Fresh Profile: Travel Agent Jobs

Published on 2008-08-19

If you love to see new places, learn about different cultures, and enjoy planning trips, travel agent jobs may be the right career choice for you. In fact, many people choose this career because of the incredible discounts they receive on all types of transportation and lodging. But it takes more than a passion for traveling to be successful. Travel agents must be willing to share their passion to help others.

Travel agents plan, schedule, and book travel arrangements for their clients. Agents are extremely helpful when planning complex itineraries either to several destinations or isolated areas. But they also help plan all types of trips, including cruises and simple weekend getaways.

On a typical day, a travel agent will help determine the destination, the time and the budget for a client. While there are many existing tours and packages they can offer to a client, agents know how to design packages that are specifically tailored to their clients' wishes. An agent spends a lot of time conducting research in order to come up with the best possible packages. The research and information that travel industry jobs use comes from published and computer-based sources. Using these sources, agents can look up the most current information on flights, economic fares, car rentals and hotels, and they can make the proper reservations. Once a client approves the plans, an agent can book the trip, issue itineraries, and even print the tickets using a computerized system.

While travel and tourism jobs seem to be centered on having a good time, the duties of a travel agent can also be stressful. Travel agents must know everything there is to know about important documents and paperwork required for traveling out of the country, including passports and visas. They are also responsible for making last-minute changes to a client's itinerary in the event of a cancellation or an emergency. Agents must be well organized, detail oriented, and must have exceptional customer service skills (which are required for almost all types of hospitality jobs).

A high school diploma is the minimum requirement for agent jobs in travel; however, more and more agencies are now requiring a college degree. A bachelor's or master's degree in travel and tourism is available at a few colleges, but employers also hire applicants with a background in other subjects such as geography, communications, and world history. Travel agents can take different paths of education as well. They can attend a vocational school and receive an award or a certificate, or they can attend various travel agent classes offered either online, in adult education programs, or at community colleges.

Travel agent job listings are available in all parts of the country. The majority of the jobs are available within travel agencies. Agents can also work for a tour operator, visitor's bureau or reservation office, or they can choose to be self-employed.

If you are looking for a travel agent job today, Fresho.com can help. Whether you are looking for travel agent jobs in California, Texas or anywhere else in the U.S., you will find them in our extensive classifieds. Don't forget to post your resume online at Fresho.com and let employers come to you!