the beach or in an office – you will discover what you’ve been missing.
We have what you’re looking for.
As the original Host Agency in Western Canada since 1994,
we continue to rank among the TOP 15 North American agencies.
Join the best.
We remain 100% Canadian owned and operated and, as a boutique host agency, have respected relationships with some of the best suppliers worldwide. We provide top revenue earning potential, the highest support to agent ratio, an enthusiastic marketing team, dedicated ticketing and airline contract support, and we offer exclusive Tier One training and incentives.
Become part of the Tier One Travel Team and you will have access to all that you need to provide your customers with excellent service and delivery. Our entire support network is dedicated to working for you. With Tier One Travel, you will have the freedom to do what you do best, while leaving the rest to us.
What are you waiting for?
Please note that we currently cannot accept consultants from the US, Quebec and Ontario.
Let’s get started!
“I’ve enjoyed my best 4 years in my travel career with Tier One. I joined Tier One with a big smile and I’m still smiling. Covid only affected my income, but not my gratitude and joy to be part of the Tier One family. I’m looking forward to many more years with Tier One.”
– Joanne Hopkins, Tier One Travel Consultant
Still struggling to earn more revenue?
We can make that a distant memory.
BENEFITS
Overview
Flexible Work Schedule
At Tier One Travel, we understand the value of living life to the fullest. Time flies by and we know how important it is to spend it with family and friends, as well, the value of travel in our own lives.
When you join Tier One Travel, you can rest assured that our business model and structure creates the flexibility for you to set your own schedule, choose your own clients, and decide where you want to work. You choose your preferred lifestyle and fit work around it. Not the other way around!
Commissions
Tier One Travel has aligned with only the best in the industry – exceptional supplier partners and a dedicated consortia, Ensemble, which provides you the opportunity to earn top tier commissions.
Contracts
Tier One Travel has a variety of competitive and generous contract opportunities suited to your business model. Let’s sit down and discuss which option works best for you.
Have you always wanted to develop your own team? Tier One also has Associate contracts, where you have the potential to enhance your advantage by creating your own team of travel consultants.
Technology
We have the technology that enables you to work anywhere, anytime. We provide the IT support to set you up for success in the office, at home, on the road or at the beach. If you prefer to work in an office or want to meet with clients in a professional setting, we can provide that for you as well. You choose.
Welcome to the world
of increased income and reduced costs.
Travel Benefits
We are passionate about travel and we know you are too! We want you to be able to pursue this passion by travelling to as many places as possible, as often as you can. After all, we know your experiences will turn into stories you can share with clients.
- No limits on ‘Educational Seminars’ aka Familiarization Trips.
- Access to numerous airlines, cruise, and hotel discounts.
- Opportunity to earn free and discounted travel through our preferred supplier initiatives.
- Discounted travel with the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Travel Agent card (once you earn $5000 in salary and/or commission).
Access to Group Health Benefits
When you join Tier One Travel you have access to our group health benefits. We have an excellent plan that provides coverage for health expenses not covered by your provincial plan, such as prescriptions, dental, supplementary health and wellness needs, along with short and long-term disability.
Recognition
Tier One Travel recognizes our top performers with our annual TOT Awards. These awards are presented to our highest supporters of Air Canada, WestJet, and our Top 10 preferred suppliers.
Conference and Other Events
- Tier One Travel Conference in Calgary is our opportunity to invite our esteemed travel consultants and preferred suppliers, every other year, for a weekend of fun, collaboration and learning. These fun events, include keynote speakers, a supplier trade show, team building activities, followed by a gala evening and dance.
- Our consultants can take advantage of Tier One Travel’s exclusive ‘Educational Seminar’ hosted in a different destination every other year, providing our consultants with the opportunity for travel, networking, destination education & fun!
- We celebrate our Top 15 Ensemble ranking annually with our various locations (Calgary, Edmonton and Victoria) every summer.
Corporate Tools
- Airline Contracts – Tier One Travel maintains lucrative airline contracts offering you a competitive edge.
- Corporate Reporting – A variety of corporate reporting tools are available to meet the requirements of your clients.
- Proposal Writing Assistance and Templates – We extend support with proposal creation to help you secure corporate accounts.
- Joint Sales Calls – Tier One executives are more than willing to assist you on joint sales calls with potential clients.
Additional Perks
- Dedicated Global Distribution System (GDS) support – Our knowledgeable support staff are here to provide assistance and guidance when it comes to either Sabre or Travelport technology and processes.
