Travel Counsellors
A Manchester-founded travel franchise, established in 1994, whose franchisees keep 60% of commission and pay a monthly platform fee.
- Last reviewed 2026-09-21
- Not yet checked against the ABTA and ATOL registers
- Company website
The facts
| Model | Franchise |
|---|---|
| Cost to join | From £295+VAT (varies by experience) |
| Ongoing fee | £33–£72.50+VAT/mo |
| Other fees | None recorded |
| Agent keeps | 60% |
| Financial protection | ATOL · Trust account |
| Agents in the network | 2,000–2,200 |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Parent or owner | Independent, or not published |
| Accepts newcomers | Yes |
What sets it apart
Phenix platform and TC Co-Pilot AI; holder of a King’s Award for Enterprise.
Who it suits
Open to newcomers — the company’s stated position is “yes”.
You buy the right to trade under the brand. Expect an upfront fee, ongoing fees, and a defined commission share.
How customers’ money is protected
This matters to you as well as to your clients: it determines who is liable if a supplier or the company itself fails.
ATOL: Held — licence number not published. An ATOL licence protects the money customers pay for package holidays that include a flight, and covers getting them home if the company fails.
Trust account. Customers’ money is held in a trust account, separate from the company’s own funds, and released only as the holiday is delivered.
ATOL holder with its own trust arrangement; the Travel Gossip homeworking chart lists the protection as “ATOL only”. No ABTA membership is recorded in the research source.
Ownership and background
Founded in Manchester in 1994; independent but private-equity backed. Travel Counsellors publishes no pricing of its own, so the joining and monthly figures come from the Travel Gossip homeworking chart (TG#9). The headcount of roughly 2,100–2,200 comes from Wikipedia and the Travel Weekly Guide to Homeworking. Travel Counsellors acquired Holidaysplease — and with it The Holiday Franchise Company — in a deal announced in March 2023.