Travel Agents
Tasks Include:
- 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.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™; US Department of Labor (BLS); Virginia Workforce Connection. (Using onet28)
Projections Quick View:
Virginia: +23.4%
National: +19.7%
Education
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Job Zone:
Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Income Range:
Moderately High ($36,000 - $49,999)
Median Earnings:
National
$46,400.00
State
No Data
Regional
Travel Agents
Description
Career Cluster: | Hospitality & Tourism |
Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Education
Required Level of Education
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) = 37.25%
- High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) = 30.80%
- Bachelor's Degree = 14.36%
- Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) = 11.49%
- Some College Courses = 6.11%
Related Work Experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years = 46.78%
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months = 14.36%
- Over 8 years, up to and including 10 years = 14.36%
- None = 7.51%
- Up to and including 1 month = 6.46%
- Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years = 5.03%
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year = 3.66%
- Over 4 years, up to and including 6 years = 1.85%
On-Site or In-Plant Training
- Up to and including 1 month = 48.85%
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months = 31.05%
- Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months = 15.67%
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year = 2.58%
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years = 1.85%
On-the-Job Training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months = 31.81%
- Over 1 month, up to and including 3 months = 31.14%
- Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year = 18.57%
- Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month = 15.82%
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years = 2.65%
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Tasks
Core Tasks Include:
- 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.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Additional Resources
For further information on training opportunities, contact:
American Society of Travel Agents
Education Department
1101 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
http://www.asta.org/Education/?navItemNumber=508
For information on certification qualifications, contact:
The Institute of Certified Travel Agents
148 Linden St.
P.O. Box 812059
Wellesley, MA 02181-0012
http://www.icta.com
The data sources for the information displayed here include: Virginia Career VIEW Research. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Knowledge
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
81.25 | Customer and Personal Service | Knowledge 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. |
74.25 | English Language | Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. |
72.00 | Sales and Marketing | Knowledge 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. |
60.75 | Geography | Knowledge 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. |
59.00 | Computers and Electronics | Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. |
54.25 | Administrative | Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology. |
54.25 | Telecommunications | Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems. |
52.25 | Transportation | Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Skills
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
78.00 | Active Listening | Giving 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. |
78.00 | Service Orientation | Actively looking for ways to help people. |
75.00 | Reading Comprehension | Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. |
75.00 | Speaking | Talking to others to convey information effectively. |
68.75 | Social Perceptiveness | Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. |
65.50 | Persuasion | Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. |
59.50 | Judgment and Decision Making | Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. |
53.00 | Writing | Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. |
53.00 | Critical Thinking | Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. |
53.00 | Active Learning | Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. |
53.00 | Coordination | Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. |
53.00 | Negotiation | Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. |
50.00 | Monitoring | Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. |
50.00 | Complex Problem Solving | Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. |
50.00 | Time Management | Managing one's own time and the time of others. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Abilities
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
78.00 | Speech Recognition | The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person. |
75.00 | Oral Comprehension | The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences. |
75.00 | Speech Clarity | The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you. |
72.00 | Written Comprehension | The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing. |
72.00 | Oral Expression | The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand. |
72.00 | Near Vision | The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer). |
62.50 | Problem Sensitivity | The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem. |
56.25 | Information Ordering | The 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). |
53.00 | Written Expression | The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand. |
53.00 | Deductive Reasoning | The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense. |
53.00 | Selective Attention | The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted. |
50.00 | Fluency of Ideas | The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity). |
50.00 | Originality | The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem. |
50.00 | Inductive Reasoning | The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events). |
50.00 | Category Flexibility | The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways. |
50.00 | Number Facility | The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Work Activities
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
90.00 | Working with Computers | Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information. |
89.00 | Getting Information | Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources. |
80.75 | Communicating with People Outside the Organization | Communicating 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. |
76.75 | Performing for or Working Directly with the Public | Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests. |
73.25 | Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships | Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time. |
72.25 | Processing Information | Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data. |
70.00 | Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge | Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job. |
69.50 | Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates | Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person. |
69.00 | Selling or Influencing Others | Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions. |
69.00 | Documenting/Recording Information | Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form. |
69.00 | Performing Administrative Activities | Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork. |
63.25 | Making Decisions and Solving Problems | Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems. |
62.50 | Analyzing Data or Information | Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts. |
61.75 | Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work | Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work. |
60.75 | Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People | Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people. |
60.50 | Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others | Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others. |
57.50 | Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others | Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used. |
50.75 | Thinking Creatively | Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Work Styles
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
92.00 | Attention to Detail | Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. |
76.00 | Integrity | Job requires being honest and ethical. |
66.50 | Dependability | Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. |
65.50 | Self-Control | Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. |
63.50 | Achievement/Effort | Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. |
62.25 | Cooperation | Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. |
60.25 | Initiative | Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. |
57.50 | Persistence | Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. |
56.50 | Stress Tolerance | Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. |
56.50 | Analytical Thinking | Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. |
55.75 | Adaptability/Flexibility | Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. |
51.25 | Independence | Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Work Values
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
61.17 | Relationships | Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service. |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Work Context
% | Subject | Description |
---|---|---|
100.00 | Telephone | How often do you have telephone conversations in this job? |
99.60 | Electronic Mail | How often do you use electronic mail in this job? |
97.20 | Spend Time Sitting | How much does this job require sitting? |
95.60 | Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job? |
89.00 | Contact With Others | How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it? |
88.60 | Deal With External Customers | How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job? |
86.40 | Structured versus Unstructured Work | To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals? |
81.20 | Letters and Memos | How often does the job require written letters and memos? |
81.00 | Face-to-Face Discussions | How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job? |
80.60 | Freedom to Make Decisions | How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer? |
77.60 | Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer? |
77.40 | Level of Competition | To what extent does this job require the worker to compete or to be aware of competitive pressures? |
76.00 | Degree of Automation | How automated is the job? |
74.80 | Frequency of Decision Making | How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization? |
74.60 | Time Pressure | How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines? |
74.20 | Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | How much does this job require using your hands to handle, control, or feel objects, tools or controls? |
68.60 | Work With Work Group or Team | How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job? |
68.20 | Responsibility for Outcomes and Results | How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers? |
67.60 | Consequence of Error | How serious would the result usually be if the worker made a mistake that was not readily correctable? |
63.80 | Coordinate or Lead Others | How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job? |
63.80 | Physical Proximity | To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people? |
62.60 | Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions? |
62.40 | Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | How important is repeating the same physical activities (e.g., key entry) or mental activities (e.g., checking entries in a ledger) over and over, without stopping, to performing this job? |
61.60 | Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | How much does this job require making repetitive motions? |
61.40 | Frequency of Conflict Situations | How often are there conflict situations the employee has to face in this job? |
52.00 | Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People | How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements? |
51.00 | Responsible for Others' Health and Safety | How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job? |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Overall Experience
- Previous 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 Training
- Employees 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.
