Brick-and-mortar travel agencies are no longer the required stop before vacations that they once were. Travel agents used to be seen as the top authority for everything related to travel. Now, with different options online, travel agents need to have a strong online presence to make sure that they are still a go-to option for assisting in travel plans.
As a new travel agent, you might not even be sure of how to start a website. First, you need to choose a website provider that will help you power your site. Here is what a travel agent should look for in a website provider. 
Best WordPress Hosting Provider For Travel Agents
WordPress is one of the most popular content management systems (CMS) out there. For travel agents, WordPress is a good option because of the different plugins, themes, and overall customizability of the site that is available.
WordPress can be a handy tool to complete the different functions of a travel agent. For example, a travel agent must be able to access databases, search, book travel, and more. The website of a travel agent must also have an excellent design to entice people to visit it. The site should have image galleries, maps, as well as look professional.
By choosing WordPress, it can be a great option for travel agents who need a website. However, when starting a travel blog, you’ll have to find a hosting provider that is compatible with WordPress. Luckily, most are. The best WordPress hosting provider for travel agents will have these features.
Travel Blog
Many travel agents will also want to start their own travel blog and should try to find a good blog hosting provider. WordPress is one of the best platforms for hosting a travel blog because it is relatively straightforward to use. A travel blog is one of the best ways to find new clients. If you have opted for a more exotic travel niche, this can be a great way to publicize your knowledge and expertise. Once you start your travel blog, it can also get your site recognized and ranked by search engines. The best blog hosting sites will be a boost to your SEO, especially if you are producing high-quality, unique content on your travel blog.
Strong Security Options
As a travel agent, you’ll have to have access to good customer relationship management (CRM). You won’t be able to use Microsoft Excel to run your business, so your website should be able to handle the CRM software. The backend of your website will need to give you a way to manage all your customers, client base, and invoices, payment details, and other confidential information. You’ll have to be able to access a part of your website that only you can see to allow you to keep track of this.
And, most importantly, you need to have a website provider that provides strong, secure options. Therefore, look for a hosting provider that offers an SSL Certificate, which will encrypt all data that passes to and from your website. Most of the best hosting providers will provide one for free, but you can choose to pay for one if you want.
Website Design
When starting a travel blog or travel agent website, you need to make sure that your website is well-designed. If you have limited technical skills, building a beautiful website might seem almost impossible or expensive. Therefore, when choosing your website provider, you should choose one that has a website builder. The best website builder for travel blogs will have drag-and-drop options so you can quickly design a professional website.
To learn how to set up a travel blog, you’ll want to pick a website builder from a reputable provider that has tons of templates available to you. As a travel agent, you’ll likely want to pick a website template that lets you display photos from possible vacations your clients could take. Some website builders will even help you edit your photos after you upload them, so you won’t have to have a special program to do that first. This added perk will save you time and will help make every picture-perfect for your travel agency or travel blog.
Extra Features
When shopping around for the right travel hosting provider, you should pay attention to the additional features that are offered. Look for a hosting provider that will give you free advertising credits on search engines like Google.
Before signing up for a hosting plan, make sure that your hosting plan also gives you at least one free email address with unlimited emails. You’ll want to have an email address that is tied to your domain name to ensure that the emails you send to look professional and legitimate. As a travel agent, you’ll want to build relationships with hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and other travel-related businesses, and you’ll need a customized email address to ensure your messages are getting read.
Is Shared Hosting Right For Me?
Shared hosting, which is often the cheapest version of hosting plans, is a starting point for many business websites. However, if you decide to opt for this level of hosting, make sure that your hosting plan can grow with you as your business expands. That means that at any time, you want to be able to scale your site.
As you get more traffic, find a plan that allows you to add more resources to your website, and add additional plugins to support your growing travel agent business. Luckily, the best travel agent hosting providers will give you the option to scale your plan as needed.
To learn how to make money as a travel blogger, you should never opt for a free website through Blogger, Wix, or WordPress. With the free sites, you aren’t able to customize your site domain name, ruining the credibility of your business. You won’t be able to monetize your website, so make sure that you aren’t picking a too cheap or free option if it will interfere with your ability to make money.
Final Thoughts
As a travel agent or travel blog, your website will be the best way to make money. Ensure that your hosting provider is reputable, has strong security options, and can help you make a beautiful website. For more information on the best travel agent website providers, check out a full comparison here.
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