It's a common misconception that traditional travel agencies have been rendered obsolete by the Expedias and Hipmunks of the world. While it's true that the landscape has indeed evolved, the digital revolution has ushered in a wealth of opportunities to work in travel that didn't exist a decade ago. The avalanche of information available about potential destinations makes finding a knowledgeable agent who can separate the signal from the noise an exceptionally valuable commodity.
Help clients book travel, accommodation, and leisure activities. Booking travel in the Internet age has never been easier, and yet travel agents are busier than ever. Why? People are busy. (And sometimes lazy. But usually just busy.) No one has time to compare fares, call hotels to ask about policies, or proximity to local attractions. Perhaps a better title would be Travel Concierge: you're a time-saver extraordinaire, allowing your clients to spend less time worrying, and more time enjoying a vacation.
Develop and share travel expertise. Clients don't need a travel agent to run a simple Google search -- they can do that on their own. Providing real value-add services involves digging deeper to find lesser-known attractions off the beaten path, and educating clients on local customs that might save them some frustration or embarrassment. This is the fun part of the job, and may even involve visits to some of these spectacular locations yourself.
Search fares, schedules, and itineraries. Want to win a client over for life? Find a fare that saves them hundreds. There's nothing more maddening to a client than finding out that a booking she just made has dropped 25% in price. Developing an understanding of seasonal fluctuations in fares and costs will let you help clients avoid those annoying landmines.
Play superhero during travel crises. Nothing's more stressful than running into an unforeseen circumstance thousands of miles from home. A good travel agent is always at a client's beck and call with assistance making changes to itineraries, or providing information about alternative accommodation, transportation, or nearby medical care.
Travel agent pay is a classic case of 'eat what you kill': book a lot of client business, and you'll crush it. The median annual salary for travel agents in 2012 was $34,500, with the top 10 percent earning more than $57,000. For most, it's not a job that'll allow an early retirement, but if you long to work in an industry where you get paid to talk about the world's most exotic corners, this may just be your dream gig.
How do I become a Travel Agent?
Education Requirements. A high school education is typically the only prerequisite to working as a travel agent, although there are several licenses and certifications (e.g. some offered by airline or cruise trade groups) that may make you a more attractive candidate to employers. Some States also require travel agents to have a business license. With many booking and fare searches now taking place online, aspiring candidates should also have a familiarity with computers and the Internet. And while not a formal job requirement, many employers prefer candidates who have actually TRAVELED to the destinations they're selling, so take heart in knowing that you can pitch a Summer backpacking through Europe to your parents as job training!
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