Travel Agents plan trips and arrange hotel or motel lodging, modes of travel, and other travel services, usually for individual customers of a travel agency as well as for groups.

JOB DUTIES

Travel Agents may:

Talk with customers to determine destination, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required

Sell travel package tours

Give customers brochures and provide other up-to-date travel information, such as money exchange rates and customer regulations

Compute or quote costs of travel and lodging

Book customers on ships, trains, or other modes of travel

Make hotel reservations

Write travel tickets for transportation or tour packages

Collect payment for tour packages or other services rendered

Tools and equipment used may include:

OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES

Travel Agents may specialize in the following areas:

252.152-010 TRAVEL AGENTS plan trips and arrange hotel or motel lodging, modes of travel, and other travel services for customers of a travel agency. They may specialize in foreign or domestic service, individual or group travel, or a specific geographical area.

238.367-030 TRAVEL CLERKS are employed by hotels and other lodging facilities to provide travel information and arrange accommodations for tourists. They answer questions; offer suggestions; verify arrival and departure times; and provide literature on trips, excursions, sports events, concerts, and plays.

238.167-014 AUTOMOBILE-CLUB TRAVEL COUNSELORS plan and arrange trips for members of the club. They may confer with members by phone or in person, or plan trips for them in response to mail requests.

238.362-014 RESERVATION CLERKS obtain travel and hotel accommodations for guests and employees of an industrial concern, issue tickets, type itineraries, and compile reports of the transactions.

Travel Agents who work for government agencies, military branches, or large corporations make travel arrangements for their personnel. They must make pricing comparisons to cut company costs related to travel and reservations. They also keep employer costs down by controlling what employees can and cannot spend for travel expenses.

In addition to learning about these specialties, you may also find it helpful to explore the following MOIScripts:

WORKING CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Travel Agents generally work alone under limited supervision. Most of their work is done at a desk where they talk to customers in person or on the phone. They may have to work under a great deal of pressure, especially during heavy travel seasons, when the phone rings constantly and impatient customers wait at their desk or at the counter.

The normal workweek is 5 days, 40 hours a week and may include regular evening hours, especially in agencies located in shopping malls. They may work overtime and on Saturdays during peak travel periods. They may attend evening meetings of travel groups. Some travel is required to get firsthand knowledge so Agents can give the right information to their customers.

They often get discount prices on domestic and international travel and sometimes stay at hotels or resorts free or at a reduced charge. Travel Agents may accompany groups to ensure smoothly-run trips.

Travel Agents may belong to The American Society of Travel Agents.

Those who are members must pay membership fees.

You Should Prefer:

• Activities involving communication of ideas/information to others

• Activities involving business contact with people

• Activities involving direct personal contact to help people

You Should Be Able To:

• Influence people's opinions/attitudes/judgments about ideas/things

• Rate information by personal judgment/standards that can be measured

• Deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions

• Handle several projects at the same time

• Use arithmetic quickly and accurately

• See details/recognize errors in spelling/punctuation/numbers

• Communicate well, both orally and in writing

Math Problem You Should Be Able to Solve:

If a couple wants to fly to Florida and stay 7 nights, what would be the total costs, if the room is $80 per night and the flight is $199 per round trip ticket?

Reading Example You Should Be Able to Read and Comprehend:

A consumer is anyone who buys goods or services for personal use. At one time or another, everyone is a consumer.

Writing Example You Should Be Able to Produce:

You should be able to write out an sample itinerary for someone who is flying to the Bahamas.

Thinking Skill You Should Be Able to Demonstrate:

You should be able to decide the best spot for a couple to take a vacation if their biggest hobby is scuba-diving.

No previous experience is required. However, broad travel experience with the public and proven sales ability. Travel Agents starting their own agency must gain formal approval from conferences (organizations of rail, ship, or airlines) before they can receive commissions. To gain approval, the agency owner must show that the agency is in operation and financially sound. Experienced Travel Agents can also take an advanced course from the Institute of Certified Travel Agents to become a Certified Travel Counselor.

[back to top]

EDUCATION AND PREPARATION OPPORTUNITIES

NOTE: On-The-Job Training provided by the employer or a High School Diploma or Equivalent or a Certificate (program of up to one year of study beyond high school) or an Associate Degree (two years of study beyond high school) or a Bachelor's Degree (four years of study beyond high school) may qualify a person for this occupation.

The following education and preparation opportunities are helpful in preparing for occupations in the MOIScript:

***SCHOOL SUBJECTS***

0600 BUSINESS , 0700 CAREERS , 0900 COMMUNICATIONS , 1000 COMPUTERS , 3000 SOCIAL STUDIES

***VOCATIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS***

There are no Vocational Education Programs related to this MOIScript

***POSTSECONDARY PROGRAMS***

171 TRAVEL & TOURISM

Programs in Travel and Tourism provide opportunities to gain the knowledge and skills necessary for employment planning itineraries and arranging accommodations and other services for customers of travel agencies, airlines, shiplines, and other carriers.

Courses vary from school to school but may include:

  Search for a College and/or Instructional Program

***APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES***

There are no Apprenticeships related to this MOIScript

***MILITARY TRAINING PROGRAMS***

Please check the Military web site at http://www.myfuture.com

TRANSPORTATION SPECIALISTS

The military constantly moves passengers and cargo. Personnel often travel to meetings, training sessions, and new assignments. Supplies and equipment to support troops must be shipped regularly. Transportation specialists plan air, sea and land transportation for people and cargo. Some assist passenger travel as gate agents and flight attendants.

