While going to travel agency school is not a requirement to become a travel agent, completing such a

Travel consultants are also referred to as travel agents, boston boutique hotels travel professionals, travel planners, and travel counselors. There's really no difference - they all sell travel products for a living. boston boutique hotels However, the recent boston boutique hotels trend has moved away from the term "travel agent" towards titles that imply more of a personal, one-on-one service.
As a travel consultant, you will help people plan vacations, trips and tours to locations across the country or around the world. You ll help clients determine the types of trips that are suitable for them, and then arrange to sell them travel products that best meet their needs. Travel products you will sell to your clients include airline boston boutique hotels tickets, hotels, rental cars, travel tours or packages, cruises, rail passes, and more.
In most cases you are not the direct supplier of these products, but a "middleman" who arranges the sale between a supplier and your client. In exchange for arranging this deal, you are paid a service fee or commission by the supplier and/or the client.
Travel consultants may work as independent contractors, or as employees of travel agencies. According to the U.S. Bureau boston boutique hotels of Labor Statistics, 3 of 5 travel consultants work for an agency, and about 13% are self-employed.
Working as a professional travel agent is a rewarding career for many people. Travel is a billion-dollar industry that offers many opportunities for those interested in tourism. As a travel agent, you make travel arrangements for the corporate businessperson, individuals, families or groups. Being a travel agent allows you to learn about exotic locations and different cultures while helping people plan their trips. You also get to travel yourself in many cases, often for free. But there are certain skills and training boston boutique hotels you need to become a professional travel agent.
Many community colleges, universities and online schools offer programs that train you to become a travel agent. The American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is a trade association that has member travel schools in 14 states including New York, California, Maine, Ohio and North Carolina. Depending on the school, you can train via correspondence study, on-campus classes and/or online. Curriculum varies with each school but usually includes courses on computerized reservations systems, world geography, boston boutique hotels marketing, sales, group tourism, cruises and customer service.
While going to travel agency school is not a requirement to become a travel agent, completing such a program and getting a certificate boston boutique hotels or diploma can greatly improve your chances of getting a good job in the travel industry. The minimum requirement for becoming a travel agent is a high school diploma or GED.
Because most of the allied industries of air travel, hotels and car rentals use computerized systems, it is imperative that anyone who wants to be a travel agent become proficient in using a computer. Taking classes in word processing, spread
boston boutique hotels It is a good idea to have some travel experience when seeking work as a travel agent. While this is not a mandatory requirement, it helps if you can put yourself in the shoes of your customers. Once you have traveled, boston boutique hotels you have a better understan
As international travel becomes more common and as people of all nationalities immigrate to other countries, as a travel agent you will meet and deal with a wide range of people. Being fluent in one or more foreign languages is helpful if you want to arrange national and international trips.
Being a people person definitely boston boutique hotels helps when interacting with people of all nationalities. Respect for other cultures is also necessary. Being a good listener and being detail-orientated are also important skills to have. A tiny mistake on a reservation could cause a disastrous trip. Interest in learning about other countries and being willing to do research to find the best deals for your customers will result in repeat business.