Travel agent: job description

Last updated: 29 Jan 2024, 16:13

Travel agents are responsible for helping members of the public select and organise their ideal holiday on a limited budget.

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What does a travel agent do? Typical salaries | Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills

What does a travel agent do?

A travel agent's role is to help people plan, choose and arrange their holiday. They will usually work to a budget set out by whoever is planning the holiday. They also offer advice and opinions on where to go and local tourist attractions, events and customs.

Typical duties include:

  • promoting and marketing the business
  • dealing with customer queries and complaints
  • providing advice about visas or passports
  • recruiting, training and supervising staff
  • managing budgets
  • maintaining statistical and financial records
  • planning
  • selling holidays and insurance
  • meeting profit or sales targets
  • preparing promotional materials and displays.

What do travel agents earn?

Many travel agent jobs offer a basic salary (typically up to £30,000) plus a bonus or commission on sales.

Who are the typical employers of travel agents

  • Tour operators
  • Package holiday operators
  • Cruise lines
  • Independent travel agents.

A small number of companies operate head office-based graduate training schemes. Vacancies are advertised on jobs boards and trade publications, including Travel Trade Gazette and Travel Weekly .

What qualifications do you need to be a travel agent?

You don’t often require a degree to work as a travel agent, outside of graduate programmes. Therefore, a degree in any subject is acceptable, although travel, tourism, languages, leisure, business studies or management degree holders may be at an advantage.

A travel training company qualification or relevant travel agency, retail or sales work experience can also be helpful.

Most graduates enter the profession as junior counter staff (travel agency clerk/consultant), moving into managerial positions after having gained several years' experience.

Key skills for travel agents

  • Commercial awareness
  • Good interpersonal skills
  • Numerical ability
  • Verbal communication skills.

Fluency in foreign (particularly European) languages and personal travel experience are also highly valued.

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