US homeworking company Fora Travel launches UK operation

US homeworking group Fora Travel has today launched its UK operation, with hopes to build a “strong, local community” of new-to-travel and established agents.

Co-founder Henley Vazquez (pictured) believes the group’s annual £222 fee, which is “far more affordable” than competitors, will be a draw for agents, as well as its tech offering, which she describes as “a cut above the rest”.

Fora prioritises a “technology-led approach”, offering an all-in-one platform booking portal, live rate comparison, itinerary builder, AI assistant and automated supplier invoicing.

Following the group’s registration with Abta and acquisition of an Atol certification, the UK expansion marks a “significant milestone” for the New York-founded company, which currently operates in the US, Canada and Mexico.

The group predicts the majority of its UK advisors will be people with no travel experience, with 97% of its overall agent community new to the industry.

However, Vazquez maintains that training and support for agents will remain paramount.

“Advisors have access to 700+ hours of training content, alongside 28+ hours of live training every week, where they can ask questions, receive booking support and learn directly from Fora HQ and industry experts,” she said.

In addition, there is a regional HQ team in the UK, as well as support available through WhatsApp groups and Fora’s internal community platform Forum.

The group also has an internal air desk named Fora Flights, which offers “concierge-style” support for premium airfare and “real-time assistance” with flight disruptions.

Through Fora’s booking systems, advisors have access to more than 180,000 hotels, cruises and activities, as well as more than 8,000 preferred supplier partnerships.

The group also hopes its UK membership model will be an attractive choice for established advisors, offering them the opportunity to “modernise and scale” their existing operations.

Vasquez said: “In the UK, we’re focused on bringing in more local advisors who are looking for modern tools, tech, training and a community of advisors that empowers them to be the best at their jobs.”

While earnings “vary from advisor to advisor”, Vasquez said Fora’s top sellers book in excess of £7.5 million per year.

The basic commission split offers agents 70% of commission earned, with this increasing to 80% and 90% for the highest-earning advisors.