Salary, Job Description, How To Become One, and Quiz
Travel Agents
Travel Agents plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
Table of contents
What they do
Travel Agents plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
- Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customers.
- Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
- Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
- Compute the cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour’s costs.
Typical day
On a daily basis, Travel Agents converse with customers to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required. They record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
A typical day for a Travel Agent will also include:
- Book transportation and hotel reservations, using a computer terminal or telephone.
- Compute the cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour’s costs.
- Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customers.
- Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.
- Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
Other responsibilities
Besides their typical day, Travel Agents also provide customers with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations. They may also print or request transportation carrier tickets, using a computer printer system or system link to the travel carrier.
On a weekly to monthly basis, Travel Agents converse with customers to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required. They might also collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customers.
In addition, they record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
Although specific duties may vary, many of them compute the cost of travel and accommodations, using a calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour costs.
To some Travel Agents, it is also their responsibility to plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
What is the job like
Job satisfaction
Is this job meaningful
65% said they were satisfied with their job and 44% said they found their job meaningful.
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Pros
Suitable for people who like to start and carry out projects.
Suitable for people who value relationships between co-workers and customers and want to work in a friendly non-competitive environment.
This career is perfect for people who love to work indoors.
It is not too difficult to get into this career. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for this career.
Cons
Not suitable for people who like to solve problems mentally.
Salary is below average.
Demand for this career is declining.
How much do they make
Average salary
Average hourly wage
Entry-level Travel Agents with little to no experience can expect to make anywhere between $25,230 to $32,010 per year or $12 to $15 per hour.
Salary by experience | Annual | Hourly |
---|---|---|
Highest (Top 10%) | $73,360 | $35 |
Senior (Top 25%) | $56,520 | $27 |
Median | $42,350 | $20 |
Junior (Bottom 25%) | $32,010 | $15 |
No experience (Bottom 10%) | $25,230 | $12 |
This table shows the top 10 highest paying industries for Travel Agents based on their average annual salary.
Salary by industry | Annual | Hourly |
---|---|---|
Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities | $64540 | $31.03 |
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | $57780 | $27.78 |
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $56200 | $27.02 |
Insurance Carriers | $54400 | $26.16 |
Scientific Research and Development Services | $52420 | $25.20 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | $50460 | $24.26 |
Nonscheduled Air Transportation | $49890 | $23.99 |
Charter Bus Industry | $47820 | $22.99 |
Other Support Services | $47150 | $22.67 |
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | $46590 | $22.40 |
View more salary by industries here.
Where can they work
Where can Travel Agents work? Here is a table showing the top 10 largest employers of Travel Agents including the average salary in that industry.
Employers | Total Employed | Annual Salary | Hourly Wages |
---|---|---|---|
Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | 46810 | $46590 | $22.40 |
Nondepository Credit Intermediation | 2930 | $46430 | $22.32 |
Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1480 | $50460 | $24.26 |
Credit Intermediation and Related Activities | 530 | $57780 | $27.78 |
Traveler Accommodation | 250 | $32680 | $15.71 |
Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | 230 | $56200 | $27.02 |
Insurance Carriers | 220 | $54400 | $26.16 |
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 130 | $35840 | $17.23 |
Other Support Services | 80 | $47150 | $22.67 |
Employment Services | 70 | $45920 | $22.07 |
What is the work day like
Working hours
Working schedule
How often do you use email in this job?
Telephone
How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
Group discussions
How often do you have group discussions in this job?
Public speaking
How often does this job require you to do public speaking?
Level of competition
How much competitive pressure is in this job?
What is the work environment like
Office-style environment
Indoors in an environmentally controlled condition
Warehouse-style environment
Indoors in a non-controlled environmental condition such as a warehouse
Outdoors
Outdoors exposed to all weather conditions
Outdoors – Under Cover
Outdoors but under cover (e.g. structure with roof but no walls)
How to become one
Difficulty to become one
Required level of education
What level of education do you need to perform the job?
Relevant majors
Selling Skills and Sales Operations
Tourism and Travel Services Marketing Operations
Relevant work experience
How much related work experience do you need to get hired for the job?
On The Job Training
How much on the job training do you need to perform the job?
Should you become one
Best personality type for this career
People with this personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Builder personality type likes practical and hands-on work. They prefer working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.
People with The Thinker personality likes to work with ideas that require an extensive amount of thinking. They prefer work that requires them to solve problems mentally.
People with The Artist personality likes to work with designs and patterns. They prefer activities that require self-expression and prefer work that can be done without following a clear set of rules.
People with The Helper personality type likes to work with people and in teams. They prefer work that allows them to build relationships with others.
People with The Leader personality likes to start and work on projects. They also like leading people and making many decisions.
People with The Organizer personality type likes to follow set procedures and routines. They prefer working with data and details more than with ideas.
You can read more about these career personality types here.
People who are suitable for this job tend to 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.
They also like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas.
Take this quiz to see if this is the right career for you.
Work Values
Which values are the most important to a person’s satisfaction for this job?
You are someone who is results oriented. You prefer work that allows you to utilize your skills and abilities while at the same time giving you a sense of accomplishment.
You are someone who values job security, steady employment, and good working conditions. You also prefer work that keeps you busy all the time with something different to do every day.
You are someone who values job advancement and leadership roles. You prefer work that receives recognition for the work you do and jobs that are looked up to by others in the company and your community.
You are someone who likes to provide a service to others. You prefer a work environment where you can work with your co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment.
You are someone who values a company that stands behind their employees. You prefer a work environment where everyone is treated fairly and is being supported by the company.
You are someone who likes to work on your own and make your own decisions. You prefer work that requires little supervision and are allowed to try out your own ideas.
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