Roave Agents vs Avoya: Which Is Right for Credentialed Travel Advisors?
Compare Roave Agents and Avoya on cost, commission splits, client ownership, and contract terms for credentialed travel advisors.
Avoya's leads program can fill your calendar. The catch sits in the terms. On Avoya-provided leads, advisors keep a reduced share, up to 50% according to published reports, and Avoya keeps ownership of those clients and their future referrals.
That trade-off comes on top of the cost of joining. Avoya advertises a setup fee of $495 or less, a $79 monthly fee, and a $150 annual renewal fee.
For a credentialed advisor who already has clients, that structure deserves a closer look. You pay to join, pay monthly, and share your commission, and the clients Avoya sends you do not stay yours if you leave.
Roave Agents takes a different approach: direct hotel booking, your full commission, your clients, and no contract.
This page compares the two on cost, commission, client ownership, contract terms, booking tools, and fit.
Avoya is a host agency built around cruise and resort sales and a leads program. Roave Agents is a direct hotel booking platform for credentialed advisors who keep their full commission and their clients, with no contract.
Roave Agents and Avoya side by side
| Roave Agents | Avoya | |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Direct hotel booking platform | Host agency |
| First-year cost | Free first 12 months, then $199/year or $24.99/month | About $1,443 at full price ($495 or less setup, $79/month, $150 annual renewal); waivers may apply |
| Commission | Full commission kept; net rates or 8/10/12% tiers | 80/20 standard; Elite 100 (invitation only) keeps 100% at $399/month |
| Lead clients | No leads offered; does not claim any advisor's clients or referrals | Leads program; Avoya keeps ownership of lead clients and their referrals; advisor keeps up to 50% |
| Inventory | 3,000,000+ hotels, 200+ suppliers | Cruise lines, resorts, and packages through partner relationships and Travel Leaders Network |
| Travel types | Hotels | Cruises, resorts, vacation packages |
| Price drops | Automatic rebooking | Not listed in published Agent Power features |
| Contract | No contract, no exclusivity | 1-year initial and renewal terms, non-exclusive |
| Payment timing | Instant | Weekly; opt-in instant commission program |
| Location | Advisors worldwide | US-resident agencies only |
| Access | IATA, CLIA, TIDS, or registered agency | New and experienced advisors; no prior experience required |
What you pay in year one
Avoya advertises a setup fee of $495 or less, a monthly fee of $79, and a $150 renewal fee each year. At full price, the first year comes to about $1,443. Adding an associate costs $120 more, and Avoya's optional $399 certification is an additional cost.
Roave Agents includes the first 12 months free, with no card required. After that, the plan costs $24.99 per month or $199 per year, with no per-seat charge.
As a result, the first year at Roave costs nothing, and later years cost far less than Avoya's recurring fees. However, Avoya notes that fees may be waived. Compare the terms you are actually offered.
Who keeps the commission
Avoya's standard split is 80/20, so the host keeps 20% of every commission. On Avoya-provided leads, advisors keep a reduced share, up to 50% according to published reports. Historically, that share was 30%.
Roave Agents takes no share of the advisor's commission. On net rates, the advisor sets the client price and keeps the difference. On commissionable rates, three tiers apply: Silver at 8%, Gold at 10%, and Platinum at 12%, based on production.
Commission also arrives faster. Roave pays instantly, while Avoya pays weekly, with an opt-in program for instant payment.
Who owns the client
Avoya's leads program sends new clients to advisors at no program fee. In exchange, Avoya keeps ownership of those clients and their future referrals. If you leave, they stay behind.
Roave Agents does not claim any advisor's clients or their referrals. Every quote, voucher, and confirmation carries only your agency's branding, so repeat business stays with you.
Therefore, the real cost of leads is long-term. A client you did not source can fill a quarter, but a client you own builds the business for years.
A worked example
Take a $2,000 commissionable hotel stay at a 12% commission, which equals $240.
On Avoya's standard 80/20 split, the advisor keeps $192. On an Avoya-provided lead at the top published 50% share, the advisor keeps $120, and the client stays with Avoya. On Roave Agents at the Platinum tier, the advisor keeps $240.
Avoya's $79 monthly fee applies in addition to those splits. These figures are illustrative and assume the same commission rate on both platforms. Actual rates vary by supplier and property.
Contract and flexibility
Avoya's initial and renewal agreements each run one year. The affiliation is non-exclusive, so advisors may sell through other host agencies as well.
Roave Agents has no contract and no exclusivity terms. Advisors can use it alongside any host agency or on their own, and they can stop at any time.
Location also separates the two. According to its own education FAQ, Avoya currently affiliates only with Independent Agencies that reside in the United States. Roave Agents accepts advisors outside the US.
Booking tools for hotel stays
Avoya's Agent Power platform covers the essentials, including a CRM, booking system, accounting and commission tracking, an itinerary builder, calendaring, and insights. Its tools lean toward cruise and package bookings.
Roave Agents focuses on hotel booking. It searches 200+ suppliers at once, with bookings averaging under 90 seconds. It also re-prices every confirmed, fully refundable booking until check-in and automatically rebooks to a cheaper like-for-like refundable rate. If the cheaper rate is non-refundable, the advisor approves first.
In short, Avoya's platform is for cruise and package sales, while Roave puts hotel search and price control in one dashboard.
Where Avoya is stronger
Avoya offers real advantages for the right advisor. Its leads program is a genuine source of clients, and Roave does not offer one. The agency has more than 60 years of experience in travel, is part of the Travel Leaders Network, and has deep expertise in cruises, resorts, and vacation packages.
In addition, Agent Power includes accounting and calendaring tools, and its Elite 100 tier lets invited advisors keep 100% of commission for $399 per month.
For advisors who want leads, sell mostly cruises and packages, or qualify for Elite 100, those strengths are significant. A credentialed advisor with an existing client base may need less of them.
Who each is best for
Choose Avoya if you want a leads program, sell mostly cruises, resorts, and vacation packages, and accept sharing commission and client ownership in exchange.
Choose Roave Agents if you already hold your credentials, book hotels regularly, and want your full commission, your clients, and a platform with no contract.
Some advisors will use both, since Avoya is non-exclusive and Roave is not exclusive.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Roave Agents a host agency? No. Roave Agents is a hotel booking platform for credentialed advisors and registered agencies. It does not provide seller of travel registration or a host agency's training programs.
Can I use Roave Agents and Avoya together? Yes. Avoya is non-exclusive, and Roave Agents has no contract or exclusivity terms, so neither conflicts with the other. Before you add Roave, review your Avoya agreement for any terms on outside booking platforms.
Which is cheaper, Roave Agents or Avoya? Roave Agents is free for the first 12 months, then $199 per year or $24.99 per month. Avoya's first year runs about $1,443 at full price, including setup, monthly, and renewal fees, though waivers may apply. Avoya also keeps 20% of commission on a standard split.
Does Roave Agents provide leads? No. Roave Agents does not offer a leads program. Advisors bring their own clients and keep them.
Who owns my clients if I leave? Roave Agents does not claim any advisor's clients or their referrals, so your client list stays yours. Avoya, according to published reports, retains ownership of clients generated through its leads program. Check your own agreement for the exact terms.
Do I need experience to join Roave Agents? Access requires an IATA, CLIA, or TIDS credential, or a registered agency. Advisors without credentials may prefer a host agency that provides them, then add Roave Agents later.
Keep your commission and your clients
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