What does a travel agent do?

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What is a Travel Agent?

A travel agent assists individuals or groups in planning, organizing, and booking various aspects of their travel arrangements. They act as intermediaries between travelers and travel suppliers, such as airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and tour operators. Travel agents have in-depth knowledge of different destinations, travel options, and industry trends, which they leverage to provide personalized recommendations and advice to their clients.

One of the primary roles of a travel agent is to help clients navigate the complex world of travel. They listen to their clients' preferences, budget constraints, and desired experiences, and then work towards creating a tailored itinerary that meets their needs. Travel agents handle tasks such as booking flights, accommodations, ground transportation, and excursions, ensuring that all the necessary arrangements are made smoothly. They can also provide valuable insights on visa requirements, travel insurance, and local customs, helping travelers make informed decisions and avoid potential pitfalls.

What does a Travel Agent do?

A travel agent with two clients.

Travel agents possess extensive knowledge and expertise in the travel industry, including destinations, transportation options, accommodations, and activities. This expertise allows them to provide valuable advice and guidance to travelers, helping them make informed decisions and create well-planned itineraries that meet their specific needs and preferences. They also have access to a wide range of resources and tools that enable them to efficiently search for the best deals, discounts, and promotions available. They can often secure exclusive rates and packages, saving their clients both time and money.

Duties and Responsibilities Here are some common tasks and responsibilities associated with being a travel agent:

  • Client Consultation: Travel agents engage in thorough consultations with clients to understand their travel preferences, requirements, and budget. They ask relevant questions to gather necessary information and provide personalized recommendations based on the client's needs.
  • Itinerary Planning: Based on client preferences, travel agents create detailed travel itineraries that include destinations, transportation options, accommodations, and activities. They consider factors like travel dates, budget constraints, and any specific requests from clients.
  • Reservation and Booking: Travel agents handle the booking process for flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel-related services. They ensure that all bookings are made accurately and efficiently, securing the best available rates and deals for their clients.
  • Travel Documentation and Logistics: Travel agents assist clients in obtaining necessary travel documents such as passports, visas, and travel insurance. They provide guidance on the documentation process and ensure that clients have all the required paperwork in order. Agents also handle logistical aspects like seat assignments, baggage allowances, and transportation arrangements.
  • Knowledge of Destinations: Travel agents possess extensive knowledge about various destinations, including popular attractions, local customs, weather conditions, and safety considerations. They provide valuable information and recommendations to clients, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about their travel plans.
  • Customer Service: Travel agents offer exceptional customer service throughout the entire travel process. They address client inquiries, resolve any issues or concerns that may arise, and provide support during the trip. Agents act as a point of contact for emergencies and assist clients in making alternative arrangements if necessary.
  • Stay Up-to-Date with Industry Trends: To provide the best service to clients, travel agents stay updated with the latest industry trends, travel regulations, and changes in travel technology. They attend industry conferences, participate in training programs, and conduct research to ensure their knowledge is current.
  • Sales and Marketing: Some travel agents engage in sales and marketing activities to attract new clients and promote travel packages and services. They may participate in trade shows, develop promotional materials, and utilize online platforms to reach a wider audience.
  • Financial Management: Travel agents handle financial transactions related to travel bookings, including processing payments, issuing refunds, and managing invoices. They maintain accurate records of financial transactions and ensure compliance with accounting procedures.
  • Continuous Learning: Travel agents continuously enhance their skills and knowledge by staying updated on travel industry trends, new destinations, and emerging technologies. They actively seek opportunities for professional development to provide the best possible service to their clients.

Types of Travel Agents There are various types of travel agents, each specializing in different aspects of travel and catering to specific clientele. Here are some common types of travel agents and what they do:

  • Leisure Travel Agents: Leisure travel agents focus on organizing vacations and leisure trips for individuals, families, or groups. They assist clients in planning and booking all aspects of their leisure travel, including flights, accommodations, tours, and activities. Leisure travel agents may specialize in specific types of travel, such as beach vacations, cruises, adventure travel, or luxury travel.
  • Corporate Travel Agents: Corporate travel agents primarily cater to business travelers and companies. They handle the complex travel needs of corporate clients, including booking flights, arranging accommodations, managing itineraries, and coordinating travel logistics. Corporate travel agents are familiar with business travel policies, negotiated rates, and preferred vendors to ensure cost-effective and efficient travel arrangements for their clients.
  • Group Travel Agents: Group travel agents specialize in organizing travel for large groups, such as family reunions, weddings, school trips, or corporate retreats. They handle group bookings for flights, accommodations, transportation, and activities, negotiating group rates and coordinating logistics to accommodate the specific needs and preferences of the group.
  • Tour Operators: Tour operators design and operate pre-packaged tours and travel itineraries. They create comprehensive tour packages that include transportation, accommodations, guided tours, and activities. Tour operators often work with travel agents to sell their tour packages, providing them with a ready-made product to offer their clients.
  • Destination Specialists: Destination specialists focus on specific regions, countries, or cities. They have in-depth knowledge of the destination's culture, attractions, local experiences, and logistical considerations. Destination specialists provide expert advice and create customized itineraries for travelers seeking in-depth exploration of a particular destination.
  • Online Travel Agents (OTAs): Online travel agents operate through internet platforms and websites, offering a wide range of travel services. They allow customers to search, compare, and book flights, hotels, rental cars, and other travel services online. Online travel agents may also provide customer support and assistance through online chat or call centers.
  • Niche Travel Agents: Niche travel agents specialize in specific types of travel, catering to niche markets or specialized interests. Examples include adventure travel agents, luxury travel agents, honeymoon specialists, culinary travel agents, or eco-tourism experts. These agents have extensive knowledge and expertise in their niche area, curating unique experiences and tailored itineraries for clients with specific interests.

Are you suited to be a travel agent?

Travel agents have distinct personalities . They tend to be enterprising individuals, which means they’re adventurous, ambitious, assertive, extroverted, energetic, enthusiastic, confident, and optimistic. They are dominant, persuasive, and motivational. Some of them are also conventional, meaning they’re conscientious and conservative.

Does this sound like you? Take our free career test to find out if travel agent is one of your top career matches.

What is the workplace of a Travel Agent like?

The workplace of a travel agent can vary depending on their specific employment arrangement. Some travel agents work in traditional brick-and-mortar travel agencies, which may be part of a larger travel company or operate independently. In these settings, travel agents typically have a physical office space with workstations, computers, and travel industry resources such as brochures, destination guides, and reservation systems. They may have a reception area to welcome clients and conduct in-person consultations.

With the increasing prevalence of remote work and online booking platforms, many travel agents now have the flexibility to work from home or in virtual offices. They utilize technology, such as laptops, smartphones, and high-speed internet, to communicate with clients, access travel resources, and make online bookings. Virtual travel agents often communicate with clients via phone, email, or video conferencing, offering the convenience of remote consultations.

Travel agents also frequently visit destinations, attend industry conferences, and participate in familiarization trips organized by travel suppliers. These opportunities allow them to gain firsthand experience, build relationships with suppliers, and stay updated on the latest travel trends. While travel agents spend a significant amount of time working at their desks, they also have the chance to explore and experience the destinations they recommend to their clients.

In terms of work hours, travel agents may have a standard office schedule, working weekdays during regular business hours. However, they may also need to be flexible, accommodating clients in different time zones or assisting with emergency situations outside of regular office hours. The workload of travel agents can vary throughout the year, with peak periods during holiday seasons or when there are significant events or festivals happening in popular destinations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Pros and cons of being a travel agent.

Being a travel agent can be an exciting and rewarding career for individuals who are passionate about travel and enjoy helping others create memorable experiences. However, like any profession, there are pros and cons to consider.

  • Travel Opportunities: One of the major advantages of being a travel agent is the exposure to diverse travel opportunities. Travel agents often have the chance to visit destinations, experience different cultures, and explore new places as part of their job. This firsthand experience not only enhances their knowledge but also allows them to provide valuable insights and recommendations to clients.
  • Personal Satisfaction: For individuals who are passionate about travel and helping others, being a travel agent can be personally fulfilling. The ability to create personalized itineraries and witness the joy and excitement of clients as they embark on their dream trips can be highly rewarding.
  • Knowledge and Expertise: Travel agents develop a deep understanding of destinations, travel products, and industry trends. They stay up-to-date with the latest information, including visa requirements, safety advisories, and emerging travel destinations. This expertise allows them to provide valuable advice and recommendations to clients, ensuring they have well-planned and memorable travel experiences.
  • Building Relationships: Travel agents have the opportunity to build strong relationships with clients, travel suppliers, and industry professionals. They can establish a network of contacts that can enhance their business and open doors for collaboration and future opportunities.
  • Industry Changes and Competition: The travel industry is constantly evolving, with new technologies, online booking platforms, and dynamic pricing models. Travel agents must stay updated with these changes and adapt their business practices accordingly. The rise of online travel agencies and self-booking options has increased competition, requiring travel agents to differentiate themselves and provide added value to their clients.
  • Workload and Time Management: The travel industry can be demanding, especially during peak travel seasons. Travel agents may need to work long hours, including evenings and weekends, to accommodate client needs and handle emergencies. Proper time management skills are essential to balance the workload and maintain a healthy work-life balance.
  • Pressure for Exceptional Customer Service: Travel agents are expected to deliver outstanding customer service consistently. They must handle client inquiries, resolve issues, and manage expectations throughout the travel process. This level of customer service can be challenging, particularly when dealing with unforeseen circumstances or dissatisfied clients.
  • Commission-Based Income: While some travel agents receive a salary or hourly wage, others rely on commission-based income. This means their earnings are directly tied to the bookings they secure for clients. It can take time to build a client base and establish a steady income stream, especially in the early stages of a travel agent's career.

Travel Agents are also known as: Travel Consultant

Travel Agency

A travel agent is a person who has full knowledge of tourist product – destinations, modes of travel, climate, accommodation, and other areas of the service sector. He acts on the behalf of product providers/principles and in return gets a commission. Technically, a travel agent is an owner or manage r of an agency, but other employees are responsible for advising tourists and selling packages tours/individual components of travel products.

A travel agent may be an individual /firm or corporation which is commonly known as a travel agency . An agency means the office of travel agent or organization where all travel goods and services are assembled and coordinated for the smooth conduct of travel agency business.

Travel agency is one of the most important organizations in the tourism private sector which plays a significant and crucial role in the entire process of developing and promoting tourism in the country or at a destination. It is a travel agency which packages and processes all the attractions, accesses, amenities and ancillary services of a country and present them to tourists. That’s why travel agency is known as ‘ image builder ‘ of a country.

A prospective travel agency is one which makes arrangements of travel tickets (air, rail, road, and sea); travel documents (passports, visa and other documents required to travel); accommodation, entertainment, and other travel-related services from principle suppliers. It may also secure travel insurance, foreign currency for traveling people.

History of Travel Agency

The first Travel Agency of the world was established by Thomas Cook in 1845 in England. The use of the term travel trade dates back from the early years of the 19th century, but this should not obscure the fact that what we today describe as travel trade (travel agency and tour operation business) was taking place much earlier in history.

Throughout history, there was travel middleman who helped the merchants traveling for trade and others who traveled for religious purposes.

In 1841 a fortunate day comes in the history of travel trade when Thomas Cook , as secretary of South Midland Temperance Association, organized a trip by a train for 570 members for his association to the distance of 22 miles. He bought railway tickets in bulk to sell them to people.

The experiment was successful and everybody was exultant. Mr. Cook had done his job on a no-profit basis. But, incidentally, It gave him a new idea and turned it into a tour business.

Four years later in 1845 , he set up a ‘ World’s First Travel Agency ‘ to organize excursions.  Due to this innovative approach, Mr. Thomas Cook is known as the Father of Travel Agency Business . He co-ordinated railway and steamship excursions throughout England, Scotland and Europe.