- Dedicated Airline Contract Support – Tier One has the best support in the industry when it comes to deciphering airline contracts and how to take advantage of them.
- Tier One Travel Ticketing Department – Don’t want to be bothered with the complexities of ticketing airline tickets? Not to worry – Tier One Travel offers our own in-house ticketing department.
- Accounting Support – Tier One Travel’s accounting department is eager to assist in any accounting questions you may have as well as providing for the needs of your clients, such as customized client reports and the ability for you to monitor your sales on a daily basis.
- Go Program – Our Go Program is Tier One Travel’s proprietary software designed for your group business. It eliminates the challenges of group business accounting by providing a program that allows you to communicate, collect data and provide invoicing for all your group clients no matter how large or small.
Do you like the commission from Group Travel but avoid selling groups due to the overwhelming data collection?
Tier One Travel has the answer to relieve that headache!
MARKETING
Tier One Travel provides customized materials with our logo, but personalized with your own phone number, email address, website, and social media links.
We can also help set you up on social media and teach you how to use it to market yourself to the fullest.
Our Marketing Team are also excellent at direct mail and email campaigns that will also increase your reach.
Don’t have a website?
You can link to the main Tier One Travel site, or we can help you create your own personalized Tier One Travel consultant website!
We’re pleased to offer our consultants two different website options to choose from:
The Personalized Travel Website which uses our Tier One Travel website template or the Deluxe Customized Travel Website which is a completely unique website developed just for you. Contact us for more information!
INCLUDED WITH ALL TIER ONE TRAVEL WEBSITES:
- Agent Bio Page
- Testimonials Section
- Awards + Accolades Section
- Supplier Promotions (updated weekly by Tier One Travel)
- Travel Blog Posts (updated weekly by Tier One Travel)
- Partner Content Section (of your choice)
- 10 Travel Styles Content Pages
- 10 Travel Destinations Content Pages
- Tours Listings (with G Adventures)
- Email Newsletter Signup
- Ensemble Award-Winning eMagazines
- Contact Me Forms
- Softvoyage Booking Engine offering Flights, Hotel, Vacation Packages, etc. (additional monthly fee $$)
We have an amazing Marketing Team
enhancing our brand and reputation.
And when you become part of the Tier One family,
your brand and reputation will also be enhanced.
Other Marketing Initiatives:
Dedicated Marketing Support – Free social media content, including: royalty-free photography, videos, travel articles, etc. that you can share with your social media audience. Tier One also provides you with a database of preferred supplier promotions that are updated weekly and pre-written sample captions and photos, making it easy for you to share promos with your audience. You also are provided with the assistance and support of a marketing specialist, helping you to create, measure and optimize your marketing campaigns.
Client Newsletters – Personalized travel newsletters are available once a month to send to your clientele as you see fit, positioning you as the expert and keeping you front of mind.
Tier One Travel Blog – Our travel blogs are fun and informative. We cover a wide range of topics with an end goal to inspire and excite readers to contact Tier One Travel for all their travel needs. We regularly write about pertinent travel topics and trends, educating our audience about enticing travel options and encouraging them to book under the Tier One Travel brand. Check out more blogs here.
We always strive to ensure blog content is timely, sensitive and appropriate, and our consultants can feel confident sharing this content with their own clients to keep them feeling inspired and informed.
Ensemble Magazine – As part of Tier One Travel, you have access to the suite of award-winning Ensemble Magazines directly mailed to your clientele, from you, such as Range, Ensemble’s world-class travel and lifestyle media brand, which are published numerous times a year for its member agencies. These publications are an exceptional way to stay current and keep your clients focused on your services.
Here are some examples of this award-winning magazine:
Consultant Testimonials
Enjoy the perks of being your own boss
with the support you need
to focus on what you love.
Supplier Testimonials
Does running your own business seem unattainable?
With so many details to consider, let Tier One Travel show you how to make it a reality.
JOIN NOW
Enjoy the perks of being your own boss with the support you need to focus on what you love.
By joining our Tier One Travel team, you will instantly benefit from more than 30 years of experience, quality supplier relationships, top-tier commission, and everything else you need to quickly boost your bottom line.
You will become part of the Tier One family, which is made up of highly professional, talented, enthusiastic, compassionate people who love to travel and love to help others experience the joy of travel for themselves.
We understand changing host agencies or becoming an independent travel consultant can be a scary proposition. Rest assured we are here to help every step of the way.
Agents
Increase your revenue earning potential through competitive commission splits and higher-at-the-source commission earning ability. Gain more control over your life and career. With us, you will have the freedom to excel.
