Definition: Travel Agent Job Description
What are the missions of the Travel Agent? What training to follow to exercise this profession? What are his outlets and his salary? The answers are provided to you by this travel agent job description.
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Travel agent profession
Passionate about travel and new horizons, travel agent a priority mission is to organize dream vacations for its customers. Discover this profession in detail.
What is a travel agent?
The travel agent is the specialist in the organization of turnkey trips, whether for family vacations or for professional purposes. To do this, it will be able to offer various services ranging from a simple flight or booking a night in a hotel to a complete package tour with accommodation, transport, activities.
He must know how to guide potential buyers in relation to their tastes and their budget, to offer them the trip that suits them.
The travel agent is responsible for controlling prices and availability, then makes reservations based on the customer’s choices. Finally, he ensures the follow-up of files and invoicing.
This professional works either directly in a travel agency, in actual contact with customers, or remotely from the telephone platform of a reservation center.
With the development of offers on the internet, travel agent traditional has evolved a lot and had to adapt its offers to new modes of travel consumption. To be successful, this expert has every interest in relying on a supplied catalog with a few rare and original destinations.
According to his experience and seniority, travel agent can be involved in the design of the proposed formulas. In this case, he will have to test the offer himself in order to be able to adapt it and, above all, sell it.
Travel agent missions
- Greet customers, inform them and advise them;
- Offer vacation packages adapted to customer expectations;
- Make contact with third parties (reservation of accommodation, train or plane tickets, etc.);
- Carry out administrative procedures;
- Design all-inclusive packages;
- Follow files and customer satisfaction;
Qualities to become a travel agent
You can imagine it, but become a travel agent Initially requires to be comfortable with one or more foreign languages in order to be able to offer services to many countries.
Ensuite, travel agent must be endowed with an undeniable listening capacity because he must be able to provide the customer with exactly what he asks for. Customer satisfaction often depends on the reputation of the travel agency.
Organization and thoroughness will be necessary so as not to make a mistake in a reservation or to remember to provide a plane ticket.
Finally, travel agent must demonstrate good self-control in order to be able to withstand the stress generated by clients who are often very demanding or unforeseen events to be managed on site or at the resorts.
Training to become a travel agent
Initial training
Licence level
- BTS tourism
- BTS operational commercial management
Master level
- Professional bachelor’s degree in tourism: marketing of tourism products
- Professional license in tourism and leisure professions
- Professional bachelor’s degree in hospitality and tourism, specialty in tourism distribution
The BTS Tourism is the standard diploma to start your travel agent career. The pro license offers the prospect of being able to run a franchise brand. Fluency in English is essential to become a travel agent.
Continuing education
In order to promote the professional development of people working in this sector, professionals can follow rare specializations and improvements such as the professional license in the marketing of tourist products or the CQP responsible for travel agency and business platform.
For those who wish to reorient themselves towards the profession travel agent, the BTS mentioned above as well as the reservation agent – Amadeus system training are accessible through continuing training.
Salary of a travel agent
The travel agent earns around 1,500 dolars net per month, but this remuneration varies according to his diploma or his practice structure. Sometimes this salary can be made up of fixed remuneration and variable remuneration.
Opportunities and evolutions of the travel agent
When he has gained enough experience, he may become a team leader, director of a travel agency or may even decide to go into entrepreneurship and open his own travel agency.