Montrose Travel

About Montrose Travel

Established as a small storefront travel agency in 1956, Leora and Joe McClure, Sr. bought Montrose Travel in 1972 as their retirement career. Together they developed a $6 million business by cultivating personal relationships with their clients and offering quality products at fair prices. They raised their children, Andi and Joe, Jr., in the industry, exposing them to many jobs ranging from working in the brochure room to becoming front line agents and account executives.

In 1990, Andi, Joe and Joe’s wife Julie purchased Montrose Travel from their parents. By expanding our product line, the trio developed Montrose Travel into six unique operating divisions even amid the aftermath of 9/11 and multiple recessions. In 2016, we joined the Corporate Travel Management (CTM) family as their flagship agency in California. Since 1990, we’ve grown from $6 million to $300 million, are 100% debt-free and still proudly family-operated.

Since the 1970s, our partnership with independent travel professionals has been vital to this success. Our MTravel hosting program has become the gold standard in the industry, partnering with over 500 travel agents and agencies nationwide. Each program and service we create is based chiefly on the feedback we receive from our agents, allowing us to provide a truly personalized, progressive hosting program for agents of all experience levels.

Our company culture is devoted to a deeply supportive, family-focused environment. Starting your own travel agency is a uniquely personal experience, and we work tirelessly to tailor our support to the needs of our agents. Cultivating long-term success for each individual is the lifeblood of our program – and some of our travel agents have been with us for over 25 years!

Montrose Travel remains one of the healthiest and most respected travel companies in the country today. We are reputable, financially stable and in it for the long haul. Whether you’re brand new or an experienced agent, we welcome any passionate, serious travel entrepreneur to join our family and partake in our shared success.

Programs and Benefits

Montrose Travel has the unique ability to support not only agents of all experiences levels, but of varied niches as well. Whether you’re looking to start up your travel business from home, specialize in corporate travel management or own your own storefront here in the Los Angeles area, we have a program designed to make life easier, reduce overhead and increase your profits:
– Local Agency Owners
– Corporate Agents
– Home Based Agents

We’ve bundled the services you need most and made them available at one affordable, inclusive rate, rather than nickel-and-diming you. Regardless of what program you choose, each affiliate of Montrose Travel will enjoy a full suite of benefits, including:

Agent Support and Business Coaching
We offer unlimited toll-free phone support and online support. Dedicated personnel within specific departments are standing by to assist you when you need help and to proactively assist you in developing your overall business.

Eliminate Unnecessary Overhead
Attention agency owners! You didn’t get in the travel business to do ARC reports, pay rent and deal with unproductive employees. Now you can move your travel business home, retain your clients and top producers, affiliate with us and increase your profitability.

Maximize Your Time with Clients
It’s true, you don’t make money in travel until you actually sell something. By affiliating with MTravel you can spend more time consulting with your clients and building your business. It all results in increased loyalty and repeat business from happy clients. Our program offers you complete control over the entire sales process with your clients.

Capitalize on Our Success
Montrose Travel is a Top 5 Host Agency and a Top 30 Travel Company nationwide. With MTravel, you can take advantage of the programs, supplier relationships, experienced staff and business philosophies that have made us successful. Our reputation in the industry and financial stability are unsurpassed.

Your Own Identity
As a home-based travel agent or agency, you retain your own identity with your customers and are considered a “self-employed” independent contractor for tax purposes.

Secure Client List
Because you are an independent contractor, your client list is your property and will not be used or sold. You control your list and your marketing.
Strong Commissions
Share in all upfront leisure supplier commission overrides. Some companies share commissions based on a 10% base commission, not us. You will enjoy a full complement of preferred suppliers offering commissions up to 18%.

Sub-Agents
Expand your business by recruiting your own sales force of independent contractors. Your agents will have access to most of the same tools you have, including a private-labeled consumer website. We pay you on their bookings. You pay them.

