Travel Agent Jobs - Dealing With Itineraries

One of the key skills needed in travel agent jobs is the ability to put together an itinerary for prospective clients. Many customers booking travel arrangements, whether it's for a business trip or for a family holiday, often don't have the time for extensive research and price comparison checks, or have the specialist resources that agents do. The ability to put together a well-thought-out inventory is an absolute necessity to achieve success in travel agent jobs. So what are people looking for in a travel itinerary? Obviously, it depends on their personal requirements and the purpose of the travel, but there are a few general guidelines which apply to building successful itineraries.

A Person Versus A Website

The main advantage the agents have over online booking is the ability to offer a personalised itinerary, but there are also other options that those working in travel agent jobs should be aware of. Agencies need to build good working relationships with service providers such as cruise lines, because with this comes access to unpublicised deals and upgrades. These unpublished promotions can range from price discounts to free or cheaper upgrades. A good agent will also need to know about such categories as senior, military, or location-based discounts that might not be easy to find online.

Fares

Another aspect of travel agent jobs that isn't widely known is the monitoring of details such as fluctuating fares. Some cruise lines or air lines will refund money or provide credit or air miles if the price of a journey goes down after a booking is made. Agents will also have to know when to book customers on 'guarantee rates' for a cruise - which means that when part of an itinerary, guests can forego picking a specific cabin in order to have a better chance of being upgraded. High-volume travel agencies will have their clients upgraded first, meaning an agent must cultivate a sense of when guarantee rates will work well within an itinerary.

Passports and Visas

Other crucial areas of understanding in travel agent jobs are passport and visa requirements for each and every place included in a client's itinerary. A good agent will be able to advise clients about any scenario which might come up on a complex itinerary, such as missing connections, and ensuring all travel documents such as passports and visas are in order. A solid understanding of travel insurance is also a big plus when applying for travel agent jobs, although many companies will be able to give new agents a more in-depth understanding of some of the specific issues they face when constructing itineraries.

Problem-Solving

Another ideal skill to have when applying to travel agent jobs is a knack for problem solving. With complex itineraries that demand multiple connections and travel arrangements - or even simpler ones - if flights or boats are delayed and connections missed, a travel agent must work on behalf of their clients to provide alternative arrangements. Agents may also be called upon to change bookings during an itinerary as plans change - this kind of flexible service and on-your-feet thinking are required in many travel agent jobs.