However, the railways only gave him a 5% commission which was not enough to meet his overheads, so he decided to diversify this business into tour operation .

In 1855 Mr. Cook started operating package tours . He conducted the world’s first international tour from England to Paris.

Types of Travel Agency

Travel agencies are basically categorized into two types-: Retail Travel Agenc y and Wholesale Travel Agency .

Retail Travel Agency

A retail travel agency sells tourists products directly to the public on the behalf of the products suppliers and in return get commissions. Some package tour is sold in two ways i.e., on a commission basis and mark up the price.

When a travel agency sells a tour on the marked-up price it means that first, it markup the cost of the tour and then sell it at a higher rate. The markup price is the difference between retail price and wholesale cost.

Definitions of Retail Travel Agency

According to Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC) a retail travel agency is defined as ” a business that performs the following functions: quotes fares, rates, make reservations, arrange travel tickets and accommodation, arrange travel insurance, foreign currency, documents and accepts payments.”

According to SARC (1967), ” retail travel agency business consists of the activities involved in selling tourism products/services directly to the tourists and performs normal functions such as issuing air tickets, making accommodation and transportation reservation, providing specialized services, and accepting and making payments.”

The main source of the revenue for the travel agency is the commission received from the vendors. However, the rate of the commission differs from organization to organization an travel component to the travel component.

A travel agency receives appx. 95% of their revenue from the commission, and the remaining 5% from consultancy services and others.

Wholesale Travel Agency

These agencies are specialized in organizing package tours, which are marketed to the customers/tourists through the network of a retail travel agency or directly to the prospective clients ( if wholesale travel agency has a retail division). A wholesale travel agency purchases tourists’ product components in the bulk and designs tour packages.

Sometimes, a wholesale travel agency buys travel components from the vendor in bulk and resell them to other travel business originations.

Wholesale travel agencies assemble package holidays and sell them to clients through retail travel agencies. A typical package tour includes – air tickets, accommodation, and something other services may also be included in it such as entertainment, sightseeing, and sports activities, etc.

These packages are referred to as ‘package tours’ most of these tours include the services of escorts but a few are sold to people who wish to travel independently.

Now a question arises – How a wholesale travel agency generates profits?

Generally, a wholesaler receives volume discounts from the principal suppliers because a wholesaler might agree to purchase a large number of seats from a particular airline or reserve a large number of rooms at a particular hotel or resort.

Practically, a wholesaler who sells package vacations/tours is called a Tour Operator .  However, technically there is a difference between a wholesaler and a tour operator. A wholesaler who sells tourists products individually without assembling them into a package tour is called a Consolidator .

Mostly, these are specialized in particular product components such as air tickets, accommodation, and conferences, and conventions, etc.

Difference between Wholesale Travel Agencies and Tour operators

The wholesale travel agencies may offer or operate the package tours or may specialize in developing tours for inbound as well as outbound travelers. They are often referred to as tour operators , but these two essentially different:

  • Wholesale travel agency does not sell directly to the public, while tour operators do sell directly to clients.
  • A wholesale travel agency usually combines, assembles and contacts for existing travel services to formulate a new travel product she has his own one or more components of travel product i.e. ‘ inclusive tours.’
  • Wholesale travel agencies are less inclined than tour operators to perform ground services i.e. handling agency or ground operators.
  • A wholesale travel agency may deal with one component of travel product while a tour operator offers a variety of tour programmes.
  • The size of the business is large in the case of tour operators in comparison to a wholesale travel agency.

Features and Importance of the Travel Agency

Travel agency plays an important role in the travel sector business. Some most important features and importance of the travel agency business are following as:-

  • An important link between the clients and principal suppliers.
  • Image-Builder.
  • Ensures rapid travel services.
  • Provider of authentic and reliable travel information.
  • A social a continuous process.
  • Establishes a good relationship with clients and vendors.

These are the most important features of the Travel Agency Business.

Functions and Services of Travel Agency

Today, Travel Agencies have been recognized as a vital component of travel and tourism and have become an integral part of the travel and tourism industry at globally. They account for more than 90% of international and 70% of domestic tourist traffic

Further, more than 60%  of all travel agency revenues are derived from business travel. Most travel agencies sell both commercial and leisure travel but there are many travel agencies that only specialized in one sector or the other.

The operation of each travel agency is based on the scope of its activities and organizational size. Here we discuss the functions of a large scale travel agency that performs all types of activities such as Retail travel agency, wholesaling and tour operations, etc. The main function of a large-scale travel agency are:

Travel Information

Whatever the size of a travel agency, it has to provide necessary travel information to tourists. A travel agency must give up-to-date, accurate, and timely information regarding destinations mode of travel, accommodation, sight-seeing, shopping, immigration, passport, visa, customs clearance and procedure, health and security rules, and various permits required to travel in particular areas, etc.

Itinerary Preparation

The term tourists itinerary is used to identify the origin, destination and all the stopping points in a traveler’s tours. It is a composition of various elements and designed after a detailed study of the market. Travel agencies prepare an itinerary for tour packages.

Airline Ticketing and Reservation

A travel agency sells a variety of tourism products. Airline ticketing and reservation is still a major source of revenue. Travel agencies perform a function of airline ticketing and reservation on behalf of various airlines.

Tour Packaging and Costing

Travel agencies prepare a tour package and sell them to tourists. The coasting and pricing of tour packages depend to a large extent on the ability of travel agents as to how effectively he is able to negotiate with the principal suppliers.

Reservation

It is a very important function of all types of travel agencies. A travel agency consistently makes linkage with the accommodation sector, transport sector and other entertainment organizations to reserve rooms, and seats in the cultural programs and transportation.

Travel Insurance

Some large-scale travel agencies perform additional functions to serve their clients. Travel insurance protects travelers against the person as well as baggage losses resulting from a wide range of travel-related happenings and problems.

Currency Services

Approved travel agency authorized by Govt. body provides currency exchange services to tourists.

Organization of Conference/Conventions

Large-scale travel agencies offer a complete convention/conference package which includes registration of the participants at the venue to be picked up for dropped to the airport/hotel, overhead projectors, slide projectors, TV, VCR, information counter, sightseeing, etc.

Travel Agency Linkages and Integration

Basically, a travel agency serves two types of clients: business travelers and leisure travelers. Incidentally, the requirements of these tourists are different and an agency has to assemble or purchase-related components from the principal suppliers to cater to their needs.

Essentially, travel agencies maintain close ties with Airlines, hotels, car rentals, banks, insurance companies, railways, government, trade associations, foreign tour operators and travel agents, ground operators, cruise companies, and tourism educational institutes.

Best Travel Agencies

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Working with a reputable travel agent takes the stress out of travel. Use our guide to research the best travel agency for you. Travel agencies handle transfers between multiple destinations, event planning services, group travel arrangements and more. Many agencies are starting to market themselves in new ways, often by catering to niche markets.

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How to find a travel agency

Accreditation.

Travel agencies aren't required to obtain licensing or certification, though recognized organizations accredit and certify members. Travelers can confirm a travel agency's accreditation by looking for the accrediting body's logo on a travel agency's website or brochure.

  • ASTA accreditation: ASTA (American Society of Travel Advisors) accreditation assures clients that the agency operates under ASTA's code of ethics and will communicate with clients about unexpected changes to travel plans.
  • IATA accreditation: IATA (International Air Transport Association) accreditation provides agencies with a Sales Agency Agreement and a TIDS number that authorizes sales of international and domestic airline tickets.
  • Unaccredited agencies: If considering an unaccredited travel agency, take into account that their lack of accreditation could mean they are inexperienced or have had service problems that caused a loss of accreditation.

Credentials

Credentials are similar to accreditation, though on an individual level. Some travel agents obtain certification through The Travel Institute, which confirms the agent's interpersonal skills and destination knowledge. These types of certifications ensure that travelers are working with an agent that has the necessary experience to anticipate travel issues and provide solutions.

  • Certified travel associate (CTA): A CTA is a professional who has a minimum of 18 months in the travel industry and has passed courses to enhance skills and service.
  • Certified travel counselor (CTC): A CTC has the skills of a CTA, advanced industry training and five years of industry experience.
  • Certified travel industry executive (CTIE): A CTIE is a travel industry professional who has management training within the travel agency.

Travel agencies charge fees for services provided to clients to account for time spent researching and booking travel arrangements. Keep in mind that a travel agent’s inside knowledge of travel-related discounts may make booking through an agency less expensive than self-booking over the internet.

  • Airline ticket procurement fee: Travel agencies charge an airline ticket procurement fee for purchasing tickets on behalf of the traveler.
  • Travel agency service fees: Other common travel agency fees include fees for booking hotels and rental cars and for time spent researching trips.
  • Itemization of costs and fees: While there is no law requiring travel agencies to provide an itemized breakdown of costs and fees, you can request this information to ensure fees are reasonable.

International travel planning

Planning a trip to another country is typically more complex than planning a domestic trip due to extra paperwork and the need to know details about the destination country. A trusted global travel agency can help manage details and paperwork on your behalf.

  • Destination-specific research or specialization: Some agents with certification from The Travel Institute are trained in region-specific bookings while others charge for time spent researching destinations.
  • Hotel and flight packages: Using a global travel agency to book international hotel and flight packages can cut costs even after agency fees are added. To check for savings, compare online price listings to prices provided by the agency.
  • Visa and passport requirements: Having visas and passports in order is vital when traveling to other countries, so confirm which documents are needed with the agency early in the trip-planning process.

Group travel planning

Planning a trip for a group can be challenging because some facilities cannot accommodate groups. Travel agencies find suitable venues and transportation for the entire group. A global travel agency can help you with international group vacations.

  • Large-group discounts: Travel agencies have access to discounts based on established relationships with hotels and airline companies to secure a great price for group bookings.
  • Transportation: A large group is not going to fit in a standard rental car. Confirm the travel agency is able to book a van or several cars to meet the group's transportation needs.
  • Itinerary details for the group: In addition to sleeping arrangements and transportation, eating out and visiting tourist attractions can be problematic for a group. Ask the travel agency to arrange the fine points of the group's trip in addition to handling the larger details.

Land and sea planning

Planning a vacation involves more than selecting a country and booking hotel and airfare. Hiring a travel agency can help make sure travelers enjoy every stop in their itinerary.

  • Add a cruise: Talk to your travel agency about adding some sea travel to any vacation. Different onboard accommodations and ports of call allow travelers to extend the reach of their trips.
  • Seamless transfers: Making the transfer from onshore accommodations to a cruise ship can eat up almost an entire day, but a travel agent takes care of the hassle by arranging travel to the port at the right time.
  • Planning excursions: Ask the travel agent to arrange desired shore excursions at the ship's ports of call that enrich other planned itinerary stops.

Types of travel agencies

Commercial travel agencies.

Commercial travel agencies cater to business travelers. These agencies specialize in tracking down deals for business travelers to help companies manage travel costs.

Online travel agencies

Travel agencies that exist only in cyberspace provide clients with the convenience of online booking and discounts that are available only to professional travel agencies. Some agencies offer both online booking and walk-in service for clients.

Niche travel agencies

Niche travel agencies provide clients with specialized knowledge of a region. This enhances the travel experience for clients by ensuring paperwork is in order and providing specific, often first-hand, knowledge of the area tourists are visiting.

Membership associations

Memberships associations give travelers access to the organization's travel planning services for the cost of an annual membership rather than charging per transaction. This type of agency offers the most benefit to frequent travelers.

Who uses travel agencies?

International travelers.

International travelers can cut the stress of planning trips to other countries when a global travel agency manages the details. This includes making sure each traveler has the proper paperwork and booking suitable travel accommodations.

Business travelers

Business travelers can take advantage of savings associated with discounts available only to travel agents. Some travel agencies also handle the detailed expense report paperwork required by the accounting departments of most companies.

