I want to be a home based travel agent but don't know how to find a reputable host agency in Canada?

I've worked at a retail travel agency before, but if prefer to have a more flexible schedule and work from home. It seems like there aren't very many Canadian host agencies out there. Is it the same if I just join an American company? Many of these agencies charge a certain amount of start-up fee as well as a monthly fee to maintain the account/contract. Does it sound normal?

I am a independent business owner for a host agency that I is slated to expand into Canada in the first quarter of 2008.

However, let me point out that this is a business and not a job or a hobby. You will get paid based on results and not the number of hours that you work. Yes many of them do charge start up fees and have a monthly fee, but that is how they do business and pay the bills. However, a regular job, either in the office or at home, should never charge you to get hired. They do that when they take out your taxes.

You could always start your own home based travel business in Canada, but it too will cost you money to start. However, over the long with any business you will get great tax benefits and you will be the one calling the shots.

Good luck and I wish you great success.
A link with all the details and contact info are very easy to locate. .

It is quite normal to have a start up fee with any home based business. I am not sure a monthly fee is reasonable, I have not looked at all the various offerings in that field. I can understand some charging for a website monthly, but good companies normally provide that free. If they don't then that is one of the ways they are making more money off you.

To determine if the US sites you are considering will work for you in Canada, you will need to take a look that their terms and conditions and maybe even their policies and procedures.

Before you sign up for one, be sure to do some research on it.... ie... do a google search with the company name and then the word [scam]. Check them out in ripoffreport.com also.

I wrote a blog on advice for working from home. It is all generic information that applies to all home based businesses, what to look for, what to watch out for, what to run away from, just things I learned the hard way. You can find a link to it in the 2nd paragraph of my profile here on answers.

If I can help further, just holler,
~jennifer
Helping others create income from home through education, one step at a time.