Travel Counsellors
A Manchester-founded travel franchise, established in 1994, whose franchisees keep 60% of commission and pay a monthly platform fee.
- Last reviewed 22 September 2026
- Checked against the official ABTA and CAA ATOL registers on 22 September 2026
- 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: 6751. 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.
Holds ATOL 6751 in its own name (CAA register). No ABTA member record was found for Travel Counsellors on the official ABTA member search — consistent with the Travel Gossip chart listing the protection as “ATOL only”. Operates its own trust arrangement.
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.