Travel Agents

Overview

Travel Agents has a national median salary of $50,160 per year, with +0.2% projected job growth from 2025–2035. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation.

Description

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.

Work Values

• Relationships
• Achievement
• Independence

Work Styles

Responsibilities

Tasks

• Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
• 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 cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour's costs.
• Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Getting Information
• Communicating with People Outside the Organization
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Processing Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Documenting/Recording Information
• Performing Administrative Activities

Detailed Work Activities

• Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
• Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
• Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
• Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
• Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
• Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
• Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
• Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
• Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
• Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.

T-A-S-K

Technology, Abilities, Skills & Knowledge

Education

Education Levels of Current Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation. The chart below shows the highest level of education held by people already working in this field, ages 25 and older. It includes workers who earned more education than the job requires and workers who entered the field under earlier requirements, so the largest bar is not the entry requirement. For example, if someone finished a bachelor's degree and then started working in this field, they are counted under “Bachelor's degree” here, but the job itself typically asks for a high school diploma or equivalent.

Certificates

Certifications applicable to Travel Agents:

Video Resources