Finance, Accounting and Tax Support for Travel Agents
Travel agents manage a very different financial model from tour operators, retailers or service businesses. You sell travel you do not operate, earn income primarily through commissions and fees, and often receive client funds before revenue is earned. Booking timelines, supplier confirmation cycles, host agency reporting and commission adjustments all affect how your business performs financially.
These realities make travel agent accounting more complex than it appears, and very different from the assumptions built into generic bookkeeping and accounting services.
Speaking and Slides
--- Beyond the Booking: How Travel Advisors Build Real Profit ---
The Travel Institute - Webinar
Presented by:
Mary Masnari
Most travel advisors focus on sales, but sales alone do not build a strong business. In this session, Mary Masnari will break down where travel advisors really make money, where profit quietly disappears, and what new advisors should understand early if they want to build a business that is financially stronger from the start. The session will cover commissions, service fees, cash flow, hidden costs, and the practical habits that help advisors keep more of what they earn.
Attendees will also receive a “do your own accounting without paying for an expensive accounting system” file, which helps travel agents from day 1, especially those who do not want to pay for an accounting system initially. This will help track the full P&L, cash, and assets.
MARY MASNARI
FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING DIRECTOR - AGODA
Mary Masnari is the Finance and Accounting Director at Agoda, part of Booking Holdings (BKNG), and a U.K. Chartered Accountant with over 25 years of experience in global travel and hospitality finance.
Her career includes senior finance leadership roles at organizations such as Hotelbeds and The Travel Corporation, as well as advisory work with travel agents, online travel agencies, destination management companies, tour operators, and hotels worldwide. Her work spans travel businesses operating across North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. She is known for helping travel businesses interpret complex financial information and translate it into clear, practical decision-making.
Mary’s expertise spans financial and management reporting, treasury and foreign exchange, tax, payment structures, and financial strategy, with a particular focus on the operational realities of travel businesses.
She is committed to improving financial literacy across the travel industry and has contributed educational content, practical guides and research aimed at helping advisors and operators build resilient, well-structured businesses and make confident financial decisions in a complex and evolving environment.
Disclaimer:
Content published on this page is provided for informational purposes only and reflects research, industry analysis, and our professional perspective. It does not constitute legal, tax, or accounting advice. Regulations vary by jurisdiction, and individual circumstances differ. Readers should seek advice from a qualified professional before making decisions that could affect their business.