Units VIII and IX How to Become a Travel Agent from Home

Travel agents used to monopolize the business of airline booking and travel arrangements across the globe. Airline companies in particular sell tickets mostly through travel agents by commission on each ticket sold. But the advent of the Internet has allowed transport companies to sell directly to passengers largely eliminating the need for big booking companies. To adjust to the changing times booking companies developed internet presence and spread out the network of agents thus making it possible for home-based agents to enter the field. Now is a good time to find how to become a travel agent from home. What is a travel agent do? They book airline tickets, particularly those for international trips, ground transportation, attraction tickets, hotels, tour & vacation packages and cruises for passengers. Although anyone who knows his way around the Internet can book airline and hotel tickets online, a travel agent can immensely help in finding the best deals and reputable service providers. What must you do to become one?

1. Be prepared from the ground up. Be honest with yourself and make sure you’ve got what it takes. Working from home has its advantages, but it can also be draining. You can’t expect to make it overnight. You need to put in lots of time and effort sometimes working at unholy hours especially when dealing with international travelers, and you need to push your services hard. You also need to possess a strong drive, excellent interpersonal skills to deal with clients and service providers from different places and cultures.

2. Research. Learn your state or country’s requirements. Learn all you can about the business. The government requirements and license permit processes, membership prerequisites to travel organizations. Do the paper work thoroughly and do not even believe people who tell you that you can’t make it.

3. Find a trustworthy host agency. You need credibility and a solid reputation behind you before you can get any business. If you were a passenger, you won’t risk your travel arrangements on a stranger who has no demonstrable experience or capability in doing your bookings especially one who works from home. There are many travel organizations who offer their services online to help home-based travel agents. But you need to check closely and be careful that you don’t get scammed.

4. Take up a travel course if you plan making this a full-time career. Generally there is no requirement of a certification for travel agents whether they work from home or not nor other certification bodies such as those for medical or legal professions. You could, however, study and get a certificate for your efforts.

5. Grow your skills.

3. Enhance your computer skills, be teachable, and learn to harness technology. Travel arrangements, bookings, communication with clients and suppliers or service providers are increasingly being done through computers.

4. Keep improving your interpersonal relations skills. Even something as simple as phone manners and etiquette can make or break a business.

6. Find clients from both sides of the spectrum. Make an effort to meet people, seek out possible business, work to retain customers. Expand your network of colleagues, clients, and service providers. You have two sets of clients: the travelers and the suppliers or service providers. Make sure to balance their needs and work to give both sides a win-win deal. Whether you want to make it a full-time career, a part-time supplement to the household income, or even just an occasional fall-back option, you have to start at knowing how to become a travel agent from home. You can stick to bookings, or you can expand your offering to something akin to full-range concierge services.