Travel Consultant Job Description

Travel consultants should have strong customer support abilities to construct their clientele.

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Travel consultants, or travel specialists, once ruled like a traveler's primary source for tickets and bookings. Utilized by tour operators, corporate travel departments and travel agencies, these professionals now contend with an increasing online DIY travel market. They reserved just one-third of travel plans this year, based on research by PhoCusWright. However, the forecasted 10 % development in travel consultant jobs from 2010 through 2020 promises some possibilities for individuals who wish to mix work with a love for travel.

Characteristics

Detail-oriented, highly organized and reliable, travel consultants should also work nicely pressurized. They share a feeling of adventure and knowledge of every aspect of traveling which help them boost their clients' encounters. They apply their problem-fixing capabilities to support customer demands, while depending on their own persuasive character to cope with transportation, entertainment, food and lodging companies.

Abilities

Without strong customer support abilities, a travel consultant can't be competitive. Success within the area is dependent on communication abilities - listening, speaking on the telephone and explaining travel particulars- that complement a persistence for go that step further for clients. Considering the growing client preference for email communication, this career demands strong writing ability, states John Tan, Boss of internet luxury travel service Zicasso, around the travel industry website Tnooz. Travel consultants also should be skilled at using reservation systems, for example Amadeus GDS, Apollo, Sabre and Worldspan. Understanding of languages, world geography and cultures allows these to advise and inform their customers.

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Education

Being a travel consultant requires merely a senior high school education, as on-the-job training is standard practice. However, companies prefer candidates who've taken classes associated with travel planning. An associate's, bachelor's or masters degree in travel and tourism increases your marketability. Subjects typically analyzed include sales, reservation taking, destination marketing, domestic and worldwide geography, and ticketing. No matter a travel consultant's degree of education, he or she must stay up-to-date with industry developments and travel safety around the world.