What anyone would simply think of a travel agent is a person who “books reservations.” This, to some extent, is true, but only a layman’s explanation of what the job entails in reality. Becoming a travel agent isn’t an intimidating task at all. But, the most concerned question that people like you who are looking forward to taking on this journey are asking is that “with the availability of internet, and travel destinations a few clicks away, is becoming a travel agent still lucrative?” Also, in a technologically advanced age where sophisticated automated booking systems are employed in planning and booking reservations, do travel agents still exist? Outrightly, Yes! They do, and most people still prefer a person handling their travel reservations to an automated online system.
How to Get Started
So, how exactly can one get started on becoming a travel agent? Like every other potential career path, becoming a travel agent may need you to get some form of education. But, if you have to, it’s never going to be too expensive. While these education choices may be optional, they can really help you have an edge when starting your career in becoming a travel agent. From gaining crucial experiences before actual field activities to having some form of advantage in obtaining job interviews, the importance of getting a certificate and/or college degree cannot be understated.
Some of the major programs you may want to consider include; business administration, travel, tourism, economics, hospitality, etc. You may want to cut costs and years of study by taking up any of these related courses from community colleges, vocational and technical schools that offer travel planning education in contrast to a 4-year university degree program. But, if you’ve got the time and financial abilities for a university degree, why not! The knowledge gained through these courses would help a lot when it’s time to enroll for your Travel Agent Proficiency Test, which costs about $95.
Leisure or Corporate Travel Agent?
It is also crucial that you decide on what type of travel agent you want to be. Based on your interest in traveling, do you think you’ll do better as a leisure travel agent or cooperate travel agent? Do you wish to specialize in helping clients plan and book reservations in specific areas of the world? Since there is more than one type of travel agent, answering all these questions will help you understand what essential things you need to do. Do you need to be more concerned about familiarizing yourself with culture and destinations or getting knowledge about budgeting and how to find savvy deals? Deciding on what type of travel agent you want to be will lead you right.
At the beginning of this article, we talked about the travel agency career being more than what people basically perceive it as, and you’ll see why in a moment. To become a successful travel agent, you need to develop strong communication and interaction skills. Whether it’s through emails, phone calls or in-person sessions, having the right knowledge about the client’s destination and sound communication skills will help you gain and retain loyal clients.
Clients are more interested in hiring the service of a travel agent who can help them get savvy travel deals and save money while they travel. Therefore, you must be ready to extensively research deals for local hotels, flights or events that may be offering special or discounted prices. Lastly, it is also important to think it through from the start if you want to become a sole proprietor or an LLC? Choosing to become a sole proprietor means that you want to operate as a freelancer or independent contractor, which means working as a part of a larger travel agency.This is often advised as a startup in the travel agency career path as you can gain a lot of insider experience and also own a franchise of a travel agency.
