When Your Hairdresser Becomes a Travel Agent

By Kat & Simon

Lately, we’ve noticed something curious.

Your hairdresser is suddenly a travel agent.
A colleague at work has a side hustle that gets her “cheap holidays”.
Someone you barely know is offering cruises, flights, and dream trips — usually alongside an invitation to “join their team”.

And while we completely understand the appeal, it’s worth pausing for a moment.

Because selling travel properly isn’t something you pick up overnight.

Travel isn’t a trend — it’s a profession

Behind every genuine travel agent is years — often decades — of training and experience.

We’re talking about people who understand:
• Complex flight rules and fare changes
• Visa requirements and passport validity
• Cruise line policies and fine print
• Supplier contracts, disruptions, and refunds
• What actually happens when flights cancel or ships divert

Real travel agents don’t just book holidays — they problem-solve, often under pressure, often behind the scenes, and often when things have gone wrong.

That knowledge doesn’t come from a download link or a weekend Zoom call.

The reality of recruitment-first “travel businesses”

Many of the schemes popping up now aren’t really about travel at all.

They’re built around recruitment.

The pitch usually sounds something like:
• “Earn money from your phone”
• “Get trade prices on your own holidays”
• “Build a team and create passive income”

Experience isn’t required. Training is minimal.
The real focus is signing people up — not mastering the travel industry.

And when a business model relies more on recruiting than on selling holidays properly, it’s rarely built to last.

Side hustles don’t always stick around

We’ve been in this industry long enough to see the patterns.

Today it’s travel.
Next year it might be wax melts, skincare, or something else entirely.

And when someone moves on, the uncomfortable question becomes:
Who’s looking after your booking?

If something changes:
• Who holds your money?
• Who deals with the airline?
• Who’s there if your holiday is still 18 months away?

That’s the part people often don’t think about until there’s a problem.

A word of empathy

We want to be clear — this isn’t about judging people.

Many involved in these schemes are genuinely trying to:
• Earn extra income
• Create flexibility for their family
• Believe in what they’ve been sold

They’re not the problem.
The structure is.

A recruitment-led model is fragile.
A professionally regulated travel business is not.

Why financial protection really matters

When you book a holiday, you’re trusting someone with more than just money — you’re trusting them with your time, your plans, and often your once-in-a-lifetime experiences.

Reputable travel agents are protected through schemes like ABTA and ATOL, which means:
• Your money is protected
• You’re covered if a supplier collapses
• You have proper legal protection if things go wrong

That level of protection doesn’t come from a referral code or a Facebook group.

Why booking with professionals still matters

A real travel agent:
• Is trained, regulated, and accountable
• Works with trusted, established suppliers
• Has support teams and escalation channels
• Will still be here long after the trend has passed

When something goes wrong — and sometimes it does — we don’t disappear.
We answer the phone.

Our honest advice

If an offer sounds too easy, too cheap, or too focused on recruiting others — stop and ask:
• Who actually holds my money?
• What protection do I have?
• Who will help me if plans change?
• Will this person still be selling travel next year?

Holidays aren’t impulse buys.
They’re honeymoons, family memories, milestone trips, and dreams people save for years to achieve.

They deserve more than a side hustle.

Book with a reputable, well-known travel brand.
Book with proper financial protection.
Book with professionals who will still be here when the wax melts run out.

— Kat & Simon