A lot of people are bound to look askance if you announce that you wish to make your career as a travel agent. The employment figures in the sector have been dipping too, though the long term projections remain buoyant. Their skepticism may not seem misplaced as over the last decade the sector has seen a huge change due to rapid adaptation of technology. Nowadays, with the Internet having penetrated almost every home and office, there are indeed quite a lot of people who are making their travel and hotel reservations with the click of a mouse. However, the very same technology that seems to threaten the traditional travel agencies have made it possible for individuals to establish home-based travel agencies that have none of the overheads of conventional businesses and enable owners to attend to customer requests round-the-clock.
All About Certified Home-Based Travel Agents
The travel agency business has been traditionally of two types; agency-based and home-based. We are more accustomed to seeing travel agents operating out of an office and offering a full-service package that serves both the business segment as well as the leisure. With computer and communications technology becoming more efficient and economical, a whole new opportunity has opened up for entrepreneurs making it possible for them to offer travel solutions operating from out of their own homes. Certified home-based travel agents, while free to serve both the business and the leisure segment, find it more worthwhile to specialize in selling vacation packages as that is more easily achieved by a remote operation.
Of course, the nature of the industry demands that you have the necessary training in the technicalities of the travel business and possess the necessary certifications that will enable customers to trust you. Additionally, you should be able to adhere to the high levels of service and dedication expected by customers who are increasingly becoming more demanding by the day. With the correct training and plenty of hard work, you can expect it to be extremely enjoyable and financially lucrative.
Why Is Operating Out Of Home So Attractive?
With the high level of standards expected, operating a travel agency out of home is not something, which can be done with a casual approach. While you are expected to be as professional, hard-working and service-oriented as you would have been if you were working in a high street travel agency, working out of home has quite a lot of advantages that make it a very attractive proposition.
You can not only get rid of your commuting time and cost but also the expenses associated with maintaining a closet full of office-wear. You can tone down your professional lifestyle expenses and get to spend more quality time with your family. Not having to step out of home daily for work is a heaven-sent opportunity for those with young kids or ailing or elderly family members. Even though it may take you some time to build up your business as initially the ticket size of packages sold will be lower, with time your should be making enough money to keep you really happy.
Getting Certified
Residents of USA do not have to mandatorily get certified to operate as travel agents; however getting yourself certified can prove to be essential in establishing your credentials in an industry that is known for its competitiveness. The purpose of a certification is essentially to establish that you are competent to perform a certain number of tasks specified as industry standards for the travel sector. You can obtain certification from the International Airline Transport Association, the American Society of Travel Agents and The Travel Institute that offers as many as three different certifications based on the service scope and experience of the candidate.
Author bio: John Bell is a successful home-based travel agent with a track record of more than a decade. A wildlife lover, he has arranged for more than 20 jungle safaris Tadoba, and is now considered an authority on the subject.