What They Do

Transportation specialists in the military perform some or all of the following duties:

• Arrange for passenger travel via plane, bus, train, or boat

• Arrange for shipment and delivery of household goods

• Determine which vehicles to use based on freight or passenger-movement requirements

• Determine transportation and shipping routes

• Prepare transportation requests and shipping documents

• Check in passengers and baggage before boarding military transport flights

• Serve as military airplane flight attendants

• Inspect cargo for proper packing, loading, and marking

Training Provided

Job training consists of 6 to 9 weeks of classroom instruction, including practice in making transportation arrangements. Course content typically includes:

• Planning transportation for personnel and cargo

• Proper cargo handling, shipping, and storing methods

• Analysis of transportation documents

Further training occurs on the job and through advanced courses.

Helpful Attributes

Helpful school subjects include mathematics, English, and typing. Helpful attributes include:

• Interest in arranging travel schedules

• Interest in using adding machines, computers, and typewriters

• Interest in serving people

Civilian Counterparts

Civilian transportation specialists work for airlines, shipping firms, and commercial freight lines. They perform duties similar to military transportation specialists. Civilian transportation specialists may also be called travel clerks, reservation clerks, or transportation agents.

Work Environment

Transportation specialists usually work in offices. They may work outdoors when escorting passengers or processing shipments. Flight attendants work on land and in airplanes.

Opportunities

The military has about 13,800 transportation specialists. On average, the services need about 1,600 new specialists each year. After job training, they make travel and shipping arrangements under direct supervision. Some may specialize as flight attendants and gate agents, with experience, they may become supervisors of other transportation specialists. In time, they may manage transportation offices.

E-Learning Courses and Programs

[back to top]

OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCE AND METHODS OF ENTRY

Part-time or summer work as a reservation clerk or receptionist in a travel agency, or as an airline ticket clerk offer additional opportunities for experience. Postsecondary travel and tourism programs may provide practical experience. Military service may offer opportunities for experience also.

School-to-Work opportunities include:

informal apprenticeships

mentorships

job shadowing experiences

touring a local Travel Agent employer

internships

volunteer work with a Travel Agent employer

community service work with an agency

The most common method of becoming a Travel Agent is by applying directly to employers. Positions may be located through newspaper want ads, high school or college placement offices, or a local office of Michigan Works!. Some employers prefer to have certified travel agents, who have taken special courses in this area. Depending upon the job market, employers will or will not require this additional training for new hires. For employment generally, you should access and search the Internet's on-line employment services sites such as:

Michigan Talent Bank

America's Job Bank

Classifieds Employment

Yahoo! Careers

Michigan Works!

You should also enter your electronic resume on these on-line services.

[back to top]

EARNINGS AND ADVANCEMENT

Earnings for Travel Agents vary with experience, sales ability, percent of sales commissions, and size of the travel agency.

According to a 1998 salary survey of the travel industry nation wide, travel agents earned the following yearly compensation in travel agencies that had gross earnings between $2 and $4.9 million:

Earnings of Travel Agents in Michigan are similar to those nationally. In 1999, the annual salary of Auto-Club Travel Counselors in Michigan was about $18,000 to $24,000 plus commission for entry-level counselors. Commissions may be around $10,000 per year or more, depending upon the sales and organizational skills of the agent. In addition, they may also receive incentive bonuses.

Depending on the employer, fringe benefits may include paid vacations and holidays; life and health insurance; retirement plans; and sick pay. Travel privileges at reduced rates as well as discounts on hotel charges and car rentals for Agents and their families may also be available as fringes for those working in independent travel agencies.

Individuals usually learn this occupation through on-the-job training as a travel clerk and through classroom training or correspondence courses. Many travel agencies prefer college graduates. Travel Agents working in travel agencies may advance to managerial positions or start their own businesses. Travel clerks or trainees can advance to Travel Agent, department manager or travel agency manager, or owner. Factors leading to promotions are experience, sales ability, and level of education.

[back to top]

EMPLOYMENT AND OUTLOOK

Nationally, in 1996, about 142,300 Travel Agents were employed. About 15.8% of them were self-employed. The industry distribution for Travel Agents looked like this:

Many airlines, resort areas, hotels, and other travel related businesses are increasingly providing information and services via Web sites (Home Pages) on the Internet for "direct" access by individuals who have PC's and modems. Thus, individuals may purchase travel tickets, make hotel arrangements, and handle other travel related matters without any assistance from Travel Agents. This will adversely affect the overall employment demand for Travel Agents.

Although Travel Agents work in every part of the country, they are concentrated in major population centers.

About 3,950 Travel Agents were employed in Michigan. Most worked in urban areas.

Employment of Travel Agents in Michigan is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005. An average of 200 annual openings is expected, with 110 due to growth and 90 due to replacement of those who retire or leave the labor force for other reasons. Additional openings will occur as workers change jobs or occupations. Competition for Travel Agent jobs in Michigan is expected to be keen.

Deregulation of the airline industry gave airlines greater flexibility in methods of selling tickets. In the future, it may be possible to buy tickets in many different types of locations, including such places as Ticketron which now only sells tickets to sporting and cultural events. The advent of "ticketless" reservations has made it easier for customers to purchase tickets by credit card on the phone or from Internet sites. It is possible to check flight times, make reservations and directly purchase tickets on the Internet. Only a small percentage of computer users actually book travel on the Internet but this could change as younger people who tend to be more computer saavy make more reservations. Now agencies themselves are offering ticketless reservations and Internet access by agencies has doubled in the late 1990's. The best travel agent positions are in wealthy areas where customers spend money on big-ticket travel such as European vacations and cruises. Sales, organizational and computer skills are important for this job. Peak times for travel, such as in the winter months, are best for hiring opportunities.

MICHIGAN'S EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK TO 2005

SOURCES OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Printed Occupational information is available upon written request from the sources below.

MOISCRIPTS are Copyright 2003, Michigan Department of Career Development