Whether you are a specialist in a niche travel market, a corporate consultant, wedding specialist or a jack of all trades, we can accommodate you and help you shine. Whatever your preference, we can accommodate. And being part of the global Ensemble Travel Group enables Tier One Travel to provide you with all the support you need to succeed.
Agencies
Tier One Travel will provide the tools and resources to relieve your burden and improve your success. We are able to free up your time by taking the burdensome tasks off your plate and offering you the ability to focus to do what you do best!
By transferring your existing agency into a Tier One Travel office, you will decrease your overhead and increase your earning potential. At the end of the day, you will have more money in your pocket than you did before.
Imagine being able to retain your agency ownership, name and brand, while having the support of a long-standing host agency that can provide you with the tools to operate more profitably and efficiently.
Let’s Talk
If you’re thinking of branching out on your own, give us a call. We would love to hear from you and would be happy to answer all your questions. We want you to feel comfortable with your decision and to know it’s the right one for you.
We have so many stories from our independent travel agents and agency owners about why they are happy they joined Tier One Travel. Many say they wished they had done it sooner!
Read some of their stories here
Fill in the short online form in our Contact Us section and take the first steps toward greater freedom and more rewards as part of the Tier One Travel family.
Wanting to grow your book of business but don’t know where to start?
Tier One Travel can offer solutions!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1. What makes Tier One Travel different than other host agencies?
Tier One is a ‘boutique’ style host agency with a well-established reputation in the travel industry.
Our brand is recognized as one of the best host agencies in the business and our travel agents are recognized as the utmost accomplished professionals.
2. Is there a sign-up fee?
There is a one-time set up fee of $299. Monthly fees are dependent on the contract of your choice.
3. What type of contract do I need to sign?
Tier One offers a selection of contracts accommodating a variety of situations, one that will be sure to meet your needs. Our most popular is a sliding scale of commission splits.
4. How much are the monthly administrative fees?
Depending on the contract that best suits your situation, the administrative fees can be fixed or sliding.
5. What would be my overall expenditure to be set up as a Tier One Travel consultant?
Set up cost would include:
– For home agents, the cost of a computer & printer (for in house agents that would be part of your Facility Fee)
– Errors & Omission insurance
– If you choose to sell travel insurance in Alberta, a licensing fee would also apply.
6. Do I have the option to work from home as well as work from your physical office?
You definitely have a choice of working entirely from home or in one of our offices located in either Calgary or Victoria. As a home consultant, you do have the freedom of 24/7 access to your local Tier One office and the use of in-office space for client meetings. Tier One is here to provide a work environment that works for you.
7. Are there sales quotas?
No, Tier One Travel does not impose a sales threshold. The desire to earn more is completely up to you.
8. What is the onboarding process like?
Tier One Travel support staff will have you up and running in no time! They will be with you every step of the way.
9. Do you offer training and/or support? What kind of back-up can I expect?
Tier One is able to provide product training, marketing training as well as GDS & airline contract support. We boast the highest support to agent ratio; our experienced support staff are here to help you with any situation you may experience to ensure your success.
10. How often does Tier One Travel pay commissions to me?
Commissions are paid monthly.
11. How much can I plan to make – how successful are Tier One Travel consultants?
Tier One consultants are some of the most successful in the industry; 6 figure incomes are not uncommon.
12. Who looks after my clients if I want to take a vacation?
Tier One can provide vacation coverage at a cost, although most consultants team up with colleagues (which we could help you with) or simply take their laptops with them.
Nervous about Debit Memos arising from complicated fare structures?
We have a solution that you will really like!
