Host or white label · US

Host agency or white label? How to choose.

A host agency lets you work as an independent advisor under its name, accreditation and supplier relationships. A white label site gives you your own brand and a ready-made product to sell. They solve different problems, and the right choice depends on what you need first.

Apply for a workspaceSee the product

Host agencyBorrow a name and a team

Its accreditation and supplier access
Training and support
A share of your commission

See how it worksWhite labelKeep your name, borrow a catalog

Your brand on a ready-made site
A Maldives catalog already inside
Registration and accreditation stay yours

See how it works

Take the two-minute quiz

I

What a host agency does.

A host agency is an established agency that takes on independent advisors as contractors. In exchange for a share of your commission, and sometimes a fee, it typically provides its accreditation numbers, supplier relationships, booking tools, training and back-office support, and it processes the commission suppliers pay. You sell. In many arrangements the host is the agency of record with the suppliers.

Terms differ widely. Some hosts give you a free hand with your own brand. Others require you to sell under theirs. That single point decides whether the rest of this page applies to you.

II

What a white label site does.

A white label travel site gives you a website under your own name and address, a supplier's destination catalog already inside it, and an inbox for the enquiries. Resortlife's version covers the Maldives and lets you add your own trips. It does not take bookings or payments, and it does not provide accreditation. The full list is in the white label travel agency guide.

III

Side by side.

Spotlight

Topic	Host agency	White label site
Gives you	Accreditation, supplier access, tools, training and a community of advisors	Your own branded website, a destination catalog, an enquiry inbox
Does not give you	Your own legal entity, or control of every term	Accreditation, commission splits or training
Brand	The host's, or yours if the host allows it	Yours
Client enquiries	Check who owns the client list before you sign	Come to your inbox and your team
Cost	Usually a share of commission, sometimes a fee	A plan per agency, agreed with us
Best when	You are new and want accreditation, training and support	You have clients and a brand and want a ready-made Maldives product

General information, not legal advice. Read any agreement before you sign it.

IV

Twelve questions to ask a host before you sign.

Ask each question to two or three hosts and put the answers in writing. A good host will not mind.

01
What is the commission split, and does it change as I sell more?
02
Are there fees: joining, monthly, technology or per booking?
03
Which suppliers can I book, and which are restricted?
04
Who owns the client list and each client's contact details if I leave?
05
Can I use my own brand, website and domain, and under what rules?
06
How and when do I get paid, and what can the host hold back?
07
What happens to commission on trips that are booked but not yet traveled if I leave?
08
Does the host carry errors and omissions insurance, and does it cover me?
09
What training and support is included, and who answers my questions?
10
Is there a minimum sales requirement, and what happens if I miss it?
11
How do I leave, and what notice does the contract require?
12
Can I speak to advisors who have worked with the host for a year or more?

V

Which fits you.

Question 1 of 5

Where are you today?

Five questions. The answers stay in this tab and nothing is sent. It is a quick steer, not advice.

Choose a host agency if you are new and want accreditation, training and support, you want the lowest set-up effort, and you are comfortable sharing commission.
Choose your own agency and a white label site if you already have clients and a brand, you want your name on the site, and you can handle registration, insurance and supplier booking yourself. How to start a travel agency covers those steps.
Combine them if your host allows your own branding and website. Some do and some do not, so get the host's permission in writing before you publish a site.

None of this is legal advice. A lawyer who knows travel should read any agreement you are about to sign.

Questions

Good to know.

What is a travel host agency?

An established agency that lets independent advisors work under its legal entity and accreditation. In exchange it typically keeps a share of the commission suppliers pay on your bookings and may charge fees. It usually also provides tools, training and supplier access.

How do host agencies make money?

Typically by keeping a share of the commission suppliers pay on your bookings and, with some hosts, by charging joining or monthly fees. The split and the fees vary, so ask for them in writing.

Is a host agency worth it?

It can be, especially at the start, when accreditation, supplier access and training are hard to arrange alone. It costs you a share of commission and some control. Compare the written terms of two or three hosts before you choose.

Can I have my own website and brand under a host agency?

Sometimes. Some hosts let you use your own brand and domain, and others require their branding or approval of your site. Ask before you publish.

Is Resortlife a host agency?

No. We are a destination management company based in Malé. We do not provide accreditation numbers or commission splits. Our white label site gives you a branded website and a Maldives catalog to sell.

Can I use a white label site and a host agency together?

Often, if your host agreement allows your own branding. Get the host's permission in writing first.

What is the difference between a host agency and a travel franchise?

A host agency usually lets you operate as an independent contractor under flexible terms, with a commission split. A franchise sells you a brand and a system for fees set out in a disclosure document, and you operate under that brand.

Already know you want your own name on it?.

Apply for a white label workspace, or try the brand lab to see the site with your agency's name.

Apply for a workspaceOpen the brand lab

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Facts checked October 2026 · Resortlife, Malé