Responsibilities of an agent
Travel agents are interested in a customer’s itinerary and will cater to this as much as possible. They can ensure you get the best possible deal at the lowest price. Anything that the travellers may need on their trip, from rental cars to hotels must be booked by travel agents.
Agents should also inform clients of everything they need to know about their excursion from local customs and traditions to general information on weather.
In fact, in order to ensure agents have the best information about the countries clients are visiting, agents may be required to go on trips abroad to keep on top of latest developments of various destinations. On these trips, agents assess the comfort and cleanliness of hotels, how good local restaurants are, and how safe the area is.
Travel agents are able to help people across the entire spectrum, from families taking leisure holidays, solo trips for adventurers, and business travellers too. Most travel agents work in offices as part of a wider organisation, however, remote working is also common. Peak working hours could be during the summer vacation period or over the Christmas and Thanksgiving breaks.
Important skills
The role of a travel agent is a busy one, but can also be plenty of fun! The majority of their time is spent talking to airline representatives, clients, hotel employees and more. For this reason, one of the most important skills to have are communication skills.
Attention to detail is also a desirable trait as dealing with various schedules and timelines is a daily part of the job. When making bookings, agents must stick to the time clients have opted for and enter this information in correctly. It’s also important to stay within a client’s budget and make the best recommendations within that.
Clients may have to make last minute changes, cancellations or have complaints to make. For this reason, it’s vital to have a cool head and deal with all situations in a positive manner.
In order to become the best travel agent you can be, get your Diploma in Hospitality and Tourism Management at Toronto School of Management (TSoM).
