InteleTravel agents have defended the company following an article in The Sun that described it as a ‘shady travel firm’ that was ‘flogged’ by celebrities but left people who were encouraged to sign up out of pocket.
The article said celebs, such as reality TV stars Vicky Pattison and Jess Wright, and others are ‘promoting cheap travel for themselves’. It described InteleTravel as a ‘side hustle’, saying: “Those at the bottom are rarely breaking even,” and adding that, once people sign up, it is ‘hard to leave’.
The article says: ‘With an initial outlay of £142 and a £32 monthly fee [agents] lost an average of £494 [per year], with one ex-agent telling the newspaper: “The commissions from travel would never be big enough to generate the income they promote.”
The newspaper also spoke to a customer who used an InteleTravel agent, but who found out her first booking hadn’t been honoured and was told on arrival at her replacement holiday she would have to pay for the hotel.
The customer told The Sun: “I now warn people about booking with these agents. I’m sure most are not dishonest, but I feel more confident booking with an established agency.”
The Sun said: “InteleTravel operates as a legitimate, ABTA-regulated travel agent business and there is no suggestion that they have done anything illegal. Anyone who wants to sign up with them must go through PlanNet Marketing [InteleTravel’s recruitment arm] and The Sun found no way to join without doing this.”
But InteleTravel agents have defended the company, with one saying the article was one-sided, and another saying they work hard and do the training to make a success of their business.
One InteleTravel agent, who joined at the end of last year and who now books between £10,000 and £25,000 of travel each month, said: “I’m upset that InteleTravel is being painted in such a bad light and people are jumping on the bandwagon to bash the company.
“It’s been a lifeline for me. I’ve gone from feeling worthless to having a new purpose and passion alongside being mummy to my children. I just wish people realised it’s individuals that give it the bad name.”
“When I joined, the lady who told me about the business didn’t promise me riches, she basically said it’s an opportunity to be able to earn if you are prepared to learn and put the work in. She said it was flexible, which it is.
“It’s clear to see really good money can be made for those that put the effort in and the respect the industry deserves. I had no background in selling travel apart from my own love of travelling but I put the effort in to do the training provided and keep working to learn each day.”
InteleTravel UK and Ireland Managing Director Tricia Handley-Hughes said: “As the trade knows, we have thousands of agents that successfully sell travel.
“There is no financial connection between PlanNet and InteleTravel. They are separate companies.”