Group travelers

Group travelers can save time when looking for accommodations that have room for the entire group by using a travel agency. Group bookings through an agent can also save you money.

Travel bargain seekers

Travel bargain seekers can discuss their travel budget with a travel agent. This is a way to determine what discounts and money-saving packages a travel agency can arrange.

Travel agencies FAQ

Most travel agencies don’t charge customers, meaning the only price you pay is the cost of your trip. Agents are typically paid commissions by the hotels or airlines. Some travel agents may charge service fees from $100 to $500, but that money is usually applied toward the cost of your trip if you complete travel arrangements through the agency.

To know if a travel agency is legit:

  • Review the agency’s website for a physical address and phone number.
  • Check for industry certifications and associations with professional organizations like the American Society of Travel Advisors.
  • Read reviews to learn about client experiences. Ask for a list of references.
  • Make sure the agent accepts credit cards.
  • Compare pricing to make sure cost isn’t too high or too low.

No, it’s generally free to use a travel agent. A travel agency may charge a service fee or a booking fee, but it’s common for this fee to apply toward the cost of your trip.

The four main types of travel agencies are:

  • Commercial travel agencies , which cater mainly to business travelers
  • Online travel agencies that help people plan their trips entirely online
  • Niche travel agencies , which specialize in arranging trips to specific areas
  • Membership associations that provide travel services as a benefit to members

Using a travel agent is a more personalized experience than booking online — and sometimes cheaper. Travel agents are experts who can find the best deals on flights , cruises, hotels and activities. Agents are often available 24/7 in case of problems. And there’s usually no extra cost to use one.

Yes, a travel agent can save you money, especially if you’re traveling internationally to unfamiliar territory or if you’re organizing a trip for a big group. In addition to finding you the best deal, a travel agent saves you time planning and researching — often at no cost for services.

Travel agencies:

  • Find the best deals on flights, hotels, cruises and activities for individuals, families, businesses and groups
  • Give clients personalized attention and advice for trip planning
  • Offer trip insurance
  • Save you time and stress
  • Are available 24/7 in case of a problem and advocate on your behalf

No, you don’t need to tip a travel agent. A great way to show appreciation is to refer friends, family members and co-workers. Some people choose to write a thank-you note and/or give a small gift.

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Travel agency reviews

HotelPlanner.com

HotelPlanner uses online technology to connect customers with hotel group sales managers. Founded in 2003, HotelPlanner offers group travel services in more than twenty languages and partners with more than 50,000 hotels worldwide.

  • Guaranteed lowest group rates : For consumers booking 10 or more rooms per night, HotelPlanner matches or beats the prices offered elsewhere.
  • Free room for the planner : The group's coordinator, the person who set up the hotel block, is provided with a free room when booking more than the minimum number of required rooms for the block.
  • Local experts : A local expert is assigned to each group to provide advice about navigating the city and enjoying activities.
  • Easy bid requests : The electronic room-booking process for groups is quick and easy to navigate. Travelers fill in the form and wait for hotels to bid on their travel, cutting out hours spent on the phone and putting negotiating power in the hands of the traveler.
  • Hotels bid on clients : HotelPlanner provides clients with the option to have hotels bid for the client's business, ensuring the best rates and packages.

Tours4Fun

Tours4fun is a full-service travel agency, offering both brick-and-mortar and online customer service options.

Royal Holiday

Royal Holiday Vacation Club offers memberships that let you travel to nearly 200 destinations in over 50 countries. It has over 100,000 members and has been in business since 1983. Royal Holiday Vacation Club is a subsidiary of Park Royal Hotels and Resorts.

Global Work & Travel

The Global Work & Travel Co. is an Australia-based youth travel organization that specializes in travel for people ages 18 to 30. With offices in the United Kingdom and Canada and over 1,200 travel partner organizations, you will get help with planning and logistics at every step of your journey.

Vantage Deluxe World Travel

Vantage Deluxe World Travel was established in 1983 when it started offering affordable deluxe travel to select groups, like teachers unions and alumni associations. Since then, the company has escorted almost half a million travelers all around the world.

Global Vacation Network

Global Vacation Network is a membership association that provides condominium packages and advice for saving on other travel-related details, such as airfare.

smarTours

The smarTours company has been in business since 1996, offering low-cost group vacation tours to exotic worldwide locales. To date, more than 150,000 satisfied travelers have used smarTours to book their holiday.

Liberty Travel

Liberty Travel is a traditional brick-and-mortar travel agency with a presence in several major cities in New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia, New England, Illinois, California and Florida.

Fox World Travel

Fox World Travel has 11 regional vacation travel agencies in Wisconsin and has agents who set up trips for corporate travelers all over the United States.

  • Find a way : Agents are trained to find a way to put client requests first, even if the requests are challenging.
  • Group travel : Traveling in groups is made easy with trips designed for wedding parties, schools, media events, and a range of customizable options.
  • Business travel division : The business travel division specializes in meeting the unique needs of business travel like meeting planning services, attendee management, online event booking and more.
  • Travel tools available : Travel tools that simplify traveling, such as currency converters and a flight tracker are provided online for clients to use.
  • Online booking : Vacation packages can be viewed and booked online through the company website.

Zicasso

Zicasso partners with multiple travel agencies that specialize in specific styles of trips or destinations and puts agencies together with travelers. Founded in 2006, by two world travelers, Zicasso serves the luxury travel market from its headquarters in Mountain View, California.

Trafalgar

Trafalgar offers guided tours of popular vacation destinations, such as Europe, North America, South America and Asia, in larger groups of up to 52. Trafalgar also partners with the TreadRight Foundation to support underprivileged communities and work toward sustainable tourism practices.

  • Authentic experiences : The guides that are assisting travelers live and work in the communities being toured.
  • Travel options : All Trafalgar tours are guided tours, but there are numerous options to choose from. Travelers can decide on a family vacation, country explorations, special interest tours and more.
  • Keep options open : Flexibility is built into the travel itinerary for exploring destinations with several nights of free exploration on every tour. This allows travelers to revisit favorite sites or explore areas not covered by the tour group.
  • VIP treatment : Trafalgar trips provide exclusive access to sights so travelers avoid waiting in lines.
  • Friendly experience : Local guides greet clients and treat them as friends, providing comfort and a sense of welcome in a strange land.

Audley Travel

Audley Travel has offered custom-made trips based on client input since opening their doors in 1996. With more than 75 destinations and travel types that range from luxury to road trip, vacationers can create and enjoy their own ideal holiday away.

  • Preplanning assistance : Clients can browse the website or discuss interests with a travel planner to get destination ideas.
  • Detailed planning : A specialist helps plan each detail of the trip until the client is satisfied and approves the itinerary.
  • Pretrip preparation assistance : The assigned specialist is available for questions and reviews the client's itinerary four days before departure.
  • Midtrip support : Clients are provided with a number to call that is manned 24/7 if assistance is needed.
  • Multiple destinations : Trips to over 75 worldwide locations are offered by Audley Travel.

Information in this guide is general in nature and is intended for informational purposes only; it is not legal, health, investment or tax advice. ConsumerAffairs.com makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from its use.

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  • Travel, Tourism & Hospitality

Travel agency industry - statistics & facts

Leading travel agencies worldwide, is the travel agency industry recovering from the impact of covid-19, key insights.

Detailed statistics

Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030

U.S. travel agency industry market size 2012-2022

U.S. tour operator industry market size 2012-2022

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Current statistics on this topic.

Tour Operators & Travel Agencies

Market size of the travel agency services industry worldwide 2011-2024

Online Travel Market

Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2022

Related topics

Recommended.

  • Online travel market
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  • Travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK)
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Industry overview.

  • Premium Statistic Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2010-2023
  • Premium Statistic Online travel market size worldwide 2020-2030
  • Premium Statistic Key information on the global travel agency industry January 2024
  • Basic Statistic Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA
  • Premium Statistic Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR
  • Premium Statistic Leading travel companies worldwide 2022, by sales
  • Premium Statistic Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide 2010-2023

Market size of the tourism sector worldwide from 2010 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Online travel market size worldwide from 2020 to 2022, with a forecast for 2023 and 2030 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Key information on the global travel agency industry January 2024

Key data on the travel agency industry worldwide as of January 2024

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide 2023

Market cap of leading online travel companies worldwide as of September 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2022-2023, by EV/EBITDA

Enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) of selected leading online travel companies worldwide in 2022, with a forecast for 2023

Leading online travel companies worldwide 2020-2022, by revenue CAGR

Revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of leading online travel companies worldwide from 2020 to 2022

Leading travel companies worldwide 2022, by sales

Leading travel companies worldwide in 2022, by gross sales (in billion U.S. dollars)

Number of employees at leading travel companies worldwide 2022

Number of employees at selected leading travel companies worldwide in 2022

Online travel agencies (OTAs)

  • Premium Statistic Revenue of leading OTAs worldwide 2019-2022
  • Basic Statistic Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023
  • Premium Statistic Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023
  • Premium Statistic Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2012-2022
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023
  • Premium Statistic Despegar: revenue 2015-2022

Leading online travel agencies (OTAs) worldwide from 2019 to 2022, by revenue (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Booking Holdings worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide 2007-2023

Revenue of Expedia Group, Inc. worldwide from 2007 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Airbnb revenue worldwide 2017-2023

Revenue of Airbnb worldwide from 2017 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Total revenue of Trip.com Group 2012-2022

Total revenue of Trip.com Group Ltd. in China from 2012 to 2022 (in billion yuan)

Revenue of Tripadvisor worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Tripadvisor, Inc. worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in million U.S. dollars)

Despegar: revenue 2015-2022

Revenue of Despegar.com, Corp. from 2015 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Travel websites and apps

  • Premium Statistic Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024
  • Premium Statistic Total visits to travel and tourism website booking.com worldwide 2021-2024
  • Premium Statistic Total visits to travel and tourism website tripadvisor.com worldwide 2020-2024
  • Premium Statistic ACSI - U.S. customer satisfaction with online travel websites as of 2023
  • Premium Statistic Most downloaded travel apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads
  • Premium Statistic Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most popular travel and tourism websites worldwide 2024

Most visited travel and tourism websites worldwide as of January 2024 (in million visits)

Total visits to travel and tourism website booking.com worldwide 2021-2024

Estimated total number of visits to the travel and tourism website booking.com worldwide from December 2021 to January 2024 (in millions)

Total visits to travel and tourism website tripadvisor.com worldwide 2020-2024

Estimated total number of visits to the travel and tourism website tripadvisor.com worldwide from August 2020 to January 2024 (in millions)

ACSI - U.S. customer satisfaction with online travel websites as of 2023

U.S. customer satisfaction with online travel websites from 2000 to 2023 (index score)

Most downloaded travel apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most downloaded travel apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide 2022, by aggregated downloads

Most downloaded online travel agency apps worldwide in 2022, by aggregated number of downloads (in millions)

Travel agencies and tour operators

  • Premium Statistic U.S. travel agency industry market size 2012-2022
  • Premium Statistic U.S. tour operator industry market size 2012-2022
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of TUI AG worldwide 2004-2023
  • Premium Statistic Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024
  • Premium Statistic Leading ATOL-licensed tour operators in the UK 2024, by passengers licensed
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2022

Market size of the travel agency sector in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Market size of the tour operator sector in the United States from 2012 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of TUI AG worldwide 2004-2023

Revenue of TUI AG worldwide from 2004 to 2023 (in billion euros)

Leading travel agents ranked by number of outlets in the UK 2024

Leading travel agencies in the United Kingdom (UK) as of February 2024, by number of travel shops

Leading ATOL-licensed tour operators in the UK 2024, by passengers licensed

Leading ATOL-licensed tour operators in the United Kingdom as of February 2024, ranked by number of passengers licensed

Revenue of Hays Travel Limited in the UK 2008-2022

Revenue of Hays Travel Limited in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2008 to 2022 (in million GBP)

Cruise companies

  • Premium Statistic Worldwide cruise company market share 2022
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 1988-2023
  • Premium Statistic TUI cruise brand revenue worldwide 2015-2023, by brand
  • Premium Statistic Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023
  • Premium Statistic COVID-19 impact on revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide 2020-2022

Worldwide cruise company market share 2022

Worldwide market share of leading cruise companies in 2022

Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide 2008-2023

Revenue of Carnival Corporation & plc worldwide from 2008 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises worldwide 1988-2023

Revenue of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. worldwide from 1988 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

TUI cruise brand revenue worldwide 2015-2023, by brand

Revenue of TUI cruise brands worldwide from 2015 to 2023, by brand (in million euros)

Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line worldwide 2011-2023

Revenue of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. worldwide from 2011 to 2023 (in billion U.S. dollars)

COVID-19 impact on revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide 2020-2022

Percentage change in revenue of leading cruise companies worldwide during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic from 2020 to 2022

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Is a travel agent worth it the pros and cons.

