I Want To Be a Travel Agent!

According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, a travel agent assists people when making travel arrangements. They offer advice on destinations and make arrangements for transportation, hotels, car rentals and tours for their clients. Agents are also expected to know about and be able to advise travelers about their destinations. I could go on, but if you're really interested, read it here.

My quest for knowledge began approximately one year ago because of an innocent question by a co-worker. What would you be doing if you weren't working here? I didn't even have to give it a second or third thought and just blurted out-be a travel agent! That is how my search began. Fortunately for me, or so I thought at the time, my co-worker knew someone who had HIS OWN TRAVEL AGENCY and was looking for people just like me. I eagerly made the contact and was immediately invited to a meeting to be held at a local hotel, the purpose of which is to recruit others just like me who wanted to "assist people when making travel arrangements".

After arriving early for the meeting, (we were so anxious to get started), we were shown inside and met up with my contact. Approximately one hour later, (actually shorter because I'm a fast learner) I realized that this is not what I had envisioned myself doing as a travel agent. According to these folks, all we had to do was sign up, plunk down about $499 and we'd get our own website. Then we were automatically qualified to be called TRAVEL AGENTS and we'd get industry perks, get to travel like an agent does, which in their words meant cheaper. They actually issue these cards which all I had to do was flash at any hotel manager and we'd automatically get upgraded to the penthouse suite. Wow, who could resist all that? Actually, I could and did.

My search continued, mostly online. I discovered that there are many educational opportunities available to those pursuing a career as a travel agent. Not wishing to plunk down a large chunk of change before deciding if this is what I really want to do, I located what is called a host company, signed up and it's been go-go-go ever since.