Tourist agencies are introducing the charge for consultations? answer to online discounts and lost bookings
A client at a travel agency receives a recommendation, a comparison of hotels, and a detailed travel plan, and then reserves the same offer online for additional discounts. Such situations encourage agencies to change their business model, with the fee for consulting becoming a way to protect the work and expertise invested.
For travel agencies, one of the biggest challenges is no longer just attracting a client, but keeping them until the end of the booking process. Online platforms offer simple price comparisons, promotional codes, and cashback benefits, while traditional agencies invest time in conversations, researching offers, and providing personalized recommendations.
The problem arises when that work is not converted into sales.
In the German market, this topic has been discussed more openly in recent months. According to the fvw|TravelTalk professional portal, since October 16, 2026, tourism consultants are considering and implementing different models of charging for consultations to reduce losses incurred by clients leaving for competitors after receiving the consultation.
Cashback changes the relationship between agencies and clients
Cashback is a model in which the customer receives a refund of part of the money spent after booking, often in the form of a cash payment, a credit, or a voucher. In the tourism industry, such benefits are mainly financed by the intermediaries themselves from their commission income.
Large online platforms are better able to handle such a model because they operate with large numbers of bookings, automated processes, and often have additional sources of revenue.
For a smaller agency, the situation is different. If the advisor spends two or three hours preparing an offer for a family trip, and the client then books with another intermediary to get a refund of part of the price, the agency loses both the commission and the fee for the work performed.
However, cashback itself is not an unfair practice. For the traveler, it is an additional financial benefit, and for the online intermediary it is a marketing tool. The problem for traditional agencies arises when their advisory service is assumed to be free.
How do agencies charge for consulting?
There are already various models on the European market, and some agencies also publicly publish their pricing lists.
One approach to charging is to arrange an initial consultation or prepare a quote. For example, the German agency EIRIN Travels lists an initial fee of 49 euros per booking request, with the possibility of additional charges for more complex arrangements. The fee is not included in a later reservation because the agency considers consultation to be a separate service.
The second approach uses the agency Alternativ Tours, which charges 49 euros for standard offers and 79 euros for individually tailored offers.
There are also combined models where the client pays for the consultation, but the amount is credited to them at the time of booking. This way, the agency reduces the risk of unpaid work, and the customer has the motivation to complete the reservation with the same seller.
In practice, there can be three approaches:
- Free initial consultation: basic information and indicative offers remain free of charge, while detailed consultations are charged for.
- Compensation that is recognized upon booking: the client pays for the creation of the offer, and the amount is calculated if they book the trip.
- Independent planning service: the agency charges for the professional work regardless of where the client ultimately books the trip.
No model is universally the best. The choice depends on the type of trip, the structure of the clientele, and the agency's market positioning.
Will passengers accept the additional fee?
In standard package arrangements, where the traveler mainly compares prices for the same product, the introduction of a fee may cause resistance.
But with more complex trips, the situation is different.
Planning a multi-day tour of Japan, an African safari, or an individual trip through several countries requires significantly more work than booking a standard summer vacation.
The agency compares flights, local transfers, accommodation, cancellation options, visa requirements, and numerous other details. Such knowledge is valuable even if the client ultimately decides not to go on the trip.
It is crucial how the compensation is presented.
The client will be more likely to accept payment if they know in advance what they are getting, how much the offers or price changes include, and what support they can expect.
It is equally important to clearly agree on the price and payment terms in advance. It is not a good idea to present the compensation as a penalty because the traveler has chosen another seller.
What does this mean for tourism agencies in Croatia and the region?
Although the debate is currently particularly prominent in Germany, the question of the value of agency work is also relevant for the tourism market in southeastern Europe.
Many agencies in Croatia and neighboring countries already charge for issuing airfare tickets, changing reservations, or other administrative services. Charging for more complex consultations could be the next step, especially for individual and luxury travel.
However, there is not enough comparable regional data to show how widespread such a practice is or how willing travelers are to accept it.
For agencies considering a change in their business model, it is reasonable to start with a limited number of services. For example, charge for the creation of detailed individual itineraries, while basic consultations and the sale of standard packages remain without additional fees.
Before implementation, it is necessary to define the conditions, verify the applicable consumer protection rules, and clearly separate the agency fee from the travel price.
The value of the agency cannot be reduced to just the price of the arrangement.
Online platforms have a strong advantage in search speed and financial promotions. Tourist agencies find it difficult to compete in the long run if the competition is reduced to who will give up a larger portion of the commission.
Their advantage should be expertise, experience, quality recommendations, and support when problems arise during the journey.
Charging for consultations will not suit every agency or every client. However, it raises an important question for the future of tourism distribution: should an agency's revenue depend solely on a successfully completed reservation, or can part of its business be charging for the knowledge and time it invests in preparing trips?
For agencies that want to differentiate themselves by the quality of their service, the answer to this question could be more significant. impact on profitability from another percentage point of commission.
