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Travel Agents Occupation Detailed Description

Travel Agents career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Travel Agents

The main tasks and work activities of Travel Agents are to process sales or other transactions, gather customer or product information to determine customer needs, calculate costs of goods or services, prepare sales or other contracts. In general, for the Travel Agents, active Listening, service Orientation, speaking, reading Comprehension and other 12 skills are required.
Travel Agents Job Description
EducationMost occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Related ExperiencePrevious work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job TrainingEmployees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
ExampleThese occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, travel guides, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters, and medical assistants.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Travel Agents jobs. 30.80% of Travel Agents have High School Diploma (or the equivalent) and 11.49% of Travel Agents have Post-Secondary Certificate.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
30.80%
Post-Secondary Certificate
11.49%
Some College Courses
6.11%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
37.25%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
14.35%

Tasks and Work Activities of Travel Agents

  • Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
  • 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.
  • Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer or telephone.
  • Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
  • Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.
  • Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.
  • Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
  • Interacting With ComputersUsing computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Communicating with Persons Outside OrganizationCommunicating 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 or Working Directly with the PublicPerforming for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Performing Administrative ActivitiesPerforming day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Process sales or other transactions.
  • Gather customer or product information to determine customer needs.
  • Calculate costs of goods or services.
  • Prepare sales or other contracts.
  • Sell products or services.
  • Distribute promotional literature or samples to customers.
  • Record operational details of travel.

Skills and Abilities for Travel Agents

  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • NegotiationBringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Point of sale payment terminale.g. Card readers
  • Inkjet printerse.g. Computer inkjet printers
  • Laser printerse.g. Computer laser printers
  • Photocopierse.g. Copy machines
  • Laser fax machinee.g. Laser facsimile machines
  • Special purpose telephonese.g. Multiline telephone systems
  • Personal computerse.g. Personal computers
  • Printer calculatore.g. Printing calculators
  • Public address systemse.g. Public address systems
  • Ticket dispensing machinese.g. Ticket printing machines
  • Customer and Personal ServiceKnowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Sales and MarketingKnowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
  • GeographyKnowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • TelecommunicationsKnowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
  • ClericalKnowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
  • TransportationKnowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.