The vast majority – 97% – of respondents to the TTG poll said they believe there is a case for implementing accreditation for travel agents, although there is considerable disagreement over how such a system should work.

Of 152 votes, 79% (121) said yes, agreeing "professional credibility is at stake", while a further 19% (29) agreed accreditation was needed while cautioning it "shouldn't be too stern a barrier to entry".

Just 2% said there should be better access to basic training without accreditation, while only 1% felt things were "fine as they are".

The poll accompanied an editorial by Yorkshire-based Tivoli Travel owner Jo Greenwood Richards who, writing for TTG, argued a more regulated accreditation system could help "weedle out" inexperienced agents and protect the industry's reputation.

'I think all travel agents should be accredited – here's why'

Richards, who is approaching 40 years in travel, said the industry had undegone significant change since she first entered through a formal apprenticeship route – arguing consumers deserved greater reassurance when entrusting agents with their holidays and money.

The poll results suggest her concerns resonate with much of the trade, although feedback from agents was more mixed and nuanced, revealing any solution is likely to be difficult to execute equitably.

'It's simply not needed'

Travelosophers agent Daniel Bartholomew Oates rejected the idea accreditation should be a prerequisite for working as an agent, pointing instead to practical training.

"I started in this industry without qualifications or accreditation and I hold my own against some bigger names in the industry, something of which I'm incredibly proud," he said. "The industry doesn't need accreditation, it needs proper new-to-travel on-the-job training."

David Walker, of The Travel Snob, also questioned whether qualifications could adequately measure the expertise that clients actually value. Walker instead highlighted the importance of tangible industry experience.

"I've got 30 years of hardcore and uber-luxury travelling under my belt," he said. "I've been to 150 countries and I've never sent anyone to a country I've not been to. Clients pay for expertise and first-hand knowledge."

He suggested industry and destination experience could potentially form part of training, arguing "life experience is often way better than the classroom" when it comes to advising clients.

'We all have to start somewhere'

For some agents, the issue is less about whether training is desirable and more about whether accreditation could unintentionally shut the door on people trying to establish themselves in the industry.

WanderLux Luxury Travel owner Sarah White said she supported the idea of a standardised training programme, but questioned whether a mandatory accreditation system would be practical in today's market. "My qualifications were never once asked for by a client," she said, adding consumers do not always understand or prioritise industry credentials.

White also pointed to the diversity of the homeworking sector, arguing agents can have very different levels of experience and training while still building impressive businesses. "I'm a self-taught agent myself, and proud of what I've learned in the last four years in the industry," she said.

She also questioned whether regulation could create "significant costs" without necessarily producing better outcomes for consumers, and argued travel is too diverse and fast-moving for a "one size fits all" approach. "We all have to start somewhere and building a client base is hard," she added.

'Be careful what you wish for'

Others were much more emphatic in their belief that the industry needs formal standards, with Cotton Travel owner Josh Cotton-Lawton comparing the industry with other professional services.

"You wouldn't go to get your hair cut by someone without a qualification, so why the hell would you book a holiday with someone totally unqualified?" he said. Cotton-Lawton added it was "imperative" standards be reinstated and suggested Abta should also play a role in the discussion.

Paul Baldwin, owner of Just Travel 4u, agreed accreditation was desirable but warned the practicalities could be far more complicated. "Be careful what you wish for," he said. "It makes sense in an ideal world, but what does it look like? And how much does it cost?"

Baldwin also questioned whether accreditation would need to be divided into different levels depending on the complexity of the booking. "Booking a five-night break to Spain is infinitely easier than a three-week multi-destination itinerary," he said. "Will there be levels of accreditation?"

He also pointed out consumers can already arrange highly complex "DIY holidays" themselves online without holding any qualifications thanks to direct booking systems.

"I could be accredited to book three-week multi-destination itineraries, but my next-door neighbour, who is a teacher, can book exactly the same thing online herself without any accreditation," he said.