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Life As a Travel Agent

Travel Agent Definition 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.

What Do Travel Agents Do On a Daily Basis?

  • Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
  • Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
  • Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
  • Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.
  • Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer terminal or telephone.
  • Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.

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

  • Travel Professional
  • Corporate Travel Counselor
  • Travel Service Consultant
  • Tour Agent
  • Destination Specialist

Is There Job Demand for Travel Agents?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 81,700 jobs in the United States for Travel Agent. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Travel Agent. There will be an estimated 7,800 positions for Travel Agent per year.

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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.

What is the Average Salary of a Travel Agent

The salary for Travel Agents ranges between about $22,370 and $66,080 a year.

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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

How to Become a Travel Agent

Are there Travel Agents education requirements?

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How Long Does it Take to Become a Travel Agent?

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Who Employs Travel Agents?

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The table below shows the approximate number of Travel Agents employed by various industries.

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Similar 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)

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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