Upgrade Your Travel Business
Join a forward-thinking agency that combines high-touch mentorship with cutting-edge technology.
Just getting started? You're welcome here too. We train new advisors from the ground up, and your split grows as you do.
Schedule a Discovery CallAlready an established advisor? See your path
18
Active Agents
$6M+
Total Sales
1,800+
Bookings
The Whole Package
Your split matters. So does everything that comes with it.
- No startup fee and no monthly program fee.
- Your split is figured on the full commission the supplier pays.
- If a booking goes through one of our host partners, their cut comes out of our share, never yours.
- Paid on or around the 1st and 15th of every month, by direct deposit.
- Awaken carries its own E&O insurance for the agency.
- Your own personal travel pays you 95%.
- Any service fees you charge your clients are 100% yours.
Why Partner with Awaken Travels?
Everything you need to build a thriving travel business.
Earn Your Worth
Competitive Commissions
We reward ambition. Your split on the clients you bring in yourself grows with your lifetime sales, up to 88% of the full commission. Before your first step up, you finish our Academy Core Path, the lessons on how we work in our portal. For new advisors, the 70% level also takes our onboarding program and one supplier certification, and the 75% level takes three supplier certifications. After that, it is based on sales.
Tools Built for the Future
Technology That Works for You
Don't get stuck in the past. We are investing heavily in our infrastructure to help you work smarter, not harder.
- Custom Agent Dashboard with proprietary software in development
- Top-Tier Network via CLIA & Travel Leaders Consortium (preferred suppliers, exclusive amenities, higher commission tiers)
Mentorship That Matters
In Business For Yourself, Not By Yourself
Get direct mentorship from agency owner Cindi Sanden (VP of ASTA Chattanooga Chapter) and join a team that values resilience, community engagement, and collaborative growth.
What You Get, What It Costs
Included
At no cost to you
- Our accreditation and supplier relationships, including our preferred-supplier programs.
- Your own agent portal and client management system.
- Onboarding, training and our resource center through the Awaken Travels Academy.
- Team chat spaces, group calls, and mentorship from me and our experienced advisors.
Optional add-ons
Never required
Pro tools: $29/month or $261/year
Faster itinerary building and destination research, live flight tracking, a quick way to ask about your own clients and trips (who leaves soon, which payments are due, which leads need a follow-up), help drafting client emails, and a social media content generator. New advisors get their first 90 days of Pro free.
Your own @awakentravels.com email: $25/month
Email your clients from your own Awaken Travels address, and calls they book with you land right on your calendar. Add it any time you'd like, or keep using the email you have now.
Your own business costs
Like any independent business
Things like a CLIA card, courses and certifications, marketing, and any individual E&O policy you choose to carry.
Your Commission Ladder
Your split is a share of the full supplier commission, and it grows with your lifetime sales. Once you reach a tier up to 80%, it's yours for good.
New advisors
- 60%
New Agent
Starting out
- 70%
Rising Agent
$50,000 in sales + onboarding + 1 supplier certification
- 75%
Certified Agent
$150,000 in sales + 3 supplier certifications
- 80%
Experienced Agent
$300,000 in sales
Above 80%, for everyone
- 82%
Senior Agent
$500,000 in sales
- 85%
Elite Agent
$750,000 in sales
- 88%
Top Producer
$1,000,000+ in sales
Tiers above 80% are kept with steady yearly sales. New advisors get a full 12 months before that review starts.
Your next level is based on the sales you've entered or checked in your portal. A trip counts once it's paid in full and your clients have traveled, so keeping your bookings entered and up to date is how you move up.
Every level above your starting rate also takes our Academy Core Path. You only finish it once.
Leads that come in through our website, phone, email or social: you earn 60% on that client's first completed trip, then your own rate after that, and the client is yours from then on.
Areas We're Growing
We'd especially love to hear from advisors who focus on:
- Ocean and river cruises
- Honeymoons, anniversaries and romance
- Destination weddings
- Group travel and retreats
- Family and multigenerational travel
- All-inclusive and beach resorts
- Luxury and custom trips
- Adventure, expedition and wellness travel
- Europe and guided tours
Already an Established Advisor?
If you already have clients and a booking history, you don't start at the beginning.
- You start at 80% of the full commission.
- The 82%, 85% and 88% tiers open up as your sales with us grow.
- Supplier certifications are encouraged, not required. Before you move above 80%, you finish our Academy Core Path, the lessons on how we work in our portal.
- Your clients are yours, now and if you ever leave.
- No startup fee, no monthly program fee.
