Travel agents advise customers about travel options and arrangements. This
includes giving advice on tour packages, making bookings for transportation
and accommodation, preparing tickets and making up schedules.
A travel agent must be a people person. They deal with people all day long.
Whether it's planning a honeymoon for a young couple or advising a senior
couple on a world cruise, a good travel agent is able to communicate with
different types of people all day.
"You have to enjoy what you're doing to keep up," says travel agent Tim
Edgecombe. "It's a competitive industry and things are always changing."
It can be a high-pressure job sometimes. "You're dealing with people's
holidays," Edgecombe says. "Some people have saved for a tremendously long
time to go on this holiday, so good customer service is paramount."
In addition to providing customer service, travel agents have to be up
to date on the latest travel destinations. They've also got to be adept at
using computers and computer programs.
Travel agents may work with a lot of other agents in a large company. Or
they may be one of only a few agents in a small independent office. In a few
cases, they may work by themselves in their own travel consulting business.
Professionals in this field also help customers with information on passports,
currency exchange, customs regulations and accident insurance, as well as
any other services a client may need when traveling to a foreign country.
Travel agents often base their advice on personal experience. A genuine
interest in travel and frequent holidays help with this part of the job.
You'll need good organizational skills. Arranging trips for many customers
at one time requires a delicate balancing act of making sure flights are booked,
hotel reservations are made, tours are planned and prices are kept competitive.
A mistake in any of these areas could be a potential disaster, not only
for the agent's reputation but also for the poor client who could end up stranded
in a foreign country with nowhere to stay!
Travel agents are quick to point out that the job is not as glamorous as
it may seem.
"A lot of people come into this field disillusioned," says Edgecombe. "I
work really long days -- usually from about 7:30 a.m. to about 6 p.m. -- and
I work really hard. The money's OK, but it's not great."
"We get deals, but they're not as good as people think," says Shirley Little,
a travel agent. "Sometimes it's only about a 15 percent discount."
Most people with physical disabilities or limitations should be able to
do this job. It's mainly a desk job with phone and computer work.