A GED is fine. Whichever form you choose, it’s essential to get good grades and to learn computer skills.
Check out your local community colleges, vocational schools, and industry associations for classes. The classes should focus on reservation systems, travel regulations (both domestic and international), and marketing.
University of Southern Mississippi Johnson & Wales University University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management East Carolina University Robert Morris University Strayer University If you plan to start your own travel agency, you will need business courses as well.
6 US states currently have seller of travel laws: California (the strictest and most complex) Florida Iowa Washington Hawaii Nevada (suspended until July 2013) Louisiana and Delaware have loose restrictions on new agencies. All agents and supervisors/managers in Ontario, Canada must take the Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) exam. It currently rings up at $32 CAD. Travel agencies in British Columbia, Canada are required by the Insurance Council of British Columbia to take a travel insurance exam. It’s a license tied to the agency and every travel agent in the agency is required to attend 2 hours of training a year. The licensing for those in Saskatchewan, Canada is again related to travel insurance and involves an exam required by the Insurance Council of Saskatchewan. Unlike the licensing in British Columbia though, this license is tied to the travel agent, not the agency. Agents are required to attend 3 hours of training every year. [1] X Research source
Classes and training at an undergrad level and your IATAN (International Airlines Travel Agent Network) ID card. Supplemental training at schools like The Travel Institute and the International Airline Transport Association’s Training and Development Institute. Both provide training and professional development opportunities for experienced travel agents. Examinations for different levels of certification are offered depending on a travel agent’s experience. [2] X Trustworthy Source US Bureau of Labor Statistics U. S. government agency that collects and reports labor-related information Go to source If you have a designated area of interest, certification from an organization such as the Cruise Lines International Association could never hurt. Beware of “card-mills. " For a relatively small fee, they mysteriously give you a “travel agent qualification. " It’s a scam.
Be adventurous. Part of the job description is willing to scope out and analyze different, sometimes dangerous, sometimes exotic, areas. Hone your communication skills. When you’re not doing on-the-scene research, you’ll be behind a desk, emailing and talking on the phone. Your success rate is based on how well you can communicate. Zero-in on the details. Every person has a different ideal vacation—making sure everything from the curtains to the bus air conditioning system is beyond the standard is what makes a returning customer. Get organized. You’ll be dealing with dozens of itineraries simultaneously. Keeping things straight and meeting deadlines is imperative to success. Make connections. You’re going to need clients to make commission, so start talking. Be the go-to for all your friends and family when it comes to travel information and itinerary organization. Start networking today.
Being able to dispense first-hand information is invaluable. Clients are more interested in hearing suggestions based on first-hand accounts of services, accommodations and geographic areas. This is the reason travel agents often receive discounts while traveling. Knowing a foreign language (or two) definitely helps!
The beginning travel agent makes, on average, around $15 an hour or around $30,000 a year. In the US as of 2010, there were 82,000 travel agents (a 10% rise is projected for 2020).
Some specialties could include a specific geographic location like Mexico; specific types of travel like cruises or tour groups; price-focused travel such as luxury accommodations or affordable vacations; and particular travel groups based on hobbies, special interests or lifestyles such as seniors or vegetarians.
YTB, Traverse, and GT Trends all give you a website that you call “your own” for a minimal fee. They train and support you and provide your initial income. They all have a parent company; if you’d like to cut out the middleman, you can pair with the parent company yourself. As always, do the research yourself to find what’s right for you.
Don’t be afraid to just get your foot in the door. Some companies, like Virtuoso, recommend 20 years of experience before you start working with them.
Create a referral service with another travel agent or agents who can refer business to you in your specialty and you can do the same for them. You can sometimes work out a mutual-referral agreement with another agent in order to collect referral fees.
Professional organizations, such as the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) provide support, further education and training opportunities, resources, networking opportunities, travel tools, publication access, evaluation services, invitations to seminars, expos and summits, scholarships for students and salary tools. These organizations also give you access to job boards and travel school directories, if you’re looking for career rejuvenation.
