The recent discussion around celebrity travel businesses and host agencies like InteleTravel has prompted strong reactions across the industry.

As someone who runs a travel business under the InteleTravel umbrella, I felt compelled to contribute to the conversation — not defensively, but honestly. Because the reality is far more nuanced than the headlines sometimes suggest.

For many of us, travel is not a “side hustle”. It is a serious business into which we have invested significant time, energy and money. We spend our days researching destinations, nurturing supplier relationships, supporting clients when plans change, and crafting itineraries that celebrate some of the most important moments in people’s lives.

The definition of side hustle is to earn a supplementary income, and for many this is essential to providing a lifestyle so many yearn to live.

You may work part-time, but this doesn’t mean you are not professional or do not care, and to suggest so is an insult to a large number of homeworkers who love selling travel. Working part-time gives them a sense of purpose.

Our community also includes a diverse, inclusive audience who need flexibility with their working hours.

InteleTravel has evolved significantly

But increasingly, agents like myself find ourselves battling against a reputation held by those who do not understand the business model and are unable to adopt new ways of doing business in a changing world. InteleTravel’s education and training has been incredibly helpful and has empowered us as agents to run successful businesses.

It would, of course, be disingenuous to pretend recruitment-focused models do not exist within the space, practised by various homeworking travel businesses. However, I approach and run my business in a way that reflects my own professional values.

And that is the part of the story that often goes untold.

At the same time, it is important to acknowledge InteleTravel itself has evolved significantly. The onboarding programme launched this year has made a real difference for new agents entering the industry. It provides far greater structure, clearer expectations and stronger support systems than previously existed, helping agents understand what it actually takes to run a responsible travel business.

Progress like this deserves recognition.

'Enemy' narrative needs to change

Another reality that often gets overlooked is that moving host agencies is not always simple. For agents who have built their business within a particular structure, changing agencies can come with significant financial and operational implications. Training investments, systems, branding and existing workflows all make relocation far more complex than it might appear from the outside.

So when criticism arises, many hardworking agents find themselves in an uncomfortable position; feeling judged by association while continuing to show up every day for their clients.

The travel industry thrives on collaboration. Independent advisors, homeworkers, host agencies and traditional travel companies all play a role in the ecosystem. The narrative that we are somehow “the enemy” needs to change.

Because behind the noise are thousands of advisors who simply love travel, care deeply about their clients, and are working incredibly hard to build professional, responsible businesses.

Those voices deserve to be heard too.

Laura White runs Mosaic Wanderlust Travel Co.