Travel experts agree there are several advantages to hiring a vacation planner.

The Pros & Cons of Using a Travel Agent

Married couple with baby son in modern travel agency talking to a travel agent.

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A travel agent can save you money and time.

Need to pivot your trip plans but don't want to deal with the extra time, money and hassle of rebooking flights and accommodations on your own? That's just one area where a knowledgeable travel agent (also commonly known as a travel advisor) can help. Read on to discover the other benefits – as well as the downsides – of using a travel agent, so you can confidently decide whether or not a travel agent is worth it for your next trip.

The Pros of Using a Travel Agent

Travel agents can save you money – and get you other perks.

"In some cases, you'll actually get a better  deal by working with a travel agent," says Jackie Steele, travel expert at MagicGuides . "This could be in the form of a cruise onboard credit (free spending money to use on the ship), access to special agency/group rates, or even just learning about a discount you qualify for but weren't aware of." The best agents will even keep an eye on new discounts as they're announced and apply them to your trip even after you've booked, he notes.

Travel agents handle all the details

Hotel room? Booked. Dinner reservations? Made. Tour tickets? Ready to go. A travel agent handles every detail of your vacation itinerary. "The traveler still gets to be involved in the fun part of dreaming up ideas and providing their travel wishes, while we take and perfect them," says Jessica Parker, founder of Trip Whisperer .

Molly McShea, owner and travel advisor at McShea Travel , points out that travel agents can also help with timing logistics. "Travel agents know how many days should be spent in each destination, which tours go together, and how many things you should do in a day," she says, adding that crafting an itinerary can be challenging if it's not something you regularly do. Additionally, travel agents can help you choose the best time to visit your preferred destination(s) based on seasonality and your budget, and sift through travel insurance policies to find the best option for your needs.

Travel agents can provide local expertise

"A travel advisor's industry connections and relationships provide added value to their clients," says Valerie Edman, a luxury travel advisor and agency owner at Cultured Travel LLC. She says when working with a travel agent, travelers gain access to a global network of connections including:

  • In-destination specialists who work exclusively with travel advisors and can connect travelers with unique, off-the-beaten-path experiences they wouldn't otherwise know about
  • Exclusive experiences not available to the general public

You'll avoid surprise fees

When deciding if a travel agent is worth it for you, remember this: A reputable agent can guarantee you won't encounter any surprise fees on accommodations and activities once your trip is booked.

You'll have someone to troubleshoot unexpected travel issues

A travel advisor is essentially your personal vacation concierge. "Because they've been around for so long, agents really know what to look for," says Christopher Elliott , a consumer advocate and journalist. "Travel agents are among the first to know about flight cancellations and delays , making it easy for them to rebook itineraries right away." 

The Cons of Using a Travel Agent

It might not be your cheapest option.

There are some instances when it makes more sense to plan your own trip. "If you're planning a quick flight from New York City to Los Angeles, it's easy enough to book it yourself online directly or through a third-party booking site," says Elliott. "If you're planning a once-in-a-lifetime trip or bucket list honeymoon , that's when you call the experts."

You'll have less flexibility in your itinerary

The upside of working with a travel agent is having someone plan an epic vacation for you based on industry knowledge and local expertise. But this can also be a downside in the event you discover an activity you'd like to do or a restaurant you'd like to try that isn't on your pre-planned itinerary. If you alter your plans, you risk losing money; plus, the time it takes for you and your travel agent to coordinate your change of plans may not be worth the hassle.

You still have to do some research

It's important to find an agent you can trust, which means you still have to do some of the vacation planning. For this part, Parker recommends picking up the phone. "Lots of people avoid or don't pick up the phone as much anymore," she says. "That's where you get the high-touch service, tone of voice, excitement or concerns to manage." She advises to look for the following red flags:

  • No fees: " Travel advisors are charging planning fees more now or increasing them, so the client knows more confidently than ever, we work for them, not the suppliers with the best commissions," Parker explains. "There are a lot of things that are non-commissionable and the advisor's time and expertise shouldn't be given away for free, either. That's the best way to show an advisor takes their business seriously."
  • Limited options: If you work with someone who is inexperienced or has an incentive to book you with a certain supplier, they may not be prioritizing your best interests. "It's important to check if they are with a larger consortia, accreditations and network, typically listed on their website and signatures," says Parker. "That level of mindshare doesn't come with a lone advisor unless they have many, many years of experience."
  • Slow response times: If communication is delayed, that's a sign they may be too busy to plan your trip – but again, this is something you can avoid by having the right conversations early on.

Edman suggestes starting your search with the American Society of Travel Advisors . "ASTA-verified travel advisors are committed to the highest industry standards and have verifiable industry knowledge so consumers can feel confident in working with them," she says.

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Tourism Teacher

What does a travel agency do?

Disclaimer: Some posts on Tourism Teacher may contain affiliate links. If you appreciate this content, you can show your support by making a purchase through these links or by buying me a coffee . Thank you for your support!

What does a travel agency do? You will almost definitely have heard of travel agencies if you have ever booked a holiday or have an interest in the tourism industry. But what exactly is a travel agency, and what do they do?

What is a travel agency?

Independent travel agents, online travel agencies , visitor information centres, other types of travel agency, what can a travel agency book, big names in the travel agency industry, travel agency business model, a brief timeline of travel agencies, further reading.

A travel agency is essentially the ‘middle man’ between travel companies and the general public i.e consumers. They book all sorts of travel-related experiences for customers on behalf of larger companies.

The main aim of a travel agency is to make the booking process simpler for the public, who might lack the time or confidence to book trips themselves.

Types of travel agencies

So what does a travel agency do? It mostly depends on what type of travel agency you’re looking at. This can be broken down into the following types…

Jobs in travel and tourism

An independent travel agent is the type you’ll see on Instagram or with their own Facebook pages, their feeds full of snaps from Amsterdam, Bali , or New York City. They tend to partner with a ‘host agency’, who will take a portion of the agents’ commission themselves in exchange for letting them use the company software and access their commission. Travel agents are also able to recruit other people, and in turn get a cut of their commission too. In this way, independent travel agencies tend to be a type of multi-level marketing scheme.

Online travel agencies are much more consumer-focused. They allow individual customers to book their own travel, but as a package or with the added protection from ATOL and ABTA. They act as a broker, allowing you to input your dates, desired destination(s), what board basis you wish to travel and so on. The site then pulls together a package deal, allowing you to book everything in one go with access to booking details so you can make amendments and keep up to date with any changes.

While these don’t offer flights and hotels generally, visitor or tourist information centres are found within cities or tourist destinations. They provide advice, maps, discounts and booking services for tours and excursions such as open top bus tours. These are usually run by local or national governments, or specific tourist boards. They are great for recommendations when travelling somewhere new!

Hotel concierge services work in this same way, often getting commission for booking trips for guests.

I won’t go into too much detail here, but there are other types of travel agencies too. You can learn more in this post about the different types of travel agents .

Overall, what does a travel agency do?

A travel agency does a multitude of things. During non-peak times, they will mostly spend their days researching new or upcoming tourist destinations and what makes them so great, advertising them as somewhere people can book future holidays to.

Travel agencies are also required to keep up to date with safety information for various destinations. They do plenty of research meaning they can tell customers about the best places to go, what they can do while they’re there, what documents they need and so on. This is particularly important now, as travel advice is ever-changing with regards to political conflicts and public health.

But during peak times and in the run-up to these times, travel agents will be busy actually booking trips. Nowadays they mostly do everything via the computer, using the internet to put holiday packages together which include at least the basics – flights and accommodation – for one price. However, they also call travel companies directly in order to get better deals or to see if there are rooms or seats available which might not be showing online for whatever reason. Because of this, travel agencies and agents tend to have great relationships with particular brands.

What does a travel agency do?

Travel agents can book much more than just flights and accommodation. Not all of them can book all of these experiences or features, but it is definitely worth asking if you are using a travel agency to book your next vacation.

  • Flights – short haul, long haul, & various classes
  • Accommodation – hotels, apartments, and villas
  • Airport transfers
  • Executive airport lounges
  • Airport parking
  • Cruises – river and ocean
  • Car rentals
  • Travel insurance
  • Excursions and tours
  • Taxi services
  • Currency exchange
  • Train tickets
  • Theme park & water park tickets e.g Disneyworld and Universal in Orlando, Florida

They will also advise on public transport services and timetables, as well as arranging for medical items to be delivered and any access requests you have.

Most travel agencies are actually online, and many of us use them regularly. There are still some in-store travel agencies, but with the impact of both modernisation and the Covid-19 pandemic the majority are online now. Below are some big names within the industry which you will likely recognise.

Expedia – founded by Microsoft in 2001

Cruise.com – specifically for booking cruises

American Express Travel – allows you to earn & use points when booking

Audley Travel – the largest operator in tailor-made travel

loveholidays – a British company founded in 2012

Lastminute.com – offering cheaper travel when you book last minute

Kiwi.com – specifically for booking air and ground transport

Booking Holdings – these are a travel technology company who own Booking.com, Cheapflights, OpenTable and more

Now we’ve looked at the question of ‘ what is a travel agency’, let’s take a look at the generic business model. Generally, travel agencies work in one of two ways. The first way is by receiving commission from the companies they book experiences with for customers. For example, if you were to use a travel agency to book your next holiday which included flights, a hotel stay and a transfer to and from the airport this is three separate components which will be booked through three different companies. The travel agency will receive commission from each of the three companies. There may be other benefits and incentives offered by the travel companies. Commission rates and these benefits mean that travel agencies are more likely to use some companies more so than others who might offer them less in exchange.

Alternatively, travel agencies will charge a fee for their services. This makes it more expensive for consumers to book trips through travel agents and agencies than it would to book themselves. However, as some people don’t feel confident booking themselves, many are happy to pay this additional cost. Holidays booked through travel agencies often come with the added benefit of being ATOL and ABTA protected.

  • Cox & Kings were the first travel agency, was established in 1758
  • Abreu Agency was the first public travel agency, was established in 1840
  • Thomas Cook , one of the most famous travel agencies, was founded in 1841
  • Brownwell Travel, the first travel agency in the US, was established in 1895
  • Nippon Travel Agency was the first travel agency in Japan, established in 1905
  • Intourist became the official state travel agency of the Soviet Union in 1929
  • The first travel agency in Australia which went on to become Helloworld Travel, was established in 1951
  • Henderson Travel Service became the first Black-owned travel agency, taking Black tourists to various African countries, in 1955
  • American Airlines’ Sabre unit created a direct-to=consumer booking tool for flights, hotels and cars in the early 1980s
  • Mode Tour became the first travel agency in South Korea, established in 1989
  • Hotel Reservations Network, which went on to become Hotels.com, was established in 1991 – at this point, hotels didn’t pay a lot of commission so it didn’t take off
  • Travelweb.com, the first online hotel directory, launched in 1994
  • The Internet Travel Network sold the first airline ticket online in 1995
  • Expedia launched in 1996, funded by Microsoft, and are now one of the biggest travel agencies 
  • In 2007, as the iPhone was released, more bookings were made online because mobile apps were now in use
  • Airbnb was established in 2008
  • HotelTonight, specifically for instant same-day hotel room bookings, was launched in 2011

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  • Travel Agents: Jobs, Career, Salary and Education Information

Travel Agents

Career, salary and education information.

