President's Message
When I started the Outside Sales Support Network in 1990, the phrase "home-based agent" was almost a curse word!

Home-Based Agents by the Numbers
By OSSN President Gary Fee

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Last month, PhoCusWright -- one of the world's largest and most well-respected technology consulting and research firms -- released the results of its latest study chronicling the current U.S. travel agent distribution channel. The study involved survey responses from almost 2,000 agents covering the years 2006 through their projections for 2009. The results? Travel agents in the United States account for almost $110 billion in annual sales -- or 41 percent of all travel booked across the country.

I can't reveal the breakout numbers for home-based agents (PhoCusWright sells these reports for big bucks, and the contents are copyrighted), but I can tell you that home-based agents make up a big part of those sales. What this study tells me also confirms what we're seeing within OSSN:

Home-based agents have a lot of room to grow in the future. Right now, we produce smaller volumes than traditional storefront locations -- but, we're the fastest growing segment of the industry, and month after month our volumes increase!

While many home-based agents work part time, more of us now rely on travel as our primary income. That's a big change from the usual stereotype that all home-based travel sellers view our industry as a way to earn money on the side. Many OSSN agents have built their businesses as their # 1 means of putting food on the table!

Host agencies are coming on strong, but independents are still the biggest part of our corner of the travel industry. While independent home-based agents who've set up their own businesses (with their own booking numbers like a TRUE code) are the most common type of home-based travel seller these days, many agents who don't want to deal with those back-office hassles continue to seek out reputable host agencies so that they can focus strictly on selling travel and serving clients. OSSN offers a comprehensive host agency list with reputable partners you can check out if you'd like to go this route. It's commonly thought that the great majority of home-based agents eventually start their own businesses, but the PhoCusWright study confirms that well-established host agencies are reporting very strong growth these days!

The numbers in this survey confirm what I see every day in our offices: OSSN members continue honing their skills and expanding their sales, even in today's difficult economy. Truly, there's never been a better time to be a professional home-based travel seller -- and these latest statistics prove that point.

Gary M. Fee is president and founder of the Outside Sales Support Network, the world's largest trade organization devoted to home-based sellers of travel. OSSN serves more than 7,500 home-based travel agents around North America.