The Virgin SpaceShipTwo in flight over Mojave, Calif. in 2011.
FORTUNE -- In 1914, a former mayor in Florida paid the equivalent of about $9,300 in current U.S. dollars to fly on the first commercial airline flight in the world. The 23-minute journey from St. Petersburg to Tampawas hardly glamorous -- the boat was made of wood and traveled at speeds up to 60 miles per hour -- but the manwas willing to pay the exorbitant price for a trip that at the time seemed out of this world.
One hundred years later, about 600 travelers have paid up to $250,000 tobe a part of a similarly ethereal event: the first commercial flightsinto space, courtesy ofSir Richard Branson's space-tourism venture Virgin Galactic. Although the concept may sound completely outlandish, even dangerous, for the affluent adventurer, luxury travel network Virtuoso is working to bring the concept back down to earth for a few well-heeled customers.
"Virgin Galactic wanted a company that could come in and demystify the experience," said Matthew Upchurch, Virtuoso's chief executive.His company has exclusive rights to book seats on Virgin Galactic aircraft for North, Central and South American passengers. "It is about humanizing the experience and making it more reachable."
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At a time when the traditional travel agent appears to be a dying profession, Virtuoso's335 global member agencies with more than 7,200 travel agents earned$12.5 billion in sales last year. The companyworks to remain relevant in a digital age by creating travel experiences -- a key word in the age of the web-based booking tool -- for clients ranging from modest means to the top one percent.
Virtuoso has 56 "accredited space agents," or ASAs, that help customers through the complicated process -- medical tests, spousal approval, regular updates on the program's progress --of signing up for Virgin Galactic. Although the company's commercial operations have not yet begun, Virgin Galactic plans to send six passengers at a time on suborbital space flights as early as this year.
"I work for the future astronauts, not for Virgin Galactic," saidJay Johnson, a Virgin Galactic ASA and the president of a Virtuoso member agency. "I don't sugar-coat anything. I just keep them motivated. My number one concern is to keep the customer happy and if they have any concerns I help them address them."
Johnson has successfully booked eight seats on future Virgin Galactic flights. Although he declined to disclose the exact commission he earns fromVirgin Galactic for signing up passengers, he said that he did not become a part of the ASA program for the money. Instead, the clients he meets through Virgin Galactic become profitable to him through othertravel booking opportunities. For example, he just finished planning a 14-month around the world travel experience for a customer he got to know througharranging his travel into space.
The standard commission for a travel agent is about 10 percent the total cost of the trip, but Virtuoso's positioning as a luxury agency allows its agents to earn more for their services.
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