Life As a Travel Agent
Position Description Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for travel agency customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
Daily Life Of a Travel Agent
- Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.
- Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
- Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer terminal or telephone.
- Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.
- Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
- Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Travel Agent?
Below is a list of the skills most Travel Agents say are important on the job.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Types of Travel Agent Jobs
- Travel Counselor
- Corporate Travel Agent
- Tour Counselor
- Certified Travel Counselor
- Certified Corporate Travel Executive
Job Demand for Travel Agents
There were about 81,700 jobs for Travel Agent in 2016 (in the United States). There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Travel Agent. The BLS estimates 7,800 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Travel Agent are Washington, Alaska, and Maryland. Watch out if you plan on working in Wisconsin, Ohio, or North Dakota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Travel Agent Average Salary
Travel Agents make between $22,370 and $66,080 a year.
Travel Agents who work in District of Columbia, Washington, or Arizona, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Travel Agents in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $45,070 |
| Alaska | $42,060 |
| Arizona | $48,980 |
| Arkansas | $37,580 |
| California | $47,460 |
| Colorado | $44,750 |
| Connecticut | $48,780 |
| Delaware | $41,800 |
| District of Columbia | $56,790 |
| Florida | $41,630 |
| Georgia | $35,190 |
| Hawaii | $42,170 |
| Idaho | $38,280 |
| Illinois | $41,100 |
| Indiana | $40,640 |
| Iowa | $41,330 |
| Kansas | $45,940 |
| Kentucky | $41,470 |
| Louisiana | $38,060 |
| Maine | $34,510 |
| Maryland | $36,300 |
| Massachusetts | $49,920 |
| Michigan | $42,530 |
| Minnesota | $45,530 |
| Mississippi | $34,120 |
| Missouri | $40,100 |
| Montana | $45,810 |
| Nebraska | $41,650 |
| Nevada | $56,590 |
| New Hampshire | $44,420 |
| New Jersey | $49,330 |
| New Mexico | $40,970 |
| New York | $40,000 |
| North Carolina | $40,690 |
| North Dakota | $33,600 |
| Ohio | $36,250 |
| Oklahoma | $36,940 |
| Oregon | $38,520 |
| Pennsylvania | $42,700 |
| Rhode Island | $37,280 |
| South Carolina | $33,150 |
| South Dakota | $36,140 |
| Tennessee | $42,600 |
| Texas | $39,670 |
| Utah | $43,590 |
| Vermont | $44,000 |
| Virginia | $44,970 |
| Washington | $52,790 |
| West Virginia | $35,420 |
| Wisconsin | $37,350 |
| Wyoming | $47,440 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Travel Agents
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Travel Agents:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Access
- Data entry software
- Intuit QuickBooks
- Travel Agent CMS
Becoming a Travel Agent
What education is needed to be a Travel Agent?
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where do Travel Agents Work?
Travel Agents work in the following industries:
Related Careers
Those interested in being a Travel Agent may also be interested in:
References:
Image Credit: Nick Nijhuis via Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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