The consortium launched its new business model - Travel Specialists by Advantage - on 20 August.

As well as those who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, Advantage said interest had also come from established homeworkers “attracted by the competitive fee structure” and existing travel sellers looking to branch out on their own. 

“This demonstrates there could be more small, agile businesses competing with established brands in 2021 and beyond,” the group said.

Advantage has also received a number of enquiries from potential homeworkers looking to focus on business travel.

Kelly Cookes, leisure director at Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “We’re really pleased with the interest and leads we’ve had over the last couple of weeks.

“As a hybrid between a traditional homeworking organisation and a managed services model, we’ve had lots of feedback from agents to say that the ring fenced trust account for customers monies, management of supplier payments and administrative and out of hours support are a huge draw. 

“This model is a great option for travel agents looking for the security that comes with being part of a consortium with the flexibility of homeworking.”