Want to Travel More? Become a Travel Agent

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

If you enjoy traveling and have strong customer service skills, you may be well suited to a career as a travel agent. What’s more, if you become a travel agent, you’ll benefit from discounts on all types of travel services, from hotel accommodations and spa treatments to international flights and cruises.

Do you live to travel? Have you ever dreamed of visiting every continent, staying in top-flight hotels, but never thought you’d have the opportunity to do so? Well, you might be able to realize your dream if you become a travel agent.

Travel Agents Serve Mass Market to High End Luxury Travel Needs

Most of us are familiar with the role of travel agents. We’ve bought plane tickets and booked hotel reservations through them, or sought their advice on which cruise to take. Today, their services have become ever more important as Americans continue to travel more, and the travel options becoming increasingly complex. And while the Internet has made reservation more accessible to consumers, it’s also made the process more complex with the innumerable choices travelers must make.

The role of travel agent has become particularly more important to luxury travelers, who don’t have the time or desire to look for deals or sort through the many options that Internet travel offers. They want someone to help them plan the perfect vacation, someone who understands their standards, expectations, and preferences. Become a travel agent, and you can start catering to this privileged group.

Travel Agent Training

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, travel agents need some formal postsecondary travel agent training to become an agent. Many travel agent training programs are held in vocational schools and they tend to last several months.

One reason for the higher education requirements in the travel industry is the increasing competition for travel agency jobs. Many people are attracted to the field and there are a limited number of jobs. Another reason is the growing complexity the Internet has introduced in making travel arrangements. There are many more software programs that must be used to perform efficient, comprehensive searches for flight and hotel availability.

Getting the right travel agent training can not only prepare you for a career in the travel industry, it can also help you learn some of the tools that can make you a better agent. So pursue your dream to become a travel agent, and start living the jet-setter life you always dreamed about.

Source

The Bureau of Labor Statistics

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in postsecondary education and career development.