What They Do : Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips.

Work Environment : Travel agents typically work in offices, but some work remotely because much of their time is spent on the phone and the computer. Most travel agents work for travel agencies.

How to Become One : A high school diploma typically is required for someone to become a travel agent. However, many employers prefer additional formal training as well. Good communication and computer skills are essential.

Salary : The median annual wage for travel agents is $43,810.

Job Outlook : Employment of travel agents is projected to grow 20 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Related Careers : Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of travel agents with similar occupations.

Following is everything you need to know about a career as a travel agent with lots of details. As a first step, take a look at some of the following jobs, which are real jobs with real employers. You will be able to see the very real job career requirements for employers who are actively hiring. The link will open in a new tab so that you can come back to this page to continue reading about the career:

Top 3 Travel Agent Jobs

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ADTRAV is seeking a Travel Agent - Leisure to utilize sales and customer service skills to attract and retain leisure clients and plan vacations and trips based on the client's needs. Essential ...

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What Travel Agents Do [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips. They offer advice on destinations, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients.

Duties of Travel Agents

Travel agents typically do the following:

  • Arrange travel for business and vacation customers
  • Determine customers' needs and preferences, such as schedules and costs
  • Plan and arrange tour packages, excursions, and day trips
  • Find fare and schedule information
  • Calculate total travel costs
  • Book reservations for travel, hotels, rental cars, and special events, such as tours and excursions
  • Describe trips to clients and give details on required documents, such as passports and visas
  • Give advice about local weather conditions, customs, and attractions
  • Make alternative booking arrangements if changes arise before or during the trip

Travel agents sort through vast amounts of information to find the best possible trip arrangements for travelers. In addition, resorts and specialty groups use travel agents to promote vacation packages to their clients.

Travel agents also may visit destinations to get firsthand experience so that they can make recommendations to clients or colleagues. They may visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants to evaluate the comfort, cleanliness, and quality of the establishment. However, most of their time is spent talking with clients, promoting tours, and contacting airlines and hotels to make travel accommodations. Travel agents use a reservation system called a Global Distribution System (GDS) to access travel information and make reservations with travel suppliers such as airlines or hotels.

The following are examples of types of travel agents:

Leisure travel agents sell vacation packages to the general public. They are responsible for arranging trip itineraries based on clients' interests and budget. Leisure travel agents increasingly are focusing on a specific type of travel, such as adventure tours. Some may cater to a specific group of people, such as senior citizens or single people.

Corporate travel agents primarily make travel arrangements for businesses. They book travel accommodations for an organization's employees who are traveling to conduct business or attend conferences.

Work Environment for Travel Agents [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

Travel agents hold about 46,200 jobs. The largest employers of travel agents are as follows:

Travel agents typically spend much of their day sitting, working on the phone and on the computer. Agents may face stress during travel emergencies or unanticipated schedule changes.

Travel Agent Work Schedules

Most travel agents work full time. Some work additional hours during peak travel times or when they must accommodate customers' schedule changes and last-minute needs.

How to Become a Travel Agent [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

Get the education you need: Find schools for Travel Agents near you!

A high school diploma typically is required for someone to become a travel agent. However, many employers prefer additional formal training. Good communication and computer skills are essential.

Education for Travel Agents

Employers generally require candidates to have at least a high school diploma, but may prefer those who have a college degree or who have taken classes related to the travel industry. Many community colleges, vocational schools, and industry associations offer technical training or continuing education classes in professional travel planning. Classes usually focus on reservations systems, marketing, and regulations regarding international travel. In addition, some colleges offer degrees in travel and tourism.

Travel Agent Training

Employers in the travel industry always give some on-the-job training on the computer systems that are used in the industry. For example, a travel agent could be trained to work with a reservation system used by several airlines.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations for Travel Agents

A good way to demonstrate competence for high school graduates with limited experience is to take the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) test. The test has no eligibility requirements and is administered by The Travel Institute.

The Travel Institute also provides training and professional certification opportunities for experienced travel agents. Different levels of certification are offered, depending on a travel agent's experience. Travel agents with limited experience can become a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) after completing a series of classes and exams. For those with at least 5 years of experience, the more highly advanced Certified Travel Counselor (CTC) certification can be achieved. Both the CTA and CTC require continuing education each year to maintain certification.

The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) offers four levels of certification: Certified (CCC), Accredited (ACC), Master (MCC), and Elite Cruise Counselor (ECC). Each level requires a certain amount of training and product knowledge.

Some states require agents to have a business license to sell travel services. Requirements among states vary greatly. Contact individual state licensing agencies for more information.

Other Experience for Travel Agents

Some agencies prefer travel agents with firsthand experience visiting a country. These agencies especially prefer travel agents who specialize in specific destinations or particular types of travelers, such as groups with a special interest or corporate travelers.

Important Qualities for Travel Agents

Adventurousness. Travel agencies that specialize in exotic destinations or particular types of travel, such as adventure travel or ecotourism, may prefer to hire travel agents who share these interests.

Communication skills. Travel agents must listen to customers, understand their travel needs, and offer appropriate travel advice and information.

Customer-service skills. When customers need to make last-minute changes in their travel arrangements, travel agents must be able to respond to questions and complaints in a friendly and professional manner.

Detail oriented . Travel agents must pay attention to details in order to ensure that the reservations they make match travelers' needs. They must make reservations at the correct dates, times, and locations to meet travelers' schedules.

Organizational skill s. Travel agents often work on itineraries for many customers at once. Keeping client information in order and ensuring that bills and receipts are processed in a timely manner is essential.

Sales skills . Travel agents must be able to persuade clients to buy transportation, lodging, or tours. Sometimes they might need to persuade tour operators, airline staff, or others to take care of their clients' special needs. Earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees.

Travel Agent Salaries [ About this section ] [ More salary/earnings info ] [ To Top ]

The median annual wage for travel agents is $43,810. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,220.

The median annual wages for travel agents in the top industries in which they work are as follows:

These wage data include money earned from commissions. Earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees.

Job Outlook for Travel Agents [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

Employment of travel agents is projected to grow 20 percent over the next ten years, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 7,500 openings for travel agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

Employment of Travel Agents

Much of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession that began in 2020 and is likely to occur early in the decade.

Demand is expected to increase for travel agents' specialized skills in giving clients a personalized travel experience through their recommendations, advice, and ability to handle travel issues. As people continue to resume travel, they are expected to look to travel agents for advice on popular or unique travel destinations and experiences.

However, the ability of travelers to use online resources to research vacations and book their own trips may limit demand for travel agents.

Careers Related to Travel Agents [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

Information clerks.

Information clerks perform routine clerical duties such as maintaining records, collecting data, and providing information to customers.

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

Meeting, convention, and event planners coordinate all aspects of events and professional meetings. They arrange meeting locations, transportation, and other details.

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants

Secretaries and administrative assistants perform routine clerical and administrative duties. They organize files, prepare documents, schedule appointments, and support other staff.

More Travel Agent Information [ About this section ] [ To Top ]

For more information about training opportunities, visit

American Society of Travel Agents

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

For more information about voluntary certification opportunities, visit

The Travel Institute

A portion of the information on this page is used by permission of the U.S. Department of Labor.

Explore more careers: View all Careers or the Top 30 Career Profiles

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Best Online Travel Agencies

Booking.com is our top choice for making your trip arrangements

Ligaya Malones is an editor, blogger, and freelance writer specializing in food and travel. Ligaya's work has appeared in publications including Lonely Planet and BRIDES.

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Planning a trip can be easier through an online travel agency than if you handle each aspect of the planning separately. You can book hotels, air travel, rental cars, and more through a single site, and booking everything together sometimes results in discounts. By inputting a destination, a range of dates, and other preferences, you will see a list of options for each aspect of travel.

The best online travel agencies offer options from the largest number of airlines, hotels, car rental agencies, and more. Look for sites that offer discounts for combining reservations for different aspects of your trip. For example, the best sites will have lower rates if you book both plane tickets and a hotel through their services. The best sites also provide reviews from customers who actually have booked through the service. These are our top picks.

  • Best Overall: Booking.com
  • Best Budget: Skyscanner
  • Best Price Predictor: Hopper
  • Most Innovative: Kiwi.com
  • Best for Eco-Conscious: Kind Traveler
  • Best for Social Impact: I Like Local
  • Best for Design-Forward Homestays: Plum Guide
  • Our Top Picks
  • Booking.com

Kind Traveler

I Like Local

  • See More (4)

Final Verdict

Frequently asked questions, methodology, best overall : booking.com.

 Booking.com

This industry leader offers one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms on the Internet.

Lots of options to choose from

Interface is easy to use

Numerous filters to customize your search

Tricky to tell whether changes/cancellations can be made with Booking.com or the vendor directly

Booking.com was founded in 1996 and has grown into an industry leader that stands out for being one of the most comprehensive trip planning platforms out there. From one website, you can compare and book accommodations, flights (including one-way and multi-city flights), sightseeing activities, and even airport taxis. The website lists more than 28 million accommodation options, from hotels, hostels, and B&Bs to vacation homes and luxury resorts—you can browse more choices per destination on Booking.com than other online travel agencies. The website also performs well on cost and typically returns lower-than-average prices for flights and hotels. 

Booking.com's interface is also easy to use. On the home page, search for a hotel by entering your chosen destination and dates. Then, use the extensive list of filters—such as price range and distance from the city center—to narrow the results down and find the best fit. You can also search for a specific hotel, or seek inspiration by clicking through options grouped by destination or property type or by topic such as the country’s best Michelin-starred hotel restaurants or the top cities for vegan travelers. The flights, car rental, and other tabs are just as intuitive. 

Best Budget : Skyscanner

 Skyscanner

You can compare prices across airlines, hotels, and car rentals.

Simple interface

Option to toggle searches between specific dates or by monthly calendars

Search Everywhere button is great for spontaneous planners

Extra clicks are required to make a final purchase

Must read fine print for changes/cancellations—may need to deal directly with the vendor

Ads on the sidebar can be distracting

Find deals on airfare, hotels, and car rentals with an aggregator site like Skyscanner , which uses a metasearch engine to compare prices from all online travel agencies and the airline, hotel, or car rental company in question. Run searches with fixed dates, opt to compare airfare prices month to month, or click “Cheapest Month.” Searches also include options for nearby airports or non-stop flights only. With hotel searches, you can choose to select only from properties with free cancellation, a cleanliness rating of 4.5/5 or higher, or 3- or 4-starred hotels only. Car rental searches include an option to select “return car to different location.”

Once you’ve found the best rate, click on the link to be redirected to the third-party site to make your booking. Feeling spontaneous? The Search Everywhere button on the homepage offers a list of the cheapest flight deals for destinations both locally and across the world—just plug in your departure airport first.

Best Price Predictor : Hopper

The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting when flights and hotel rates will be cheapest.