- Examples
- These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include hydroelectric production managers, desktop publishers, electricians, agricultural technicians, barbers, court reporters and simultaneous captioners, and medical assistants.
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Earnings Benefits*
Region | Entry Level | Median | Experienced |
---|---|---|---|
United States | $29,650.00 | $46,400.00 | $58,520.00 |
Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Region | Entry Level | Median | Experienced |
Alexandria/Arlington | $39,215.78 | $60,815.43 | $75,617.94 |
Bay Consortium | $30,378.75 | $48,709.65 | $61,387.47 |
Capital Region Workforce Partnership | $29,555.36 | $47,500.42 | $58,739.36 |
Central VA/Region2000 | $26,469.69 | $40,490.18 | $52,171.85 |
Crater Area | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Greater Peninsula | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Hampton Roads | $32,427.93 | $36,255.28 | $55,169.59 |
New River/Mt. Rogers | $24,664.63 | $36,022.53 | $55,349.58 |
Northern Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Piedmont Workforce | $33,564.76 | $45,577.44 | $62,789.10 |
Shenandoah Valley | No Data | No Data | No Data |
South Central | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Southwestern Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
West Piedmont | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Western Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
* Earnings Calculations:
Regional Earnings:
Entry = Annual mean of the lower 1/3 wage distribution;
Experienced = Annual mean of the upper 2/3 wage distribution.
National and State Earnings:
Entry = Annual 10th percentile wage;
Experienced = Annual 75th percentile wage.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: US Department of Labor (BLS); Virginia Workforce Connection. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Employment Projections
Current | Projected | % Change | |
---|---|---|---|
United States | 46,200 | 55,300 | +19.7% |
Virginia | 1,283 | 1,583 | +23.4% |
Region | Current* | Projected | % Change |
Alexandria/Arlington | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Bay Consortium | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Capital Region Workforce Partnership | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Central VA/Region2000 | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Crater Area | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Greater Peninsula | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Hampton Roads | No Data | No Data | No Data |
New River/Mt. Rogers | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Northern Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Piedmont Workforce | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Shenandoah Valley | No Data | No Data | No Data |
South Central | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Southwestern Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
West Piedmont | No Data | No Data | No Data |
Western Virginia | No Data | No Data | No Data |
The data sources for the information displayed here include: US Department of Labor (BLS); Virginia Workforce Connection. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Related Occupations
Related Occupations
The related occupations here have similar general capabilities and interests; career explorers may also be interested in the related occupations:- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Travel Guides
- Counter and Rental Clerks
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel
- Concierges
- Customer Service Representatives
- Telemarketers
- Tour Guides and Escorts
- Retail Salespersons
- Receptionists and Information Clerks
- Insurance Sales Agents
- Freight Forwarders
- Advertising Sales Agents
- Door-to-Door Sales Workers, News and Street Vendors, and Related Workers
- Telephone Operators
- Cargo and Freight Agents
- Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
- Hotel, Motel, and Resort Desk Clerks
- Real Estate Sales Agents
- Customs Brokers
Careers in Travel & Tourism Pathway:
- Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks
- Tour Guides and Escorts
- Travel Agents
- Travel Guides
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
View Videos
CareerOneStop Video
View Video & Transcript on CareerOneStop
CareerOneStop Hospitality & Tourism Videos
Overview
Occupations
The data sources for the information displayed here include: New York State Department of Labor; New Jersey Department of Labor; California Occupational Information Coordinating Committee; CareerOneStop. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Proficiency Ratings
These proficiencies are scored on a scale from 1 to 5 with 1 being not
important to the job and 5 being extremely important to the job.
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Titles
- Auto Travel Counselor
- Certified Corporate Travel Executive
- Certified Travel Counselor
- Corporate Travel Agent
- Corporate Travel Expert
- Tour Agent
- Tour Coordinator
- Travel Agent
- Travel Consultant
- Travel Coordinator
- Travel Counselor
- Travel Service Consultant
The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)
Travel Agents
Related Schools
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The data sources for the information displayed here include: O*NET™. (Using onet28)