PRICING
Our fees are as follows:
| Home Agent | In Office | |
|---|---|---|
| Setting up your office | Calgary, Victoria | |
| Personal company email address including remote access | yes | yes |
| First set of business cards | yes | yes |
| Business Phone | at cost | included |
| Personalized Website page on Tier One Travel website | yes | yes |
| Clientbase | yes | yes |
| Membership services of the company's affiliations eg Ensemble, ACTA, CLIA | yes | yes |
| ACTA Membership Included | yes | yes |
| IATA Card *after minimum sales threshold | at cost | at cost |
| Access to Extended Health Benefits | yes | yes |
| Postage & courier charges | at cost | at cost |
| Access to Corporate Business Tools | yes | yes |
| Optional annual business analysis | yes | yes |
| Opportunity to add team members | yes | yes |
| Facility Fee | no | yes |
| Technology & Accounting | ||
| Choice of GDS (Sabre or Travelport) | yes | yes |
| Access to Tier One Travel Intranet | yes | yes |
| Commission Reporting Tool | yes | yes |
| Exclusive Group Travel Organizer Tool | yes | yes |
| Monthly net commissions via direct deposit | yes | yes |
| Accounting Services: track consultant sales, commissions, debit memos, corporate reports, etc. | yes | yes |
| Marketing | ||
| Social Media Support | yes | yes |
| Access to Free Social Media Content | yes | yes |
| Creation and distribution of e-newsletters | yes | yes |
| Travel Blogs | yes | yes |
| Travel Magazine Mailout | at cost | at cost |
| Direct Mail pieces | yes | yes |
| Use of the company's brand, logos etc to support marketing efforts | yes | yes |
| Advertising & promotional items | at cost | at cost |
| Learning | ||
| Tier One Exclusive Supplier Webinars | yes | yes |
| Access to Supplier training | yes | yes |
| Invitation to Tier One Travel Conference | yes | yes |
| Invitation to exclusive Tier One Travel Educational Seminar | yes | yes |
| Invitation to Regional Ensemble Conference | yes | yes |
| Invitation to Ensemble International Conference | yes | yes |
| Benefits | ||
| Consortia Member - Ensemble | yes | yes |
| Access to Agent Rates & Educational Seminars | yes | yes |
| Exclusively negotiated net fares and commissions | yes | yes |
| Onboarding Assistance | yes | yes |
| Access to Tier One support staff for day to day issues | yes | yes |
| In house ticketing & airline contract support | yes | yes |
| Assistance with supplier issues as required | yes | yes |
| Assistance with business development through networking and training | yes | yes |
| Travel industry manuals & publications | yes | yes |
| Expenditure | ||
| Signing Bonus | Yes | |
| Set up Fee | $299 | |
| Annual Fee | No annual fee | |
| Earning Commission Splits | from 50% to 88% | |
| Monthly Fees | sliding scale based on commission splits | |
We proudly maintain
boutique attributes and high standards
while embracing family values.
ABOUT US
During the past quarter century, Tier One has maintained our boutique attributes and high standards while embracing family values. Tier One Travel’s exceptional reputation has earned us the admiration and respect from both suppliers and customers.
Our company brings together a dedicated group of independent travel specialists who are all experts in their niches. Together, they have helped thousands of clients for more than three decades.
Tier One Travel launched the Host Agency model in western Canada over 30 years ago to which many others have followed. Tier One Travel was created to better serve independent travel consultants and agencies to become more efficient and profitable.
Tier One Travel’s President Shelley Ewing and General Manager Shelley Parry are both passionate about helping others succeed in the travel industry. Let them and their team help you to achieve great success.
Our Mission
Tier One Travel pledges to provide our consultants with the most effective tools and support to guarantee their success with reliability, initiative, and trustworthiness.
Our Values
Tier One Travel supports a culture based on values, which are demonstrated through our actions and behaviours. We provide the highest level of customer service, working together as a team, caring for one another, striving for excellence in all we do, while continuing to maintain balance in our lives. We are able to achieve this by embracing the following values:
- Honesty
- Integrity
- Respect
- Courage
- Openness
- Diversity
- Balance
Social Responsibility
At Tier One Travel, we believe in giving back…in being socially responsible. That’s why we give to make the world a better place, both at home and internationally.
We love travelling the world and understand the environmental issues currently facing our planet. Tier One also believes that charity begins at home and thus are proud to support Nature Canada, one of the oldest national nature conservation charities in Canada. For 80 years Nature Canada has helped protect over 110 million acres of parks and wildlife areas in Canada and countless species.
Tier One also believes in providing a hand up versus a handout and for years has been funding KIVA, the world’s first lending platform supporting women, entrepreneurs, students and refugees worldwide. More than 1.7 billion people around the world are unbanked and cannot access the financial services they need. Kiva is an international nonprofit with a mission to expand financial access to help underserved communities thrive with 100% of every dollar going to fund loans.
Accolades
Tier One Travel is proud of the recognition we receive from our industry partners, bragging rights for the Top Tier organization we are. These include:
- Air Canada Circle of Excellence Platinum
- WestJet Silver
- Continually ranking in the TOP 15 North American agencies
YOUR NEW ADVENTURE IN THE WORLD OF SELLING TRAVEL BEGINS HERE.
We can’t wait to hear from you – let’s chat. Use the form below to contact us!
Fill out my online form.