Moving Your Business to Awaken
Changing hosts is a big decision, and the trips you have already booked are usually the biggest worry. Here is how I help an established advisor move without starting over.
- 1
Read your current agreement first.
Before you give notice, look for three things: how much notice you owe, how trips you have already booked get paid after you leave, and any rule about contacting your clients. If something isn't clear, ask your host in writing.
- 2
Leave booked trips where they are.
If your agreement allows it, trips you have already booked can stay with your current host and pay you there. If you would rather move a booking, talk to me first. Every supplier has its own rules for that, so we check them together before anything moves.
- 3
Book your new trips with Awaken.
Once your agreement with us is signed, new bookings go through Awaken. Established advisors start at 80% of the full commission, with no startup fee and no monthly program fee.
- 4
Get set up to book.
You register in Agent Universe and SNAP, set up your agent portal and add the supplier certifications you already have. Supplier logins are added as you need them, not all at once.
- 5
Bring your clients with you.
Your clients are yours, now and if you ever leave. You can upload your client list into your portal, and tell your clients where to find you once your old agreement allows it.
Is Awaken Right for You?
We don't bring on just anyone. We build a team.
You'll do well here if:
- You treat this as your own business and you're ready to build your own client base.
- You communicate clearly and take care with the details.
- You're open to learning new software and modern travel planning tools.
- You want real mentorship and a team to work alongside.
This probably isn't the right fit if:
- You're looking for guaranteed pay. Our advisors are independent contractors who run their own business and are paid on commission only.
- You need a full-time income in your first year.
- You're counting on us to hand you most of your clients.
- You want travel perks without booking clients. Staying active takes some booking every year.
Travel Coaching & Community
Founded in 2015 by Cindi Sanden, Awaken Travels is rooted in the belief that travel changes lives. We don't just book trips; we act as Travel Coaches, guiding our clients through the world with confidence.
Based in Soddy-Daisy, TN, we are a team that values community impact and resilience.
10+ Years
of Changing Lives Through Travel
Questions We Get a Lot
I'm with another host now. What happens to the trips I already booked?
That depends on your current agreement, so check how it handles payouts after you leave. If it allows it, leave those trips with your current host and book every new trip with Awaken. If you want to move a booking, talk to me first and we will check that supplier's rules together.
Do I start over on the commission ladder?
No. Established advisors start at 80% of the full commission. The 82%, 85% and 88% tiers open up as your sales with us grow.
What about the certifications I already have?
Add them on your dashboard with a copy of each certificate. Once they are approved, they show on your advisor page.
Can I bring my client list?
Yes. Clients you bring are yours, now and if you ever leave. You can upload your list into your portal. Before you contact your clients about the move, check your current agreement for any rule about that.
What does it cost to move?
There is no startup fee and no monthly program fee. The optional add-ons and your own business costs are listed above.
Are there any fees to join?
No. There's no startup fee and no monthly program fee. Pro tools ($29/month) and a business email ($25/month) are optional, and new advisors get 90 days of Pro free.
How long until this is a real income?
Honestly, it takes time. Building a full-time income in travel usually takes a few years, not a few months. Your first year is mostly learning, building your client list and earning your first commissions. We'll be with you for that part.
When do I get paid?
On or around the 1st and 15th of each month, by direct deposit. Your share of a booking is paid on the first pay date after the trip's final payment date has passed and the supplier has paid us. Amounts under $25 roll to the next pay date.
Do I need E&O insurance?
Awaken carries its own E&O policy for the agency. An individual policy is recommended, especially if you book high-value trips, but it's not required.
What about a CLIA card?
If you'd like one, it's one of your own business costs. As of October 2026, CLIA lists annual dues for its Individual Agent Membership at $139.
Do I need travel industry experience?
No. New advisors follow the ladder above with onboarding, training and mentorship. Established advisors start at 80%.
Can I do this part-time?
Yes. As an independent contractor, you set your own hours and where you work.
Will you send me leads?
Sometimes. Leads from our website, phone, email and social media go out at our discretion, based on things like response time, closing rate and destination expertise. Plan to build your own client base. Agency leads are a bonus, not a promise.
Do my clients stay with me if I leave?
Yes. Clients you bring in yourself are yours. An agency lead becomes your client after one completed, paid booking.
Ready to Start Your Journey?
Let's see if we're a good match. I'd love to hear about your business goals and discuss how our platform can help you reach them.
Schedule a Call with CindiWant to see how we train advisors first? Visit the Awaken Travels Academy.
No commitment required. Just a friendly conversation about your goals.