There are a number of aspects to a travel agent’s job, the most important of which is helping individuals to book a holiday and make other reservations for customers. If done correctly, the client will have a great time and is likely to refer the travel agent that they used to all their friends. They are also likely to become a repeat customer - a vital aspect of any company’s survival.
Where can you work as a travel agent?
Many people start out working in a travel agency office for one of the big companies. Agents are usually required to have some qualifications and some agencies look for staff with a degree in a relevant field, such as hospitality, geography, history, business or public relations.
However, for people who have always wanted to become a travel agent but previously lacked the opportunity or qualifications, the best option might be to work for a
home based travel agency. By signing up for a training course with an online travel agent, the dream could quickly become a reality. Some even start their own travel agency but it would be wise to work for an established company first to gain experience before becoming self-employed.
What other people look for in a travel agent and do you meet those qualities?
When choosing a travel agent, many people look for someone who is well travelled themselves so they can give an insight into destinations and are able to give good advice on all things travel related, from acquiring a passport to what kind of insurance is best to take out. People who love to travel, and have great customer care skills are best suited to be travel agents and it also helps to have some sales skills.
A good working knowledge of IT is also advantageous and it is possible to find courses that cover the type of IT skills that are needed for working as a travel agent, in particular excellent typing speed and database management. The ability to speak other languages is another desirable skill; in particular Chinese, French and Spanish, as a travel agent may often find they are dealing with people from other countries.
When starting out it is a good idea to specialize in a small number of destinations. With so much information on so many destinations in the world available at the click of a mouse button, people can do much of the general research themselves. What they are often looking for in a travel agent is somebody with specialist knowledge on a given area or activity who can give them help and advice that a general internet search will not cover.
The more unique and individual a service is, the more useful it will be. It is also important to regularly check what the competition is doing to be sure that the best possible service is being provided for the company’s clients, and at the best possible prices.
