Jamie Biesiada
With its litigation with Internova Travel Group in the rearview mirror, NousTravel, the Austin, Texas-based host agency, is now squarely focused on growth via onboarding independent contractors.
"Our growth is really not looking for people that are happy, it's looking for people that are unhappy," said NousTravel president Barry Noskeau. "And our experience, in talking to people over the last six months is, there's a lot of people unhappy out there that are not necessarily getting what they need. And that's the gap that we want to fill."
Internova and NousTravel reached a settlement Aug. 8 after Internova alleged NousTravel performed the same functions of its Altour division, and that former employees Lee Thomas and Noskeau breached contractual agreements by taking trade secrets and soliciting employees. The two denied those claims.
Of the settlement, Noskeau said the host cannot take on any employees or independent contractors from any Internova brand through Aug. 8, 2025.
"According to their website that's about 100,000 travel advisors that would be precluded, but we're fine with that," he said. "We're moving forward. We think there's opportunity in the marketplace."
Thomas, the agency's director, said NousTravel will focus on serving ICs who sell high-end luxury travel across the leisure, corporate, entertainment and meetings and incentives sectors. It's filling what he believes is a demand in the marketplace for more customized, flexible servicing of the needs of ICs.
"We're thinking about the business model primarily around attracting independent travel advisors that really want to focus on partnering with their host agency and how they build that business," he said.
NousTravel currently has several ICs, Thomas said. Its litigation with Internova caused a delay in the agency's growth, but the host is ready to move "full-speed ahead" with the settlement in place, he added.
Noskeau emphasized that NousTravel wants to be a flexible partner for ICs.
"We really listen to the individual and customize what we do for each person and support them in a way they want to be supported," he said. "It could be contractual issues. It could be support issues. But I think that's one of the major differences that we hope to bring to the marketplace, is that customization."
The name of the agency comes from the French word "nous," which means we, said chief relationship officer Lisa Wheeler.
"We felt like 'we' was important, and 'we' will now encompass anyone who joins us," she said. "You know, we're in it together. We're in it to be successful, to grow, to take the ups and downs that we know the travel industry brings, but it's really just a sense of being together."
Noskeau said NousTravel's commissions split and structure is competitive with that at other agencies. While the agency is looking to attract experienced ICs, it is also looking to welcome ICs who are new to the industry, Thomas said. NousTravel and its leadership will offer mentorship to help ICs grow.
Wheeler also said NousTravel fulfills air for its ICs who are uncomfortable booking it themselves.