Color-coded system makes it easy to determine cheapest days to buy

App is easy to use

Option to track flights and receive alerts when the best time to buy arises

Some have mentioned the app functions better as a research tool than a booking tool

Unclear whether Hopper will price match if you find a cheaper flight elsewhere

Hopper is a travel app available on iOS and Android that aims to help travelers save on airfare by usng historical data and their own algorithm to predict when flights will be cheapest. Just type in where and when you’d like to fly and Hopper will present you with a color-coded pricing calendar indicating how much tickets are likely to cost. (Green is the least expensive, then yellow, orange, and red for most expensive.) Hopper will also recommend you either buy now or wait, or you can choose to watch a trip and receive notifications on the best time to buy. In addition, the app has expanded to offer hotel and car rental price predictions, too.

Some newer features since the app’s inception in 2009 include an option to freeze a price for a limited time—for an extra fee—as well as exclusive app-only discounts. Hopper is free to download, and you can choose to book directly through the app, though some users mentioned they use Hopper as more of a research tool before booking directly with the airline or hotel. The company claims a 95 percent accuracy rate at predicting flight rates up to a year ahead.

Most Innovative : Kiwi.com

This metasearch engine scours the web to piece together the ideal itinerary using planes, trains, buses, and more.

Creative itineraries get you where you need to go, especially if you’ve got a multi-stop trip

Kiwi Guarantee offers rebooking or cancellation protections

Nomad option appeals to travelers with a lot of flexibility

Creative itineraries mean you may not fly out of the same airport you flew into

Kiwi Guarantee has an additional fee

Charges all-in-one fee for booking flights, trains, buses (though you can always purchase a la carte)

Travelers planning multi-city destinations and seeking a bargain, as well as those looking to take planes, trains, and automobiles to get there, might consider Kiwi . Kiwi is a metasearch engine that scours and pieces together itineraries from various airlines (even if they don’t have a codeshare agreement), considers multiple airports (even if your arrival airport is different from departure), and offers booking options, whether you’re looking at very specific dates or more general ones (up to 60 nights).

Some will find the ability to make multiple bookings for a particular trip more convenient than going at it manually several different times, though note that you must opt into the Kiwi Guarantee program to access rebooking and refund protections should your reservation change or be canceled. Kiwi’s Nomad option allows you to plug in a bunch of destinations you’d like to visit and the length of your intended stay, and the website will churn out the most affordable itineraries for review.

Best for Eco-Conscious : Kind Traveler

A give-and-get business model means booking accommodations with exclusive perks, a donation to environmental organizations, and more.

All participating hotels include a local give-back component

Exclusive savings and perks

Participating hotels are located in some of the most beautiful places in the world

Inventory is much smaller compared to other booking platforms

Some of the amenities mentioned are based on availability only

In 2022, Kind Traveler (an online trave agency focused on hotel bookings) announced an increase in environmentally and socially conscious hotels, charity donations, voluntourism opportunities, and additional perks like waived resort fees or a welcome amenity.

Unlock exclusive hotel rates and perks from participating Kind Traveler hotels with a minimum $10/night minimum donation to a local charity. For example, stay at the Six Senses Laamu in the Maldives and receive up to $33 off the nightly rate and perks such as a food and beverage credit and an Earth Lab or Alchemy Bar workshop when you make a donation to Manta Trust. The organization funds coastal research to protect the island nation’s large yet fragile population of reef mantas.

Select from more than 140 participating hotels from the Hawaiian Islands to Bozeman, Montana, and the Maldives. Charities include wildlife, human rights, arts, education, and environmental preservation organizations.

Best for Social Impact : I Like Local

Choose from a host of travel experiences with the peace of mind that 100 percent of the cost goes directly to local partners.

Social impact mission woven into organization’s business model

Immersive experiences led by local guides

Range of experiences offered

May not be best fit for those seeking upscale, luxury experiences and stays

Can’t sort experiences by a list of countries (though an interactive map is available)

No experiences outside of Africa and Asia

For an online travel agency with a booking platform designed to route dollars spent directly to the communities travelers intend to visit, consider I Like Local . Visit the website to browse a host of travel experiences in countries including Indonesia, Kenya, and Cambodia. Experiences include homestays and farmstays as well as wellness and culturally oriented experiences—from cooking and cycling tours to weaving classes.

To search for an experience, select from drop-down items like travel dates and experience categories, or view a global map and click on a country to view experiences that way.

The platform got its start in 2014 and has grown to 4,000 local hosts across nearly 20 countries. As a social impact organization, 100 percent of each booking fee goes to local hosts. To date, 16,000 travelers have booked with I Like Local.

Best for Design-Forward Homestays : Plum Guide

Browse and book seriously vetted, design-forward vacation homes.

Highly curated inventory of vacation rentals across the world

Design-forward

Thorough vetting process

Does not publish guest reviews

Other platforms have homes available across more destinations

When it comes to booking a vacation home, serviced apartment, or condo, travelers are spoiled for choice. Plum Guide is an online travel agency that specializes in accommodations—though not just any home makes its directory. The company claims that each potential home listed on its site must jump through 150 hoops to be included, from internet speed and mattress and pillow quality to the showers’ water pressure and the home’s proximity to dining, shopping, and attractions.

Search by a featured collection on the website such as “ pet-friendly homes ” or “one-of-a-kind homes in Palm Springs.” Scroll to the bottom of its homepage to view its top destinations, as well as a list of all destinations where Plum Guide homes are available, including Barbados, Mexico, Portugal, Switzerland, the U.S., and Turkey. Note: From the top right-hand corner of the site, use the dropdown menu to select currency of choice.

As long as you know what you value most out of your travel experience—such as affordability, social impact, or luxe accommodations—there’s an online travel agency to help plan your next trip. Be sure to read the fine print, as some agencies are third-party websites and not direct vendors. If you're not sure where to start, Booking.com is your best bet for a smooth user experience and hard-to-beat offers on flights, hotels, and other travel arrangements.

What Is the Biggest Travel Agency?

Our choice for best overall, Booking.com, is known as an industry leader with listings for all major hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and more. It boasts more choices for accommodations per destination than any other site, and we found its interface to be user-friendly.

Are Online Travel Agencies Worth It?

This depends on your needs and priorities. The best online travel agencies certainly can save time by booking everything all at once. However, if you're someone who is good at haggling and enjoys the details of planning a trip, you might be able to find better deals by reaching out to hotels or other destinations and speaking to someone personally.

Is It Cheaper to Book Online Than With a Travel Agent?

Not always. A travel agent you know and trust should have the experience and connections to find deals that can match or surpass what you'll find online. Additionally, if something goes wrong, travel agents provide you with an actual person you can use as an advocate to correct the problem . But if you don't have access to a good travel agent, online sites still provide plenty of ways to streamline planning and save money .

We considered dozens of online travel agencies and narrowed down the options based on user experience, volume and quality of inventory, unique offerings and specials, and customer reviews. We also assessed travel companies’ environmentally and socially conscious policies.

Catherine Falls Commercial / Getty Images

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Everything You Need to Know About Becoming a Travel Agent

Here's what you should know before becoming a travel agent.

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If you're someone who spends your days scanning flights , loves hotel rewards points, and in general, is a fervent traveler, you've probably wondered how to become a travel agent.

And, while it's true that living in the age of Expedia means travel agents are not as vital as they once were, people use them a lot more than you might think. Just because travelers aren't calling up an agent every time they need to book a quick flight doesn't mean they don't want to consult an expert for a big trip. This holds especially true when it comes to honeymoons or experiential trips that have a lot of moving parts — coordinating tour companies , translators, or multiple resort stays, for example. It's often easier to leave the logistics to someone else: travel agents.

You don't need a specific employment background to become a travel agent, so if you're looking for a fresh career start, that's totally OK. You have to start somewhere on your path to becoming a travel agent, and the sooner you jump in, the sooner you'll build your client base. On the other hand, if you're hoping to parlay your experience in a semi-related industry, be it marketing or hospitality, that can help because you'll have even more context for your new gig. Either way, this can be a rewarding career path (with some fun perks), so here's what you need to know to become a travel agent.

Formal Training Needed to Become a Travel Agent

While some four-year colleges, community colleges, and trade schools offer tourism certifications, it is not a requirement for those trying to become travel agents. Certificates of tourism can be very helpful, but so can previous training in marketing, hospitality, or even event planning. Ultimately, your knowledge of destinations, sales, itinerary planning, and booking software will be crucial for your career as a travel agent.

In terms of the training time you need to put in before becoming a fully-fledged travel agent, it depends. You could start your career right after high school, or you could put in one to four years to earn a certificate, associate's, or bachelor's degree in tourism. Of course, you could also change course from a related job, and morph your experience as, say, a destination wedding planner into a career as a travel agent.

Training Programs Available

You could take classes with a company like The Travel Institute to earn your certification. Not only will they teach you the basics of planning itineraries, but they'll also make sure you're learning about new cultures, world geography, and experiences you can have all over the world. They'll also help you decide what business route you want to take.

How to Become a Travel Agent: The Logistics

Becoming a travel agent will likely mean starting your own business . On the plus side, it requires relatively little overhead. If you're becoming a small business owner by opening a yoga studio, for example, you will need to rent a space, deal with permits, buy supplies, build a website, and pay yoga teachers and someone to work the front desk. However, if you're starting a travel agent business, you can operate from your living room and there aren't nearly as many upfront costs.

You will have to think about what type of business you want to become. Do you want to incorporate or become an LLC? Would you rather be a sole proprietor? Incorporating takes the most effort, and is often the most expensive. Becoming an LLC is a good happy medium because it can help protect you as a business entity without having as many associated costs. Small business owners typically become an LLC to protect their personal assets. If you get sued as an LLC, someone can come after your business holdings, but can't come after your house, car, or personal savings.

If you choose to remain a sole proprietor (which doesn't require any fees or legwork), you are essentially a freelancer or independent contractor. You can be an LLC and an independent contractor, too — they aren't mutually exclusive. If you want to be an independent contractor, it likely means you're working as part of a larger host agency, which is smart to do when you're starting out as a travel agent. Down the road, you can also own a travel agency franchise. Owning a franchise might come with more overhead costs, and that would be a reason to incorporate.

If you're an independent contractor, you should know that your taxes aren't going to be as straightforward as a full-time employee's might be. You may have to start keeping track of your business expenses, as you might be able to write them off. You also might not get things like health benefits from your employer. As you plan your new career, consider sitting down with an established travel agent to ask them some logistical questions: Where do they get their health insurance? How do they keep track of their income and expenses? Do they use an accountant to do their taxes? While meeting with the travel agent, you can discuss the pros and cons of working for a larger agency, too. If you're not sure how to get in touch with other travel agents, consider using social media, like LinkedIn or even Instagram.

What to Think About When You Become a Travel Agent

Once you've secured work as a travel agent, you'll want to think about how you can earn more money and distinguish yourself from other agents. Here are three things to consider as you start your career.

Making Commissions: If you're working for a larger travel agency as an independent contractor, how do commissions work? Make sure you have this conversation early on before accepting the position. When you're starting out, you want to make sure the commission rate you're receiving is similar to the industry standard.

Growing Your Client Base: How do you make more money as a travel agent? Clients, clients, clients. You want happy customers who will return to you every time they want to book a travel experience. You'll want to keep your clients happy by finding them great deals, curating unbelievable experiences for them, and simply being great to work with.

Establishing a Niche: This is by no means a requirement for becoming a travel agent, but as you establish your career, you may want to consider focusing on a specific niche. For example, perhaps you're someone who focuses on honeymoon travel , luxury travel, or adventure travel . Your niche can help you attract clients, and it can be anything in the travel realm, as long as there's a need for it.

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Travel Agent Career

What is a travel agent.

A travel agent is a highly organized professional who is passionate about travel and helping others. They are focused on creating the best possible experiences, directly catered to their clients. They work with hotels, airlines, and other vendors to create travel packages and experiences that their clients will love. Travel agents can work with large groups, individuals, families, professional organizations, and others to help create seamless travel experiences that help create memories.

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RESPONSIBILITIES

What Does a Travel Agent Do?

