Path of Travel Agent

Traveling

The activity of moving from one place to other using different modes of transport for either business or personal purpose is termed as traveling. Travelling can be purposeful or entertaining. Travelling is made easier and comfortable by involving an agent in the plan.

Travel Agent

A person who works in whole, engaged in offering advice on destination, selling, and arranging transport and accommodation, give well-informed, appropriate advice about the desired place and finalize the trip or tour. Travelers are greatly helped by Travel Agents in sorting out the information to find the best possible travel arrangements.

Having the desire to arrange a trip or journey, still, not everyone has clear idea where they would like to spend their vacation. Here agents play their role facilitating them with the proper information about when and where to travel based on their needs. Travel groups or agencies, resorts, use agents to advertise and promote travel packages in the market and to their clients.

Work Schedule

There is no specific work schedule for these agents. They can work full time or partly as per their desire and need. They are found out very busy during peak time such as vacation. Generally, there are no particular hours of time that they need to work.

Education

Computer knowledge and good communication skill are must for Travel Agent. Employers mainly focus on candidates who have studied related to the travel industry. Many traveling agencies ask to produce a high school diploma for employing an agent on behalf of their company.

There are community colleges, schools, and industry associations that allow continuing education classes in professional travel planning. On-the-job training is usually provided by the employer related to the computer system used in the industry.

Certificates and Registration

Travel Agents are offered certificates by some associations which are of great help when they are on job. Training and professional development opportunities are offered to experience agents by Travel Institutions. Good knowledge with experience and certificates help to fetch good salaried jobs in Best Travel Agencies that are registered too and try to provide you the best services.

Specific qualities

• This is the first thing for an agent to understand clearly the travel need of their customer and should fill their customers with appropriate travel information.
• They should reply to every queries or complaint, if any, in a friendly and professional way. They should always be ready to last-minute changes in travel arrangements if insisted by the customers.
• As the basic requirement of the job, they should keep each possible detail in mind while reserving and arranging the transport and accommodation for their customers so as to make their trip, tour, or journey pleasing and interesting. They should concentrate on dates, time and location as required by the customer.
• Many agents in this field are specified in particular type of travel. There are travel agencies who are interested in hiring such particularly oriented agents.
• Agents of the travel agency should possess strong and good organizing skills as many times they work on the same planned route for different customers at once.
• It is essential for them to process with bills and receipts on time.
• The personality of the agent should be smart enough to make sales to customers to buy transportation and in addition lodging and surplus requirements.
• Agents on their part should be prepared every time for last moment change in the trip, if any, arises from customer’s side.
• They should deal with dues or refunds clearly if any.

To enhance travel agencies business, the agents on their personal interest may visit destination to collect the experience and details so as to provide a good service to their customers. They move around in resorts, restaurants, lodges, hotels and hotel rooms to calculate the cleanliness, comfort, and quality of the establishments. It’s their effort and interest which benefits them to place them in best travel agencies.   

Source of Income

• Travel Agents secure their commission on the sales he makes through his services.
• They get commissions for providing their necessary support to the activities related to a tour.
• They take benefits of the deposits made by their customer by investing the amount in a shortly termed plan.

They can either be an employee or can work independently as per their experience. Travel agents and tourism industry, both are related to each other. Agents are very important for the tourism industry as they persuade the traveling business effectively with their organizing and persuading qualities.

Now a day to a far extent internet has replaced agents. But still, the internet can’t take over travel agents completely as there are many differences arise in the last moment by customers which can be handled by experienced agents. 

Being travel agents is no longer remaining an easy job. As the competitors are increasing in Travel industries, Travel Agencies are experiencing a constant pressure and resulting in a low-profit-margin. Travel Agencies, in turn, throw this pressure on their hired agents to fetch more customers. Travel Agents need to specialize themselves to stand on their foot in the Travel industry.