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CAREER IN TRAVEL
Travel Agent Career and
Job Highlights
Travel benefits, such as reduced rates for transportation and lodging,
attract many people to this occupation.
Training at a postsecondary vocational school, college, or university is
increasingly important.
Industry consolidation and increasing use of the Internet to book travel
will result in a decline in the employment of travel agents. Keen
competition for jobs is expected.
Travel Agent Career Overview
Advanced schooling, such as an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, is
becoming more and more important to securing positions in this industry.
There is extremely stiff competition, which is due in large part to the
ease of travel booking on the Internet, and advanced degrees will give job
applicants an edge. The travel and hospitality industry is a popular
industry because it offers great benefits like discounts on plane tickets,
hotels, or rental cars.
Traveling is extremely complicated and requires a lot of knowledge of the
industry and logistical skills. Many people don’t have the time or
inclination to deal with changing airline schedules, different fares,
finding packages, etc, and so they hire travel agents to make preparations
for them. Travel agents work for both individual tourists and big
businesses, and they assess their client’s travel needs, look at the
possibilities, and make agendas for them. Travel agents might work for
other types of clients as well, including cruise lines, resorts, hotels,
or travel groups.
The day-to-day work of travel agents consists of consulting clients on
different travel destinations, planning for rental cars, planes, places to
eat, and events like tours or places to see. They also help clients plan
for weather conditions, recreational activities, or travel insurance. For
clients who are leaving the country they may also help arrange visas and
passports, and advise on customs guidelines, vaccinations, and money
exchange.
Travel agents get their information from a variety of sources in books,
travel journals, and on the internet. Many visit destinations themselves
to evaluate activities and the quality of hotels and resorts so they can
provide accurate, personal recommendations.
A lot of time is spent in promoting and advertising. Travel agencies use
telephones, the postal service, and the internet to advertise their
services. Agents may also make presentations to travel groups, make
displays at trade shows, or work with businesses, where they might suggest
company vacations. Many agencies specialize in one area of travel, such as
business or tourism, or in a geographic area, like Europe or Asia.
Travel agents generally work in fun, casual offices. They spend most of
their time at their desk consulting clients, contacting airlines, making
reservations at hotels, keeping up with travel restrictions, and working
at the computer. Many times workload increases seasonally, as holidays and
vacation times require long hours. As more information is available on the
internet and as telecommunications advance, more travel agents work at
home.
Travel Agent Training and Job Qualifications
Being a travel agent requires at the very least a high school diploma or
equivalent. However, as more work is done through computers formal
education has increasing importance. There are many courses designed
specifically for travel agents. Vocational schools, colleges, community
colleges, and programs that specialize in adult education often have
full-time programs that can last up to a year, part-time, and evening
courses. Some colleges and universities offer bachelor’s degrees in travel
hospitality. Other bachelor’s degrees can lead to career in the travel
industry as well, like foreign language, geography, communications,
computer science, or history. Some related business skills like knowledge
of finance or management can be helpful as well, particularly for those
looking for administrative positions or starting their own business.
A grasp of the fundamentals of travel hospitality can be gained through a
distance-learning course offered by the American Society of Travel Agents
(ASTA). Also, many travel agents get practical experience through travel
agent training programs and special computer courses offered by their
employer agency. Computer skills are a must for most travel agents.
Other courses are available for travel agents who want more advanced
study. The Travel Institute offers individual- or group-study courses to
qualify students as Certified Travel Counselors (CTC). They also offer
courses in marketing, sales, and programs that specialize in geographic
areas.
Agents who have traveled themselves, either for recreation or for
professional reasons like being airline personnel, will have an edge
because clients will be influenced by personal knowledge of an area. Other
personal attributes are necessary to be a travel agent. Firstly, they must
be well-organized and detail-oriented to plan out every aspect of a
client’s agenda. Secondly, they must be patient and have good research
skills to find the best ticket, activity, or itinerary for their client.
