‘I was making no money’: Travel agent side hustle promoted by influencers criticised over fees
Influencers and celebrities are promoting a route into travel sales through InteleTravel, with optional recruitment work for PlanNet Marketing, as a way to earn money and gain flexibility. Seven people recruited by PlanNet representatives told the Guardian they struggled to make a profit after fees, and some said recruiting others became the main focus rather than selling holidays.
One former agent, Mark, paid about £150 to join InteleTravel and £30 to £40 a month for its booking system and training; agents receive about 70% of suppliers’ roughly 10% commission. After around 18 months, he had made only a handful of sales and later said he earned about £1,000 from three bookings while paying ongoing fees. PlanNet recruitment carries a separate monthly fee of about £14, and its latest disclosure showed average annual earnings of about $40 across its general representative base. InteleTravel said self-employment does not guarantee profit, described what its fees cover, and said it offers a 30-day refund period and a first-year profit guarantee subject to conditions.
- Recruited agents say fees outweighed travel earnings.
- Some were encouraged to recruit others.
- InteleTravel says profits are not guaranteed and offers conditional refunds.
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InteleTravel and PlanNet Marketing are companies offering people the chance to become travel agents and earn commission from holiday bookings. The business model involves earning a portion of commissions from holiday suppliers when bookings are made, along with the opportunity to recruit others into the scheme.
These companies are frequently promoted through social media by influencers and celebrities as a flexible side hustle. Participants must pay upfront fees to join and monthly subscription costs for access to booking systems and training.
The arrangement has attracted criticism from former participants who reported making little money after accounting for the required fees. The Guardian spoke to seven such people, with some describing how recruitment became the main focus of their involvement rather than selling holidays.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
This represents a legitimate, if risky, self-employment opportunity with genuine startup and operational costs, not dissimilar to many service-based businesses. Self-employment inherently offers no earnings guarantee, and individuals making commercial decisions must accept that profitability depends on personal effort, aptitude, and market conditions. InteleTravel provides infrastructure, training, and booking systems—resources that must be funded somehow—and offers refund periods and profit guarantees to mitigate participant risk. That some participants fail to generate sufficient sales volume to offset their fees does not inherently indicate a flawed model; it may simply reflect that sales work suits certain personalities better than others.
The case against
The data raises substantial concerns about whether this model genuinely facilitates profitable travel retail or primarily extracts ongoing fees from participants. When disclosed average annual earnings (approximately £40) fall far below monthly operational costs, the incentive structure appears misaligned with participant success. The dual emphasis on recruitment alongside travel sales, combined with the recurring pattern of participants earning less than their fees, suggests income derives more from recruiting new fee-payers than from genuine customer transactions—a hallmark of unsustainable schemes. Influencers promoting this to followers without adequately disclosing realistic earning potential or failure rates raises ethical concerns about whether vulnerable audiences are being encouraged into arrangements unlikely to benefit them financially.