Travel Agent

If you’re a people person, a great communicator, have meticulous attention to detail and love travel, a career as a travel agent could be a great option for you.

Travel agents spend time communicating with clients about the trip they want to take, their needs and preferences. Travel agents conduct in-depth research and put together tailored and personalised travel options for their clients based on their conversations.

Travel agents manage all aspects of travel for their customers, including flights, accommodation, vehicle hire, excursions and special requests. They need a keen eye for accuracy in managing itineraries, and handling important information such as times, dates, passport numbers and costs.

Travel agents use their knowledge and experience to offer information and advice about destinations, as well as important information like visa requirements, vaccinations and travel insurance.

As emergencies and travel issues such as flight cancellations can happen unexpectedly, travel agents will sometimes need to work out of hours to help clients who may be experiencing travel stress. Agents will use their communication and problem-solving skills to find solutions for their customers efficiently while exercising patience and understanding for any stress their customers may be under.

A travel agent’s career can start with or without a relevant degree, with junior positions and apprenticeships for school leavers and entry-level starters. Others enter the field with Travel and Tourism BTEC diplomas or variations of Tourism Management BA degrees from university. There is no set qualification for entry, and the travel agent career has lots of opportunities for growth. Travel agents can move up to ranks into senior and management positions, forge out as independents, or side-step into related hospital fields. Some travel agents become events planners, hotel managers and tourism marketers.

In an era where people can use the internet to book their own travel, travel agents stand out by offering bespoke services, specialising in niche areas of tourism, and offering services that internet platforms and AI cannot replicate. Travel agencies and independent agents specialise in travel niches such as luxury travel, ecotourism, destination weddings and adventure holidays, to name a few. Others use their expertise and skills to offer their services to high-end clients, businesses and corporations who need complex travel arrangements and travel logistics management.

There is much flexibility in how a travel agent can work, with some working more traditional on-site office hours at an agency, some working a mixture of remote and on-site, and others working completely remotely. There are many established, independent and specialist travel agencies, and some travel agents work as independent freelancers or start their own travel businesses.

Good travel agents are personable, super organised, great communicators, and knowledgeable and enthusiastic about travel. They can work under pressure to handle unexpected issues and find it rewarding to help people have great travel experiences and create lifelong memories.

A travel agent is responsible for helping customers to plan and book their travel and find package holidays. Their key responsibilities are as follows: 

Good travel agents have built a range of skills, the most important being communication and customer service, as well as attention to detail and selling tactics.

Becoming a travel agent doesn’t require specific education or qualifications. Many travel agents develop through on-the-job training, professional certifications and personal experience.

You can apply for a government-backed apprenticeship or trainee travel agent role with a secondary school education and a keen interest in the industry. Some employers will ask for English and maths GCSEs or equivalent. For further education, there are hospitality courses at GSCE, college and university levels that will prepare you for the role.

For any level position, a proven interest in and knowledge of the industry is helpful, as well as sharing relevant previous experience and job roles. There are several short online courses that may supplement your knowledge and help prepare you for the role.

Once you have some experience in a travel agent role, you might consider joining professional bodies such as the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) for extra training, certification and support. 

A career as a travel agent is a good option for people who are enthusiastic about travel, with lots of opportunities to travel for free and at reduced rates through work. This career is a good option for any travel enthusiast who might describe themselves as a "people person", and finds it rewarding to help others.

The career path of a travel agent doesn’t require specific education or qualifications as a starting point, and many agents come from diverse backgrounds. Some travel agents launch their careers after gaining college qualifications or degrees in tourism and hospitality, while others start in junior roles or as trainees or apprentices.

Travel agents have a number of career progression opportunities within the field, as well as options to work independently or freelance, to start their own businesses, and to step into related industries. 

The role of a travel agent started in the mid-1800s, with Thomas Cook often credited as the person who started the profession. The travel industry grew alongside developments in transportation, growing rapidly throughout the 1900s and 2000s with ships, trains, cars and planes enabling further and more accessible travel opportunities. The industry faced challenges after the advent of the internet with the availability of so many online travel platforms, and travel agents have had to adapt by specialising in niche tourism and providing customers with personalised experiences. Travel agents today combine their customer service and sales skills with technology to offer a highly tailored service to clients. 

We think that hearing from other professionals in the field is perhaps the best way to figure out whether a career as a travel agent could be the career for you!

Want to learn more about being a travel agent? We’ve put together these resources to help you learn more about the travel and tourism industry and prepare for a travel agent career. 

The following Regulation is relevant to becoming a travel agent.