Contrary to what you might see on Instagram, being a travel agent isn’t all glamour and glitz. You must be able to work hard and stay in contact with clients around the clock.
Working as a travel agent requires strong research abilities, budgeting knowledge and the capacity to create value-for-money itineraries. Furthermore, excellent customer service skills are necessary.
FAM Trips
If you work in the travel industry, chances are you’ve heard of FAM trips. These are trips provided by travel companies to agents, tour operators and media partners for complimentary use.
These events are created to acquaint tourism professionals with a certain product and promote travel sales. Furthermore, they serve to develop relationships with key partners in your business.
A successful FAM trip should offer plenty of activities your suppliers and travel agents will find engaging. Furthermore, it should include several “wow” factors that will make their experiences stand out from the rest.
Furthermore, if you offer a FAM trip to your travel agents, be aware of the extra work involved with such excursions. Gathering all necessary details and documentation can take some effort.
A well-organized Fam Trip can do wonders for the morale of your staff and the growth of your agency. When selecting who participates in these excursions, ensure all details are covered in your agency policies and procedures manual.
Travel Discounts
Travel discounts offer travel agents an affordable way to explore the world. These deals may include upgrades, complimentary meals and tours of popular attractions.
Travel agents often benefit from discounts as a way to attract new business and keep existing clients contented. For instance, hotels might provide travel agents with free or discounted stays as an incentive for spreading the word about their property.
Though tempting, it’s essential to remember that these deals may not always be the best around. Oftentimes, advertised discounts are actually only a percentage off an ever-changing rate for hotels, air travel, cruises and rental cars – often leaving consumers disappointed and without a lasting savings.
These types of promotions are more often found around Black Friday or the weeks following Christmas, as well as during quiet periods in January, February, and early March. If you’re on the lookout for a great deal, check out some websites that provide real-time prices for various destinations and activities.
Meeting Clients
Meeting clients face-to-face is an integral part of being a travel agent. This helps you foster relationships with clients and gain a better insight into their travel needs.
Additionally, it provides you with the unique chance to get to know your client personally, which helps you customize your recommendations. This is particularly important when scouting destinations where it may be more challenging to gain insight into local culture or current market trends through online resources.
Tom Tollman, director of sales strategy for Trafalgar and other brands within The Travel Corporation, emphasizes the importance of asking open-ended questions during meetings. These inquiries encourage meaningful dialog.
Meeting time can also be utilized to gain more insight into your clients’ preferences, likes and dislikes. These insights can be utilized in creating customized vacation packages for them in the future.
Traveling for Fun
Traveling is beneficial to both your physical and mental wellbeing. It forces you to disconnect from the mundane of everyday life, and you’ll be surprised at how much more insight into yourself you gain by simply being present in the moment.
Traveling, whether for business or pleasure, offers the ultimate opportunity to see the world from a unique perspective. A travel agent’s job is to make planning your trip as stress-free and effortless as possible; not only does s/he find the ideal destination but they may also need entertainment while they’re away. With travel agent assistance, making arrangements becomes effortless!
One of the greatest benefits of being a travel agent is that you get to travel more frequently than most. Additionally, it provides an invaluable chance to hone social skills, as you’ll likely be visiting new places and connecting with interesting people on a regular basis.
