Automated travel reservation systems are popular, but travel agencies still require specialists who can plan a vacation competently. A travel agent ensures that every trip is approached individually. All activities are planned, the cost plan is clearly outlined, and all possible nuances (tickets, transfers, accommodation, guides and more) are thought through.
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For the trip to go as it should be: tickets are booked, hotel rooms are reserved, and the program is competently planned; it is necessary to entrust the matter to a real specialist. It is done by a particular person – travel agents. Such a specialist is one of many who will order the right ticket and room. This profession requires training, certification and mastering the required skills.
In this article, we will understand in more detail what a travel agent does, what types of professions exist, how to become a qualified travel agent and consider additional questions. If you are interested in the profession presented, you should study our material.
A travel agent’s primary purpose is to organize trips or offer clients various travel options, depending on individual preferences. The agent proposes the direction of the trip, selects the appropriate accommodation, organizes the itinerary and deals with other vital issues. The travel agent is also responsible for booking tickets, hotels, etc.
To trip to glory, a travel agent must obtain all the necessary information about the client before planning: the size of the budget, the client’s idea of an ideal holiday, how he wants to rest, where to go and more. For example, if the client is seasick, he should not be offered a cruise.
For a specialist to effectively perform his job duties as a travel agent, he must have several valuable skills:
Working as a travel agent boasts several benefits:
To master the travel agent profession, you need to have sufficient education and an optimal level of training. Also, in certain situations, certification is required so that the specialist can get a job. If you want to build a career in tourism, the following steps are worth considering.
Before mastering any profession, you must first thoroughly understand what it represents and what the specialist’s duties must perform. To become a worthy travel agent, you should study the issue in detail. This situation is helped by the Internet, where you can find helpful information.
The travel agent certificate is an extraordinary document confirming that the specialist had an appropriate training course. Travel agents can get the necessary certificate after completing a training program and passing an exam. A specialist can be trained in different areas so that in the future, he can work with cruise lines, travel agencies, airlines, and corporate travel departments for planning business trips and others. Travel agent certifications range from the beginner’s program to full-fledged executives.
There are several options if you wish to take a particular education course for travel agents. You can get the necessary education at a technical school, college, university and other institutions. The program often involves coursework in a specific subject:
The certification program for a travel agent is often presented in the form of 1st-semester training. In this situation, the main focus is for the student to learn the essential duties and areas of responsibility of a travel agent. Some educational programs also offer internships with companies to gain valuable hands-on experience before getting a job.
A travel agent does not have to have professional certifications, but having them is a distinct advantage during employment. Some of the most popular travel certifications include:
Depending on the specific line of business chosen, a professional can decide which certificate is more appropriate.
Even the most dedicated travel agent needs support. When specific questions or problems arise, you need to know exactly who you can turn to for help. In this situation, the best place to turn to is a particular industry community of fellow travel agents. Most often, travel agents find colleagues in particular groups on social networks. It is also worth attending special events on tourism, where you can make helpful acquaintances. In addition, an excellent way to find valuable connections will be regular attendance of training courses, where you can find the right people who can help in difficult situations.
Being successful necessarily requires popularizing your brand. To become visible in the market and increase the number of clients, it is necessary to think about marketing properly. A travel agent can market his services in different ways:
In addition, before you promote yourself in the market, you should study your target audience, analyze competitors’ offers and create your unique offer, which will undoubtedly interest customers.
Tour operators cooperate with several types of travel agents to build mutually beneficial cooperation. The most common types of travel agents include.
Some individual specialists are engaged in booking and planning business trips. This type of tourism is one of the most common, so business travel agents are in relatively high demand. More often than not, a business travel agent works with companies to arrange business trips. Represented agencies are popular because they help firms save money and time. After all, the planning of the route and booking is engaged by a separate specialist.
Many travellers prefer to turn to independent travel agents. Presented specialists prepare travel itineraries for their clients, which may include activities and tours of interest to the client. These specialists work for themselves, not for a particular agency. An independent travel agent can have their own physical office. There are a large number of specialists who work successfully online from their homes.
There are also special travel agents besides the types mentioned above. They deal with different destinations:
Depending on their preferences, each specialist can find the best destination for them where they want to work.
The travel agent field is not very common, although it is promising. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of jobs for travel agents will increase by 5% from 2020 to 2030. It’s a little slower than other professions, but it’s adequate, so if you choose this speciality, you will be at work.
In general, to become a travel agent, you need to work hard: to be trained (you must have at least a high school diploma, and at most – to graduate), get a certificate, work on professional skills and continuously expand your knowledge in the field of tourism. If you have enough patience and persistence, everything will work out.
Some travel agents can get a job at a travel agency. But certain professionals choose to become highly specialized professionals and start their businesses. Suppose you want to start your own business and work for yourself. In that case, it is worth considering choosing a unique direction to stand out from the competition and attract as many customers as possible.
