That is, customers and industry are unlikely to take you seriously without. You are required by law to provide a bond to reimburse clients if your company should fail financially, this is arranged with a bank or insurance company. Without it you would be confined to providing accommodation and ground transport only. The latter is more expensive, although it allows you to be more independent. Membership of a trade association tells suppliers that you have a strong and supported business and customers will be reassured knowing their money is protected.
Despite having technology and knowledge, people are willing to spend a little extra just to be safe. That is especially true when it comes to their families. Travel agents are going to stay relevant for a very long time. There are certain types of Travel agencies all over the world some of them are:. In order to become a travel agent, you should have the followings. Otherwise, you effort to become a travel agent may go in vain. The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you have the mindset to fully commit to pursuing this career.
If you are unsure, do your research before making your decision. Having a good knowledge base is key in establishing yourself when you walk into any office or start your own business. Colleges, vocational schools and individual training institutes are generally the place to go. There are also several courses available online. Taking these self-paced courses at your own pace is one way to get educated.
To ensure everything is under a lawful record, having a license is necessary. This necessity can vary from being insurance to being mandatory. Having a travel agent license will also quickly establish who you are and what line of work you are from. The number of independent travel agents is increasing at a very high rate. It is up to you to decide whether you want to work with a brick and mortar company or through a hosting company, working on your own.
To thrive in this type of work, it is advisable to have an area of expertise. You can choose to specialize in specific travel destinations. That is if those areas are hotspot tourist locations. Specialization is not limited to locations either. You may also choose to try specific types of holidays too such as luxury trips, business trips or sports events. A good agent must provide helpful and reliable information to their customers before, during and after the journey.
On-site knowledge like car rentals, hotel choices, public transport route maps, tourist guides etc. Many travel agents are independent contractors. They do their legwork to bring in new clients. So, sales and marketing skills, as well as a knowledge of geography, is helpful. As mentioned before most information on tourist spots are now online and public. Being internet competent is important in gathering information to stay ahead. Formal education is not everything.
Having interpersonal skills and proper self-presentation will help develop lasting relationships. It can help with customer satisfaction. A satisfied client also recommends you to other people. For independent action, it is difficult to act on your right from the get-go. Instead, work in a travel agency to earn recognition and gain their approval first.
Then you can set out on your own. Staying with high-level travel agencies have their perks such as having access to better sources and contacts. Dedication is vital to this line of work. Customers must see that through your active listening, proper conversation and clear communication. The Ultimate career Guide for travel and tourism industry. A comprehensive article. Thank you One Education for this fabulous career guide on how to become a travel agent. An amazing blog on how to become a travel agent.
I learned a lot about the profession and the one education brand. I am a travel agent in Canada and I now have high expectations from the courses provided by One Education. Great article. You must be logged in to post a comment. The amount you earn really does depend on a simultaneous ability to sell to customers and to strike deals with the suppliers. So at the forefront is the need for excellent service to both of your customers: the holidaymakers and the tour operators.
Trade associations are clearly important to the success of a travel business, if you want customer and industry confidence it seems you can't really start up without one.
Global Travel Group is specifically aimed at start up businesses, this association runs as a franchise to provide licensing and bonding to independent travel agencies. It provides support, IT booking system and national tour operator deals while allowing agencies to run as independent businesses under their own names.
ABTA is the best known of the associations with the largest membership of agencies and tour operators. It will ensure you are taken very seriously from day one but as such its membership is exacting in its rules and not cheap. Start up companies may wish to progress to ABTA when they are more established. Look after your staff: Reduced rate holidays will prove a powerful incentive to lots of people wanting to work in the travel industry. But you need to attract and retain good people who are interested in the work and who can communicate with customers and represent you business well.
Offer training and incentives and if you can, pay above average salaries. You'll be rewarded with loyalty in a competitive industry. Have a national focus: Although you may be a local independent travel agent it doesn't mean you should have a narrow local focus. You need to appeal to a national audience to ensure success because the market changes so fast. A national focus will mean tour operators will be keener to deal with you and therefore your holiday selection will be more extensive.
When to go for profit: Don't look for profit in the first couple of years but go all out to make your name known and get as much business as possible. Once this is achieved you'll have increased bargaining power for your commission rate and access to a greater number of holidays — and hopefully will be able to start looking at profit and budgeting.
Home Start-up guides. Lucy Wayment. November 3, 9 min read. About us Startups was founded over 20 years ago by a multi-time entrepreneur. Today, our expert team of writers, researchers, and editors work to provide our 4 million readers with useful tips and information, as well as running award-winning campaigns. Our site is governed by the Startups editorial manifesto. This article was authored by: Lucy Wayment. But how do you set up a new business in an industry that's still recovering?
So buckle up your seatbelts as we set course for travel agency startup success. The travel agency market: developing a niche or USP Costs to start a travel business Financing your travel agency How much can I earn as a travel agent? Travel agency trade associations Tips for travel agency success. There are many reasons that the current demand could surpass previous tourism levels. The travel agency market: developing a niche or USP Setting up as a travel agent shouldn't be confused with being a tour operator.
Costs to start a travel business It's quite possible to start out as a travel agent from home with a desk, a laptop and a telephone line. All rights reserved. Copyright Registration Shield Your Trademark. Latest News. LOG IN. Log into your account. Recover your password.
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