The primary role of a travel agent is to help people make travel arrangements, which might include booking flights, hotels, sightseeing tours, and making dining recommendations. A travel agent assesses each customer’s unique needs, preferences, and budget to ensure their trip goes as smoothly as possible. 

Here are the core day-to-day responsibilities you’ll typically find yourself performing as a travel agent:

  • Meeting with clients to discuss upcoming travel plans and gather information regarding travel dates, transportation, and budget. This may be done face-to-face in a brick-and-mortar setting or online.
  • Planning the travel itineraries for clients and arranging transportation, lodging, and activities throughout the trip.
  • Advising clients on important aspects of their travel plans. This may include providing information on passports, visas, customs, insurance, vaccinations, and trip cancellation policies.
  • Keeping accurate records of client bookings, such as payments, travel dates, flight numbers, and hotel check-in and check-out dates
  • Handling any travel issues that arise, including flight or hotel cancellations, delays, conflicts, and refunds.

Due to the customer-focused nature of travel agent jobs, it’s ideal to be passionate about and/or have experience in hospitality. Those who make the best travel agents tend to be versatile and have a friendly personality where they’re concerned with keeping clients happy, comfortable, and safe. 

EDUCATION & BEST DEGREES

How do i become a travel agent.

Travel agents are key professionals dedicated to helping individuals and families create memories that will last a lifetime. Through their expertise, research, and services, individuals can plan vacations or trips that are directly catered to their wants and needs. Planning a dream vacation can be stressful for an individual or a family, and having a travel agent can make the process much easier.

If you’re passionate about travel, organization, and helping others, a career as a travel agent can be a great fit.

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What Education Does a Travel Agent Need?

A bachelor’s degree in business management  is a great starting place for those interested in becoming a travel agent. This type of degree will give you experience and knowledge in finances, marketing, organization, and strategy. This is key for those who are working with multiple clients, vendors, handling budgets, and marketing themselves to clients. A bachelor’s degree can help you stand out from other candidates in working for larger companies and organizations as well.

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How Much Does a Travel Agent Make?

Several factors determine travel agent salary, including location, level of education, certifications, years of experience, and the specific company they’re working for. Top earners in this industry, according to ZipRecruiter, make as much as  $64,500 per year , while the lowest earners make closer to $20,500. In terms of median pay, recent data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) put it at  $42,350 in 2020 , which comes out to $20.36 per hour. 

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What Is the Projected Job Growth?

Admittedly, the job outlook in the near future is lower than in other industries. Research from the BLS states that from 2020-2029, there’s  expected to be a 26% decline  in the job outlook, which translates into a drop of 21,300 jobs. This is largely due to the rising popularity of travel booking sites like Priceline and Kayak, where a growing number of people are booking trips online themselves. However, according to the BLS, the growth in business management is expected to grow 4% in the next 10 years.

What Skills Does a Travel Agent Need?

A career in this industry requires a travel agent to have a definitive skill set, with some of the key skills being:

  • Interpersonal skills.  Travel agents will constantly be interacting with clients in-person, over the phone, and through email. In turn, they need to be strong verbal and written communicators, empathetic, and understanding of the individual needs of each client.
  • Organization.  Because they may be juggling trips for several clients at a time, travel agents must be highly organized and capable of effectively managing a high volume of booking information.
  • Problem-solving.  Travel logistics are inherently complex where issues can pop up at any given time. Great travel agents have a knack for handling incidents and quickly resolving problems while maintaining their poise.
  • Attention to detail.  It’s easy to mix-up things like flight departure and arrival times, hotel check-ins, and transportation rentals, which is why travel agents need to be detail-oriented.
  • A firm understanding of technology.  This career is heavily reliant on technology like travel booking platforms and appointment scheduling software. Travel agents not only need to have a firm grasp of this technology but be willing to continually learn about new developments and iterations. 

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Travel Agent

Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips. They offer advice on destinations, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients.

Travel agents typically do the following:

  • Arrange travel for business and vacation clients
  • Determine clients’ needs and preferences, such as schedules and costs
  • Plan and arrange tour packages, excursions, and day trips
  • Find fare and schedule information
  • Calculate total travel costs
  • Book reservations for travel, hotels, rental cars, and special events, such as tours and excursions
  • Describe trips to clients and advise about local customs and attractions 
  • Give details on required documents, such as passports and visas, and on complying with cross-border entry requirements, such as health and safety protocols
  • Make alternative booking arrangements if changes arise before or during the trip

Travel agents sort through vast amounts of information to find and arrange the best trip options for travelers. In addition, resorts and specialty groups use travel agents to promote vacation packages to their clients.

Travel agents may visit destinations to get firsthand experience so that they can make recommendations to clients. They visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants to evaluate the comfort, cleanliness, and quality of establishments. Self-employed travel agents may have additional responsibilities related to running their business, such as recordkeeping, managing staff, and marketing. However, travel agents most of their time talking with clients, promoting tours, and contacting airlines and hotels to make travel accommodations.

The following are examples of types of travel agents:

Leisure travel agents  sell vacation packages to the public. They are responsible for arranging trip itineraries based on clients’ interests and budget. Leisure travel agents often focus on a specific geographic area or type of travel, such as adventure tours. Some cater to a specific group, such as students or single people.

Corporate travel agents , also called travel coordinators, primarily make travel arrangements for businesses. They book transportation and accommodations for an organization’s employees who are traveling to conduct business or attend conferences.

Travel agents held about 46,200 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of travel agents were as follows:

Travel agents typically spend much of their day sitting, working on the phone and on the computer. Agents may face stress during travel emergencies or unanticipated schedule changes.

Work Schedules

Most travel agents work full time, although part-time work is common. Some work additional hours during peak travel times or when they must accommodate clients’ schedule changes and last-minute needs.

A high school diploma typically is required to become a travel agent. However, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have sales experience or relevant certification or education. Communication and customer service skills are essential.

Travel agents typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation, but employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a college degree or who have taken courses related to the travel industry.

Community colleges, vocational schools, and industry associations may offer technical training, certificates, or continuing education in professional travel planning. In addition, some 4-year colleges offer degrees in travel and tourism. Courses usually focus on reservations systems, marketing, and regulations regarding international travel.

Employers in the travel industry typically provide on-the-job training that lasts at least 1 month. This training covers topics such as how to operate computer systems that are used in the industry. For example, a travel agent could be trained to work with a reservation system used by several airlines.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

High school graduates with limited experience may demonstrate competence by taking the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) test. The test has no eligibility requirements, but study and preparation may be required. The test is administered by  The Travel Institute .

The Travel Institute also provides training and professional credentials for travel agents at three different experience levels. These credentialing programs are the Certified Travel Associate (CTA), Certified Travel Counselor (CTC), and Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE). To maintain the credential, each program requires continuing education annually.

The  American Society of Travel Advisors  (ASTA) offers credentialing and educational programs for those seeking to become a travel agent. ASTA offers the Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) program and the ASTA Roadmap to Becoming a Travel Advisor.

The  Cruise Lines International Association  (CLIA) offers four levels of certification: Certified (CCC), Accredited (ACC), Master (MCC), and Elite Cruise Counselor (ECC). Each level requires a certain amount of training and product knowledge.

Some states require travel agents to have a business license, to register with the state, or to meet other conditions. Requirements vary by state. Contact individual state licensing agencies for more information.

Other Experience

Some agencies prefer to hire travel agents who have extensive traveling experience. These agencies especially prefer travel agents who focus on particular destinations or types of travelers, such as groups with a special interest or corporate travelers. Agencies also may prefer to hire travel agents who have sales experience.

Travel agents typically have an interest in the Persuading and Organizing interest areas, according to the Holland Code framework. The Persuading interest area indicates a focus on influencing, motivating, and selling to other people. The Organizing interest area indicates a focus on working with information and processes to keep things arranged in orderly systems.

If you are not sure whether you have a Persuading or Organizing interest which might fit with a career as a travel agent, you can take a career test to measure your interests.

Travel agents should also possess the following specific qualities:

Adventurousness. Travel agencies that specialize in exotic destinations or particular types of travel, such as adventure travel or ecotourism, may prefer to hire travel agents who share these interests.

Communication skills. Travel agents must listen to customers, understand their travel needs, and offer appropriate travel advice and information.

Customer-service skills. When customers need to make last-minute changes in their travel arrangements, travel agents must be able to respond to questions and complaints in a friendly and professional manner.

Detail oriented . Travel agents must pay attention to details in order to ensure that the reservations they make match travelers’ needs. They must make reservations at the correct dates, times, and locations to meet travelers’ schedules. 

Organizational skill s. Travel agents should have strong organizational skills because they often work on itineraries for many customers at once. Keeping client information in order and ensuring that bills and receipts are processed in a timely manner is essential.

Sales sk ills. Travel agents must be able to persuade clients to buy transportation, lodging, or tours. Sometimes they might need to persuade tour operators, airline staff, or others to take care of their clients’ special needs. Earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees.

The median annual wage for travel agents was $43,810 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,280, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $74,220.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for travel agents in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

These wage data include money earned from commissions. Earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees.

Employment of travel agents is projected to grow 20 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.

About 7,500 openings for travel agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. 

Much of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession of 2020 and is likely to occur early in the projections decade.

Demand is expected to increase for travel agents’ specialized skills in giving clients a personalized travel experience through their recommendations, advice, and ability to handle travel issues. As people continue to resume travel, they are expected to look to travel agents for advice on popular or unique travel destinations and experiences.

However, the ability of travelers to use online resources to research vacations and book their own trips may limit demand for travel agents.

For more information about training opportunities and optional certificates, visit

American Society of Travel Agents

Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)

The Travel Institute

Where does this information come from?

The career information above is taken from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook . This excellent resource for occupational data is published by the U.S. Department of Labor every two years. Truity periodically updates our site with information from the BLS database.

I would like to cite this page for a report. Who is the author?

There is no published author for this page. Please use citation guidelines for webpages without an author available. 

I think I have found an error or inaccurate information on this page. Who should I contact?

This information is taken directly from the Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Truity does not editorialize the information, including changing information that our readers believe is inaccurate, because we consider the BLS to be the authority on occupational information. However, if you would like to correct a typo or other technical error, you can reach us at [email protected] .

I am not sure if this career is right for me. How can I decide?

There are many excellent tools available that will allow you to measure your interests, profile your personality, and match these traits with appropriate careers. On this site, you can take the Career Personality Profiler assessment, the Holland Code assessment, or the Photo Career Quiz .

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To Protect Your Miles, Be Careful How You Book

American Airlines recently announced new restrictions on point allocation based on how you book a flight. What does that mean for loyalty members?

A commercial airplane with red and blue stripes on its tail and the word "American" in large blue letters on the side of the aircraft, takes off from an airport runway.

By Elaine Glusac

Elaine Glusac is the Frugal Traveler columnist, focusing on budget-friendly tips and journeys.

Earlier this month, American Airlines announced that beginning May 1, it will require travelers to book directly with the airline, partner airlines or “preferred travel agencies” in order to receive points in its loyalty program.

The unprecedented move confused many travelers eager to protect their mileage currency, prompting posts like this one on X: “@AmericanAir your news about earning miles/loyalty points is a bit concerning — we’re loyal to you no matter who we book through!”

In an email, a representative of the airline said that the approved list of travel agencies would not be published until April.

While there is much to be determined about the new policy, a battle for customers between the airline and third-party ticket sellers, which includes online travel agencies like Orbitz, has emerged. Here’s what travelers should know before booking their next flight.

What are the new points rules at American?

Currently, the biggest domestic carriers — including Delta Air Lines , United Airlines , Southwest Airlines and American — award points and miles to members of their loyalty programs on most tickets regardless of where they are sold.

