A travel agent usually does get their fee in the form of commission from hotels, tour operators etc.

I talked to a travel agent about booking hertz car rental houston a trip for seven members of my family to England and France--not a pre-done tour, but a custom job. He said his agency requires $100 for him to work on it because it would take many hours. I realize it will take a lot of time and $100 isn't a lot of money, hertz car rental houston but I always thought TA's got paid from commissions from airlines, etc. What's the story?
There is a huge difference between a travel agent and a travel planner. $100 is Nothing hertz car rental houston to 'plan' a trip for seven. I'd be concerned she doesn't know much about the UK and is just booking places (her TA hat on) . . . and isn't 'planning' anything.
There is a difference between a travel planner/consultant and a travel agent. I am a travel planner, I do custom work and am not affiliated with any other companies. I don't take any commission from hotels, tour companies etc, and my clients pay me up front for a custom designed trip. My fee for a custom trip for 7 people would far exceed $100.
A travel agent usually does get their fee in the form of commission from hotels, tour operators etc. Since commission hertz car rental houston on airfare in basically non-existant, there is usually now a fee for an agent to book airline hertz car rental houston tickets.
More and more agents hertz car rental houston now take a fee up front as a way to offset the time and effort involved in doing the work and research, but then having the client take that info and book their own trip on the internet or elsewhere. Taking a deposit up front lets them know you're serious. And again $100 is nothing for the type of trip you're looking at.
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