3 Surprise Travel Agency Success Stories [2025]
Are you looking for a scalable side hustle idea and one that allows you some flexibility?
A surprise travel agency is a good option that will enable you to choose a friendly niche market.
Besides, a surprise travel agency lets you gain exposure and experience while it is an opportunity with unlimited income potential.
If you love sharing travel recommendations and always find the best local spots when you visit a new city, this will be ideal for you.
In this list, you'll find real-world surprise travel agency success stories and very profitable examples of starting a surprise travel agency that makes money.
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1. Pack Up + Go ($6.6M/year)
Lillian Rafson came up with the idea for Pack Up + Go during her travels in Riga, Latvia, where she met two women on a surprise vacation with a European travel agency. Realizing there was no similar service in the United States, Lillian decided to become a surprise travel agent herself. With a $50 investment in the domain, Pack Up + Go was born and has since sent over 25,000 travelers to 100+ destinations across the US.
How much money it makes: $6.6M/year
How much did it cost to start: $250
How many people on the team: 30
Find out how Lillian Rafson started a travel agency that plans surprise getaways around the United States and sent 25,000+ travelers to 100+ destinations nationwide since launching in 2016, with a business model that takes a 20% service fee for planning trips and earns commission on hotel reservations.
2. The Vacation Hunt ($480K/year)
Roshni and Jeffs' idea for The Vacation Hunt came about after they planned a surprise vacation for a friend who loved the concept. They decided to start a business around it, offering surprise vacation packages where travelers fill out a survey and receive clues to their destination over social media. Since launching in 2017, they have been featured in news outlets like the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal, and rely on word-of-mouth and customer referrals to attract new clients.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How many people on the team: 2
The Vacation Hunt, run by Roshni and Jeff, is a surprise travel service that has gained popularity through social media sharing and word of mouth, offering unique packages that are created individually for each traveler based on their survey responses.
3. Whisked Away Surprise Travel ($180K/year)
Charlotte Curry McGhee, founder of Whisked Away Surprise Travel, came up with the idea while on a weekend trip in Savannah, GA. As a passionate trip planner, she realized that she could turn it into a business and provide stress-free surprise trips for clients who couldn't decide where to go. After researching and finding inspiration in a similar company, she launched Whisked Away and has seen exponential revenue growth since then.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How many people on the team: 1
Whisked Away Surprise Travel is a curated travel service for clients overwhelmed by the planning process, with revenue growth exponentially increasing each year since its launch in March 2017.
