Celebrities Katie Price and Danielle Lloyd, who is signed up to InteleTravel as an independent travel advisor, took to Instagram and Facebook this week to promote Katie Price Travels, which TTG understands operates through PlanNet, the US-based firm which recruits on InteleTravel's behalf.
Katie Price Travels links to a landing page for “Travel Smarter” – what appears to be an agent recruitment page with Lloyd listed as the director. The Travel Smarter site describes itself as “pioneers in home-based travel”.
The first post on the Katie Price Travels Instagram page reads: “Through this platform I’ll be helping people monetise through travel – whether that’s booking holidays, hotels, experiences, events and more… all while creating an additional income around your current lifestyle.”
The pair hosted a livestream via Instagram on Thursday evening (12 March). A – now deleted – post advertising the event said to direct message Price for a link to join. A member of the TTG team tried to access the event out of curiosity, but was not sent the joining details. She noted that another person commented on the post asking for the link, and the account replied: “Sorry this is only for people who are new to the industry”.
The social media launch has caught the attention of the traditional travel agent community, with scores of messages being exchanged on the Travel Agents Rants and Raves Facebook page about the launch.
Inspire Europe chief executive Lisa Henning posted a public comment on her Facebook page, slamming the messaging of the launch and its timing.
'A step too far'
“Seeing this today is a step too far,” she said. “For the past 12 days I have worked non-stop, 24/7, supporting our clients and our agents through the disruption affecting Dubai and other destinations.
"I’ve watched our teams go above and beyond to get people home safely. I’ve seen agents working ridiculous hours for their customers, losing the commission they had earned because trips had to be cancelled or rearranged, and still showing up because that’s what real travel professionals do.”
She continued: “So to then see promotions suggesting that you can simply ‘earn money from travel’ with a glossy campaign featuring Katie Price and Danielle Lloyd — positioning the role of a travel agent as something you do casually around other commitments — honestly feels like a huge mockery of our industry.
“This isn’t a side hustle. This isn’t a gimmick. And it certainly isn’t ‘easy money while you travel’.”
Getting deeper into the issue, Henning continued: “Being a travel professional means responsibility. It means being there at 2am when a flight is cancelled, when a destination shuts down, or when clients need help urgently. It means navigating crises and protecting the people who trust you with their holidays.
“After the last 12 days our industry has endured, seeing this kind of messaging feels like a real slap in the face to the thousands of dedicated agents who work tirelessly behind the scenes every single day.
“Travel agents are not influencers. Travel agents are problem solvers, crisis managers, and trusted professionals – and this industry deserves far more respect than being turned into a marketing gimmick.”
Henning’s post attracted comments of agreement from across the industry. EasyJet Holidays’ head of trade distribution Natasha Marson said: “There really should be a law enforced to prevent this from occurring and escalating. I’m happy to discuss this and lobby against this, there’s enough professionals amongst us to support this.”
Travel by Cat at Inspire added: “It’s absolutely infuriating! Your job doesn’t end when your clients book their holiday! It’s where it starts! A full time and dedicated job and people like this make a mockery of everyone’s hard work and dedication!”
TTG has contacted Lloyd and Price’s representative for comment.