American’s new rules state that in order to receive miles and points, travelers must book through its website, a Oneworld partner airline or approved travel agencies (with exceptions for those enrolled in its business program, which targets small companies, or with a corporate contract).

Also beginning May 1, fliers booking basic economy fares, the airline’s cheapest fares, may only earn points by booking through American’s website or its airline partners.

What’s behind the switch?

According to analysts, this is largely a behind-the-scenes fight over technology.

Travel agencies have long used distribution systems like Sabre and Amadeus to sell airline tickets. But many airlines are interested in using an emerging channel developed by the International Air Transport Association called New Distribution Capability . It offers airlines a more direct means of communicating with passengers, whom they can target with personalized fares or bundled offers not available in the traditional systems, providing opportunities to sell more services.

The “preferred” agencies that American said it will announce in April will be those making a substantial number of bookings on the new platform.

“American is dead set on being a more efficient airline and reducing its cost of sales, so they have issued this new edict and travel agents who choose not to follow along will find themselves on the losing end of the battle,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst and the founder of the Atmosphere Research Group.

Many travel agents object to the speed of adopting a technology they say still has bugs. In a recent letter to the 18,000 member agencies of the American Society of Travel Advisors , the president and chief executive of the trade organization Zane Kerby called it “an underdeveloped technology,” with “basic servicing” issues that include problems with cancellations, booking multiple people on the same itinerary and rebooking.

Mr. Kerby cited a heightened risk to most business travelers using external agencies to make their bookings. “It feels like American Airlines is disenfranchising or willing to disenfranchise its most profitable and lucrative segment, which is the frequent business traveler,” he said.

In American’s new requirement that basic economy fliers book directly with the airline to earn miles, Brian Sumers, who writes the Airline Observer newsletter, sees a play for greater loyalty from thrifty travelers at a time when many airlines have abandoned them. Delta , for instance, no longer awards points to its basic economy passengers. United restricts basic economy fliers to one personal item carried aboard when flying domestically.

American wants those basic economy passengers, Mr. Sumers said. “The end goal is to get people so excited about having AAdvantage points and using them all the time, because that’s where they’re making money.”

How should I book to ensure I’m awarded miles for American flights?

If you are accustomed to booking online with the airline directly, earning miles is not endangered.

If you use a travel agency, including online sites like Expedia or Orbitz, check the list of approved agencies when it is published in April.

But even for travelers who are accustomed to D.I.Y. bookings, the new American policy poses some threat to earning miles. If you use a travel agent to plan a more complicated trip — say, an African safari or a trek to Machu Picchu in Peru — make sure the agent is approved by American or be prepared to make the booking yourself to earn miles.

“American is counting on the fact that travelers engaged with AAdvantage will want to remain engaged, so that if their travel agent is not onboard, the customer will find a different travel agent or opt to book directly,” Mr. Harteveldt said.

Will other airlines follow suit?

Experts say commercial aviation is a copycat industry; if a policy is successful, others are likely to follow. But it may not happen quickly in this case.

“There are some very expensive tickets that go through using the older system,” Mr. Sumers said, describing other airlines as “taking a watch-and-wait approach” to see if any defections from former American customers boost their business.

“By no means has this play reached its conclusions,” Mr. Harteveldt said. “We are in the first part of the first act.”

Follow New York Times Travel on Instagram and sign up for our weekly Travel Dispatch newsletter to get expert tips on traveling smarter and inspiration for your next vacation. Dreaming up a future getaway or just armchair traveling? Check out our 52 Places to Go in 2024 .

Open Up Your World

Considering a trip, or just some armchair traveling here are some ideas..

Italy :  Spend 36 hours in Florence , seeking out its lesser-known pockets.

Southern California :  Skip the freeways to explore the back roads between Los Angeles and Los Olivos , a 100-mile route that meanders through mountains, canyons and star-studded enclaves.

Mongolia : Some young people, searching for less curated travel experiences, are flocking to the open spaces of this East Asian nation .

Romania :  Timisoara  may be the most noteworthy city you’ve probably never heard of , offering just enough for visitors to fill two or three days.

India: A writer fulfilled a lifelong dream of visiting Darjeeling, in the Himalayan foothills , taking in the tea gardens and riding a train through the hills.

52 Places:  Why do we travel? For food, culture, adventure, natural beauty? Our 2024 list has all those elements, and more .

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Updated travel information for Mexican citizens coming to Canada

From: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada

News release

Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world’s most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. To support travel and people-to-people connections between Canada and Mexico, while also preserving the integrity of our immigration system, the Government of Canada is adjusting its travel requirements for Mexican citizens.

February 29, 2024, 8:30 a.m. – Ottawa – Canada and Mexico have maintained a deep, positive and constructive diplomatic partnership over the past 80 years. We have worked to ensure North America is the world’s most competitive economic region and maintain strong bilateral, regional and multilateral cooperation. To support travel and people-to-people connections between Canada and Mexico, while also preserving the integrity of our immigration system, the Government of Canada is adjusting its travel requirements for Mexican citizens.

As of February 29, 2024, at 11:30 p.m. Eastern time, Mexican citizens who hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the past 10 years and are travelling by air on a Mexican passport will be able to apply for an electronic travel authorization (eTA). With the high number of Mexican citizens currently holding US visas, the majority will continue to enjoy visa-free travel to Canada. Those who do not meet these conditions will need to apply for a Canadian visitor visa. This responds to an increase in asylum claims made by Mexican citizens that are refused, withdrawn or abandoned. It is an important step to preserve mobility for hundreds of thousands of Mexican citizens, while also ensuring the sound management of our immigration and asylum systems.

The application process for Mexican citizens seeking a work or study permit will not change. Mexican citizens who want to work in Canada will continue to have access to a wide number of existing labour pathways, including the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and the International Mobility Program.

Canada supports ongoing travel, tourism and business with Mexico. We will continue to work with the Government of Mexico to strengthen our regular pathways to immigration, and with our provincial and territorial counterparts to support a system of managed migration as well as to support those in need of protection. Canada is expanding its network of visa application centres in Mexico to better serve these clients. Today’s action will relieve pressure on Canada’s borders, immigration system, housing and social services, while preserving mobility for Mexican citizens who want to come to Canada.

The Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) is a vital example of the mutually beneficial migration that we seek to promote regionally and globally. Canada is ready to work with Mexico to build on this program, through the modernization of a new SAWP bilateral agreement, to offer Mexican workers new opportunities, through the incorporation of year-round primary agriculture and seasonal fish, seafood and primary food processing into the program. This will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of the Canada–Mexico relationship.

Canada is continuously monitoring the impacts of its visa policies for both visa-exempt and visa-required countries, as well as asylum claim trends. These challenges are not limited to one country. Any adjustment to Canada’s travel requirements are made to preserve the integrity and sustainability of our asylum and immigration systems.

More information about these changes, including for people in transit or with upcoming flights, is available on IRCC’s website .

“Mexico is an important partner to Canada. We will continue to welcome Mexican temporary workers, students, visitors and immigrants who bring diverse skills and important contributions to our economy and communities. We strive for balance between the movement of people between our two great countries, and the need to relieve pressure on our immigration system so we can provide protection to those who need it the most.” – The Honourable Marc Miller, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Quick facts

Asylum claims made by Mexican citizens reached a record high in 2023 at a time when Canada’s asylum system, housing and social services were already under significant pressure. The majority of these claims (approximately 60%) were either rejected by the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, or withdrawn or abandoned by the applicant.

In 2023 alone, asylum claims from Mexican citizens accounted for 17% of all claims made that year from all nationalities around the world. The country’s asylum claim rate has risen significantly since the visa was first lifted in 2016 (from 260 claims in 2016 to 23,995 claims in 2023). 

All eTAs issued to Mexican passports before 11:30 p.m. Eastern time on February 29, 2024, will no longer be valid—except for eTAs linked to Mexican passports with a valid Canadian work or study permit. Mexican citizens travelling to Canada without a valid work or study permit will need to apply for a visitor visa or reapply for a new eTA —if they are eligible.

Mexican citizens holding a valid work or study permit can still travel by air to Canada with their existing eTA as long as it remains valid, and they can continue to study or work in Canada based on the validity and conditions of their permit. Mexican visitors who are already in Canada on an eTA can stay for as long as they are authorized (up to six months from the date they arrive in Canada). However, if they plan to leave Canada and wish to return, they must have the proper travel documents (visa or new eTA). 

Most approved visa applicants receive multiple-entry visas, which allow them to visit Canada as many times as they want, for up to 10 years, or until their passport expires.

The eTA is a digital travel document that most visa-exempt travellers need in order to travel to or transit through Canada by air. IRCC first began expanding its eTA program to eligible citizens from visa-required countries in 2017. Mexico will now be among 15 countries whose citizens can to fly to Canada on an eTA, instead of a visa, if they meet certain requirements .

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  • Link to News Release in Spanish

Contacts for media only:

Bahoz Dara Aziz Press Secretary Minister’s Office Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [email protected]

Media Relations Communications Branch Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada 613-952-1650 [email protected]

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FACT SHEET: Impact of Bipartisan Border Agreement Funding on Border   Operations

Today, President Biden is traveling to Brownsville, Texas to meet with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement, frontline personnel, and local leaders to discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement. President Biden has repeatedly said he is willing to work in a bipartisan way to secure the border and fix our broken immigration system. Over several months, his Administration negotiated with a bipartisan group of Senators to release a bill that includes the toughest and fairest reforms to secure the border we have had in decades. It would make our country safer, make our border more secure, and treat people fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our nation’s values. The bill received support from the Border Patrol Union, the Chamber of Commerce, the South Texas Alliance of Cities, and the Wall Street Journal – but Speaker Mike Johnson and House Republicans have decided to play politics at the expense of border security.

At the President’s request, the agreement included over $20 billion for border security. The agreement would provide critical resources at the border and significant policy changes, including:

Border Patrol: Border Patrol staffing has remained roughly flat over the last four years, despite border encounters increasing by 250 percent over the same period. Today, there are just shy of 20,000 Border Patrol Agents. The bipartisan Senate bill would add more than 1,500 new Customs and Border Protection personnel.

Asylum Officers and Asylum Reform: Similarly, Asylum Officer staffing has remained stagnant over the last four years and there is an insufficient number of asylum officers to do initial screenings. As a result, each asylum case generally takes 5 to 7 years to be heard and adjudicated. Today, there are approximately 1,000 Asylum Officers; the bipartisan Senate bill would add an additional 4,300 Asylum Officers and it would make the asylum process faster and fairer. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE): ICE detention facilities are currently over capacity. Today, ICE has approximately 40,000 detention beds. The bipartisan Senate agreement would increase detention beds to a total of 50,000. Moreover, without immediate action from Congress DHS will need to move funding to ICE from other critical missions or reduce ICE’s enforcement operations to manage a shortfall of several hundred million dollars.

Immigration Judges: Currently there is a backlog of over 2 million cases for immigration judges. Each asylum case generally takes 5 to 7 years to complete. Without more judges, these timelines and backlogs will continue to grow. Today there is funding for 734 immigration judges, the bipartisan Senate bill would provide funding for an additional 100 immigration judges and their associated staff.

Combatting Drug Trafficking: We continue our fight against the trafficking of fentanyl and other illicit drugs. The bipartisan agreement would fund the installation of 100 cutting-edge inspection machines to help detect fentanyl at our Southwest Border ports of entry. It would also give the President the authority to impose sanctions on foreign nationals knowingly involved in significant trafficking of fentanyl by a transnational criminal organization.  

The bill also includes $1.4 billion for cities and states who are providing critical services to newcomers, and would expedite work permits for people who are in the country and qualify.

In order to truly tackle this problem and support the more than four thousand border and immigration officials who work in the Rio Grande Valley – which includes Brownsville – with the additional personnel and resources they need to secure our border, Congress must act.

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