How To Get A Job As A Travel Agent
Travel Agents must be courteous, well organized, detail oriented, and have excellent computer abilities. They must speak and write English fluently, and have superior communication skills. Agents must understand that people have many reasons to travel, business, pleasure, a desire to experience another culture, eco touring, and a wish to volunteer. A Travel Agent must be able to mesh their clients wishes, and their financial capacity with travel opportunities and destinations available. This usually must be done within a fixed time frame.
Travel Agents do most of their work from withing an office. Most work a forty hour week, plus overtime during seasons of peak travel. Flexible work hours are a possibility. Some Travel Agents are self-employed and work from home.
Most of an Agents time is spent meeting with clients, doing research, and making arrangements for transportation, accommodation, car rentals, and tours. During peak travel season, rescheduling, or an emergency abroad, the work of a Travel Agent can be stressful.
During their work day, Travel Agents have a variety of duties. They speak to clients, on the phone or in person, listen to their ideas, assess their travel needs and wants, make suggestions, and be ready to supply them with information regarding destinations, sight seeing, restaurants, local customs, inoculations, customs regulations, language, currency exchange, travel documents needed, and important dos and don’ts for those traveling in a foreign country. Travel Agents must be able to access information quickly, when needed, through their computers.
Education
A good education is vital to the modern Travel Agent. Although many Travel Agents in the past had only a high school diploma, most successful Agents today have a College Degree. A Bachelor’s Degree in travel and tourism is the most useful. Many Travel Agents today have a Master’s Degree.
A Travel Agent’s education is never complete and they must constantly update their knowledge to match the changes of the fast paced modern world.
Today’s Travel Agents need education in history, geography, culture, world politics, and diplomacy. A second language is useful.
Experience is a valuable asset for Travel Agents. Work in a Travel Agency office, in any capacity is a good beginning. Many Agents start their careers this way. Reduced travel fares are often available for Travel Agents.
The more travel experience you have, the better equipped you will be to relate to your clients. Personal experience enables some Agents to specialize in a particular area of the world.
Courses for Travel Agents are available in Vocation Schools, and Community Colleges.
