CareerGPS

Travel Agents
Summary Occupational Forecast Data for Travel Agents
Employment Employment Change Average Annual Job Openings Wage & Training Levels
2020 2025 Numerical Percent New Jobs Replacement Jobs Total Median Hourly Median Annual Training Levels
389 378 -11 -2.77% -2 57 55 $17.12 $35,616 High school diploma or equivalent
Description: Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for travel agency customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required.
Forecast Data Source: EMSI (4th Quarter 2023)

Occupation Details

The information in this section represents occupational characteristics included in O*NET which defines key features of an occupation as a standardized, measurable set of variables called "descriptors". These distinguishing characteristics of an occupation are described in greater detail in the O*NET Content Model. All items are listed in descending order of importance.

  • Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
  • Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
  • Compute cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour's costs.
  • Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer terminal or telephone.
  • Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
  • Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.
  • Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.

Knowledge

83%
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
71%
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
70%
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
69%
Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
68%
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
56%
Clerical - Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.

Skills

88%
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
85%
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
75%
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
72%
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
72%
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
65%
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
62%
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
62%
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
60%
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
56%
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
56%
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
56%
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
56%
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
56%
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
53%
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
50%
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

Abilities

85%
Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
85%
Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
81%
Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
78%
Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
69%
Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
66%
Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
62%
Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
56%
Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
56%
Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
53%
Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
53%
Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
50%
Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
50%
Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).

Work Activities

94%
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
87%
Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
87%
Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
87%
Interacting With Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
83%
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
81%
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
78%
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
74%
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
73%
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
69%
Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
69%
Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
69%
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
68%
Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others - Handling complaints, settling disputes, and resolving grievances and conflicts, or otherwise negotiating with others.
67%
Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
64%
Judging the Qualities of Things, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
63%
Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
62%
Thinking Creatively - Developing, designing, or creating new applications, ideas, relationships, systems, or products, including artistic contributions.
60%
Analyzing Data or Information - Identifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
57%
Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
56%
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
56%
Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
54%
Monitoring and Controlling Resources - Monitoring and controlling resources and overseeing the spending of money.
51%
Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
51%
Developing Objectives and Strategies - Establishing long-range objectives and specifying the strategies and actions to achieve them.
50%
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
Title Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Overall Experience Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
Job Training Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Job Zone Examples These occupations usually involve using communication and organizational skills to coordinate, supervise, manage, or train others to accomplish goals. Examples include food service managers, electricians, agricultural technicians, legal secretaries, interviewers, and insurance sales agents.
Education Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Interests

Enterprising - Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.
Conventional - Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.
Social - Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Work Styles

Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
Self Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.

Work Values

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