Also, good computer skills are important, especially as many travel
agencies are transferring a lot of their business to the Web. Lastly,
travel agents spend a lot of their time dealing with clients and so good
communication skills are paramount. They need to be clear and concise both
verbally and in writing, have good sales skills, and be able to gain the
trust of their client.
New travel agents may begin at entry-level positions, maybe as reservation
clerks or receptionists. As they gain experience and know-how, they might
assume the role of a travel agent. In large agencies, they might then
advance to management positions.
Many travel agents work on their own. Most who start their own business
have worked in other agencies before. In order to have their own business,
these travel agents have to be formally approved by the appropriate
agencies for airlines, shipping lines, hotel networks, etc, such as the
Airlines Reporting Corporation and the International Airlines Travel
Agency Network. Approval requires an agency that is solvent and has an
experienced travel agent or manager in the staff.
More information on licensure for travel agents is available from the
state Office of the Attorney General or Department of Commerce. There is
no federal license, and only nine states have formal license requirements.
These states are Washington, Rhode Island, Oregon, Ohio, Iowa, Illinois,
Hawaii, Florida, and California.
JOB OPPURTUINITIES
Most people entering the industry will find job openings that are created
by retirements and career changes by travel agents; few new jobs are being
created. Competition for positions will be extremely fierce as demand for
travel agents is reduced and as many people are drawn to the industry by
the travel benefits.
The industry is expected to decline in coming years as more people make
their own travel plans using the internet and as the industry
consolidates. The Internet provides much of the information that people
used to get from travel agents – rate comparison, special deals, etc. It
also allows people to do much of the work that used to be done by travel
agents – booking flights, making hotel reservation, etc. Furthermore,
airlines previously paid commissions to travel agents who booked clients
on their flights, but they have recently stopped doing that. However many
clients still prefer the low-hassle and reliability of travel agents.
On the positive side, the decline projected for the industry is tempered
by the fact that travel in general is expected to increase. As more
families have higher incomes and fewer children more people will travel
more frequently. More traveling is also expected from the increasing
elderly population. Also, as the global economy expands and as more
businesses look to expand internationally, higher levels of business
travel are expected.
Another important factor in the growth of the travel industry is the
decreasing cost of air travel. Competition within the airline industry and
the rise of low-cost airlines have made travel more affordable for more
people. This allows travel agents to offer discounted packages to
customers. An increasing number of those customers are international
clients who use American travel agents.
Projecting job growth for travel agents presents a problem because the
industry is affected by politics and economics. Unstable political
climates make people disinclined to travel, and traveling is often a
leisure activity and so requires economic growth. These forces cause
employment rates to vary quite a bit. Travel agents can maximize their
opportunities by exploiting the internet to provide the best information
to their clients.
COURSES FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM
1. Bachelor in Tourism Studies - Travel and Tourism.
2. Basic Course in Airlines,Travel Agency & Tour Operation Management.
3. Certificate Course in Tourism Studies.
4. Certificate Course in Travel & Tourism
5. Diploma in Tourism and Hotel Management.
6. Diploma in Travel & Tourism.
7. Master in Travel Administration.
8. Vocational Course in Travel & Tourism.
9. Master of Tourism Administration(MTA).
10. Master of Business Administration(MBA).
11. PG Diploma in Travel and Tourism
INSTITUTES
FOR TRAVEL & TOURISM COURSES
|
Name & Address of Institutes |
Courses (Main course) |
Duration |
Fees |
Eligibility |
| 1) CIM
INDIA,
2nd Floor Mangalwari Bazaar, J.B.Wing, Sadar, Nagpur
Mob. 9326348414
|
a) Dip. in aviation, Tourism
Hotel Management, & cargo Management b) Degree courses in
aviation & hospitality management
c) MBA in hospitality management
d) Certificate course for Air Hostess & tourism hotel management
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1 year
3 year
2 year
6 Months
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12th pass in any field
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Graduation in any field
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