Travel Agent Job Description Information

Travel agents help their clients select travel destinations and assist with the related travel, entertainment and lodging arrangements.

 

 

 

 

Responsibilities

  • Depending on the needs of their clients, travel agents perform a wide range of travel preparations. This can include booking lodging, booking transportation, arranging entertainment and establishing itineraries. Travel agents also advise clients on local attractions, climate, customs and anything else that concerns their trip.

General Requirements

  • Travel agent jobs do not necessarily require any formal training, though preference is given to candidates who have completed a travel agent training program. Knowledge of geography and personal travel experience can also prove helpful for beginning travel agents.

For Independant Travel Agents

  • For travel agents starting their own business, affiliations with the Airlines Reporting Corporation and the International Airlines Travel Agency Network are considered crucial in establishing a successful travel agency.

Job Prospects

  • Due to the increase of "do it yourself" online travel booking sites and the relative ease of online travel research, employment for travel agents is expected to stay roughly the same or even decline 1 percent from 2008 through 2018.

Compensation

  • Compensation for travel agents depends on agency size, location and experience. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average 2008 annual income for travel agents was $30,570.

Read more: Job Description for a Travel Agent | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_5921263_job-description-travel-agent.html#ixzz1gns13bsj
Labels:

Travel Agent Salary Information

People may think that being a travel agent is a dream job because of the perks that come with the job. They have access to deep discounts on tickets and trips, and they help advise individuals on how to travel to their dream destinations. However, before becoming a travel agent, consider if the income opportunities are suitable for you.

 

Wage

  • Travel agents can work for tour operators and private travel agencies as wage or salaried employees. They are usually paid by the hour, which ranges from $10 to $20 per hour. They act as consultants to travelers and sell them airline tickets and travel packages.

Average earnings

  • According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, many factors affect the salary of a travel agent, including experience, sales ability, and the size and location of the agency. Average annual earnings of travel agents in 2006 ranged from $29,210 to $46,270 (see Resources).

Mark-Ups

  • Instead of working for agencies, travel agents can work from home. They are independent agencies that have affiliations with consolidators and wholesalers to be able to sell flight and hotel packages to travelers. Instead of getting paid a salary or commission, these agents usually place their own mark-up on a travel package.

Other Compensation

  • Though their salaries are low, travel agents receive many travel benefits and incentives. Selling a number of group travel packages may garner a travel agent a free trip, depending on the airline or cruise company.

Income

  • Some travel agents who are just starting in the business supplement their income by taking another job to support themselves. According to payscale.com, the average salary of a travel agent in their first year is $29,000 to $32,000. Travel agents may also charge service fees to their customers to make additional income (see Resources).

Read more: What Is the Salary of a Travel Agent? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_4895764_what-salary-travel-agent.html#ixzz1gnr2bjtZ
Labels:

How to Become a Travel Agent

The need for experienced travel agents is increasing as more people travel for business and pleasure. Although this is not a high-paying career, it has the major benefit of deep travel discounts.
  1. Realize that larger travel agencies may require an agent to have a liberal arts or business degree.
  2. Learn to speak a second language. This skill is invaluable for a travel agent, especially in agencies that focus on international travel.
  3. Take a 6-to-12-week travel agent course at a community college to learn the basics of the career.
  4. Consider working as a ticketing agent to gain solid experience in the travel industry.
  5. Become as computer literate as possible - travel agents conduct much of their business via computer.
  6. Check with your state's Department of Commerce for any registration or certification requirements for travel agents.
  7. Read a wide variety of travel magazines to keep up with current trends in the industry.
  8. Work toward receiving your certification as a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) after you have gained experience. (See "Institute of Certified Travel Agents" at icta.com.)
Labels:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)