What Do Travel Agents Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Travel Agents make and confirm reservations for transportation or lodging, or sell transportation tickets. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; deliver tickets, contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours; or provide tourists with travel or transportation information. They also examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes.

Other tasks include:

• Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers.
• Check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading.
• Provide boarding or disembarking assistance to passengers needing special assistance.
• Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
• Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems.
• Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms.

We asked Travel Agents how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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70% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 30% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Travel Agents examine passenger documentation to determine destinations and to assign boarding passes. They check baggage and cargo and direct passengers to designated locations for loading.

A typical day for a Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agent and Travel Clerk will also include:

• Announce arrival and departure information, using public address systems.
• Confer with customers to determine their service requirements and travel preferences.
• Provide clients with assistance in preparing required travel documents and forms.
• Trace lost, delayed, or misdirected baggage for customers.
• Answer inquiries regarding information, such as schedules, accommodations, procedures, or policies.

We asked some Travel Agents a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	78% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	67% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	85% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	88% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	26% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	81% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Travel Agents also contact motel, hotel, resort, and travel operators to obtain current advertising literature. They may also contact customers or travel agents to advise them of travel conveyance changes or to confirm reservations.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Travel Agents Prepare customer invoices and accept payment. They might also Make and confirm reservations for transportation and accommodations, using telephones, faxes, mail, and computers.

In addition, they Determine whether space is available on travel dates requested by customers, assigning requested spaces when available.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Open or close information facilities.

To some Travel Agents, it is also their responsibility to Provide customers with travel suggestions and information sources, such as guides, directories, brochures, or maps.

Working life

Less than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as a Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agent and Travel Clerk, you can expect to work less than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like starting up and carrying out projects. They like leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/office-and-administrative-support/information-clerks.htm

http://www.iaap-hq.org/