Technology Driven
Our technology tools are unparalleled in the home-based travel agent industry. From our private labeled consumer website with online booking capabilities to our comprehensive Agent Connex Back Office Portal and all the various tools provided for customer trip research and marketing, you won’t find another host with all we have to offer.

Your Own Private Labeled Consumer Website
Included in your annual fee is a complete private labeled consumer website so you can compete with the top internet sites. Establish your online presence and book air, car, hotel, cruises and more with this award-winning site and further brand your business.

Advance Your Travel Education
Take your education as far as you want to go. We provide the most extensive library of online content and training links available. In addition, you can participate in up to 5 weekly webinars on a variety of topics developed to help you maximize profits and increase your product knowledge. Additionally, our Annual Educational Conference gives our agents the opportunity to network with their peers, MTravel Support Team and preferred supplier Business Development Managers and benefit from in-depth, in-person training. You’ll also be eligible to go on “fams” –familiarization trips designed to educate you on specific destinations and products.

Preferred Suppliers
Because of our size and buying power, we have negotiated many of our exclusive commission structures directly with our preferred suppliers. In addition, we supplement these suppliers with our membership with Ensemble Travel, a leisure travel consortium. Montrose Travel is one of the largest members of Ensemble Travel.

Group Expertise and Support
Take advantage of our expertise in finding, negotiating and executing all types of group travel, from leisure groups to meetings and incentives. You may use all the complimentary travel earned (or allow it to drop to the bottom line as profit) and can build in an additional mark-up to increase your profitability. Our special Group Section on the Agent Connex Back Office Portal provides a tremendous amount of information… from prospecting to supplier negotiations and escorting. You’ll also have access to our optional Group Connex group management tool to allow you to market your groups on your private labeled website and manage group registrations online.

Extensive Blocked Cruise Space
Each year, Montrose Travel blocks and deposits hundreds of special sailings for you to sell into. We work with a variety of preferred cruise lines and offer price reductions and/or value-added amenities to you for your FIT and group clients that they normally wouldn’t have access to. This product will give you the competitive edge that you need to close cruise sales.
Destination Weddings, Honeymoons and Romantic Getaways
Differentiate yourself from your competition and consider a specialty in Romantic Travel. Our years of experience in destination weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries and more are available to help you develop this great niche.

Air Contracts
Our special contracts and fares are available to help you retain clients by saving them money and maximize your own profits. The majority of our airline partners and leisure suppliers provide certain programs and commissions that enable us to earn more per transaction than the average travel agency and remain competitive.

Marketing and Branding Support
Our leisure, group and corporate marketing tools include flyers, promotional pieces and highly targeted customer blast email capabilities and presentations. Our goal is to guide and assist you to drive a successful business. The Connex Suite of Tools (Agent Connex Back-Office Portal, Client Connex powered by ClientBase CRM and Group Connex) are designed to help you manage and promote your business to consistently drive sales.

Accounting
Full support includes commission tracking and payments, client and supplier payment processing, ARC processing, address verification for online bookings, and credit card merchant processing. Easily access all of your reported bookings through the Agent Connex Back-Office Portal.

GDS Access
Travelport (Apollo) GDS is available to experienced agents for an additional monthly cost. No long term contracts. Training options are provided. (Note: the online booking engine included in your annual fee is backed by Travelport).

Save On Your Personal Travel
Book your personal travel and earn commissions. Take advantage of industry benefits extended to agents such as cruising for $35/day or up to 50% off hotels. Through Montrose Travel, you can apply for your CLIA card and once you earn at least $5000 in annual commissions, you may apply for an IATAN card.

Recognition
Just because you maintain your own home-based office doesn’t mean you’re not a part of our family. Each year we offer opportunities to recognize our successful travel partners including our coveted President’s Club for top producers selling over $100,000 in total commissions and Longevity Awards for our long-time partners.

Referral Incentives
Once you’ve experienced our program and get to know us, we’re confident you’ll be more than satisfied. As such, financial incentives are available to you for simply referring others to us.