How does one become a travel agent?

[knc]

I buy around 15 - 20 domestic & international airline tickets each year. I also purchase hotel rooms, rental cars, airport limo rides, and occasionally train & bus tickets too.

I want to know if becoming a travel agent would save me money on my own travel. But first, I guess I need to find out how one becomes a travel agent.

Are travel agents licensed or certified? Must you pass an exam to become one? Is it simply a matter of paying a fee, no questions asked?

How large a discount do travel agents receive? Is income based on commissions from sales?

Short of working at a travel agency, how do people become travel agents?

Thanks all!

[gunnyhud]

Email me at hudsonstravel@yahoo.com or copy and paste hudsonstravel.vacationmedia.net into your browser (no www)

[jgault]

Hello:

First off... you don't become a travel agent just to save yourself a buck or two. You will save nothing on the airline tickets you purchase, airlines stopped paying commissions years ago. Many agents charge a service fee to book air travel to make up for loss of commissions in that area. You won't make much of an income booking car rentals, trains and limo rides.

A travel agent that is out there to save money on their own travel is not the type of agent you want to work with!

Their are travel agent programs you can take and then try and get a job at an agency or you can sign-up for a host agency and learn from a mentor and take online training. I have been an agent for under 6 months and learning every day. The cruise lines have some great training and the CLIA, hotels and resorts. Don't be an agent simply to save yourself money, that really won't save you anything and you will only weaken the industry.

I travel, I enjoy helping people find the right vacation and I help "them" save money... and I don't charge service fees!

Last week I received a picture and a postcard from two families I helped find a great cruises,,, what a nice feeling to know they had a great time!

Anyone thinking of getting into the business to save on personal travel should really forget about it.

Jerry

Originally Posted by knc

I buy around 15 - 20 domestic & international airline tickets each year. I also purchase hotel rooms, rental cars, airport limo rides, and occasionally train & bus tickets too.

I want to know if becoming a travel agent would save me money on my own travel. But first, I guess I need to find out how one becomes a travel agent.

Are travel agents licensed or certified? Must you pass an exam to become one? Is it simply a matter of paying a fee, no questions asked?

How large a discount do travel agents receive? Is income based on commissions from sales?

Short of working at a travel agency, how do people become travel agents?

Thanks all!

[willsmiller]

In this way we can really become travel agent.

[jgault]

I'm not sure I know what you mean?

Originally Posted by willsmiller

In this way we can really become travel agent.

[Travel Argentina]

Some countries require registration and payment of industry fees but others don't. Which country are you from?

[travelchic]

Travel agents live on commission, but that doesnt mean they get discounts if they're travelling. What I know is that if you are a travel agent, you couldn't use company resources for personal gains, although you might have incentives, there are restrictions. And about discounts, I'm sure travel agents can give discounts, but that is only because they are levelling with the client, they have a limit in giving discounts. And what I know is, these discounts are deducted from commissions, just to get the booking! So it doesn't make sense even if you are travelling a lot to become an agent. What you can do though, Is get one of those advantage or discount cards that major airlines, cruises or travel companies are members of that you can avail of great discounts with.

[duganstravelsllc]

Travel agents generally do not make commission off of airline tickes with a few exemptions. We do not get discounts anymore from airlines due to all the card mills that are out there. They have hurt the industry and airlines and other suppliers no longer offer any type of discount to travel agents.

To become a travel agent, you need to be willing to get an education and be serious about it. It isn't something that you just do because there are alot of hazards with being a travel agent. Only people who are serious about learning the industry and become bonafide travel agents should get involved.

I wrote an article you might want to read which is at travelathome.com

[johnnyp]

I guess 15-20 tickets per year is not that big challenge on the market. Market is growing and probably the goals that big agencies have are 15 sold per day and not per year. You'd better find good agent that can offer you discounts or additional service... but being agent yourself... I just thing that I'd be pain in the ***

[bluewaveted]

If you're just in it for the money, you better look elsewhere. Being a travel agent requires interest (that's the first requirement), ample knowledge, and, of course, people skills.