### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Travel Agents Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			travel agents imageTravel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to activities to those planning trips.							
						Quick Facts:     Travel Agents2023     Median Pay
            						$47,410     per year
										$22.79     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    High school diploma or equivalentWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Moderate-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    66,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    3% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    2,300What Travel Agents Do
                                                
                        
                        
Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Travel agents typically spend much of their day sitting, working on the phone and on the computer. Most travel agents work for travel agencies; many are self-employed.
            
                                                How to Become a Travel Agent
                                                
                        
A high school diploma typically is required for someone to become a travel agent. However, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have sales experience or relevant certification or education. Good communication and customer service skills are essential.
            
                        Pay
                        												                            																				    														The median annual wage for travel agents was $47,410 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of travel agents is projected to grow							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 8,600 openings for travel agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for travel agents.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of travel agents with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about travel agents by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Travel Agents Do 
            

			Travel agentsTravel agents offer advice on destinations, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients.			
Travel agents sell transportation, lodging, and admission to entertainment activities to individuals and groups planning trips. They offer advice on destinations, plan trip itineraries, and make travel arrangements for clients.
Duties
Travel agents typically do the following:
Arrange travel for business and vacation clients
Determine clients’ needs and preferences, such as schedules and costs
Plan and arrange tour packages, excursions, and day trips
Find fare and schedule information
Calculate total travel costs
Book reservations for travel, hotels, rental cars, and special events, such as tours and excursions
Describe trips to clients and advise about local customs and attractions
Give details on required documents, such as passports and visas, and on complying with cross-border entry requirements, such as health and safety protocols
Make alternative booking arrangements if changes arise before or during the tripTravel agents sort through vast amounts of information to find and arrange the best trip options for travelers. In addition, resorts and specialty groups use travel agents to promote vacation packages to their clients.
Travel agents may visit destinations to get firsthand experience so that they can make recommendations to clients. They visit hotels, resorts, and restaurants to evaluate the comfort, cleanliness, and quality of establishments. Self-employed travel agents may have additional responsibilities related to running their business, such as recordkeeping, managing staff, and marketing. However, travel agents most of their time talking with clients, promoting tours, and contacting airlines and hotels to make travel accommodations.
The following are examples of types of travel agents:
***Leisure travel agents***sell vacation packages to the public. They are responsible for arranging trip itineraries based on clients’ interests and budget. Leisure travel agents often focus on a specific geographic area or type of travel, such as adventure tours. Some cater to a specific group, such as students or single people.
***Corporate travel agents***, also called travel coordinators, primarily make travel arrangements for businesses. They book transportation and accommodations for an organization’s employees who are traveling to conduct business or attend conferences.
 Work Environment
			Travel agentsTravel agents work in an office environment where they spend much of their time on the phone.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Travel agents held about 66,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of travel agents were as follows:
        Travel arrangement and reservation services
                62%Self-employed workers
                18Travel agents typically spend much of their day sitting, working on the phone and on the computer. Agents may face stress during travel emergencies or unanticipated schedule changes.
Work Schedules
Most travel agents work full time, although part-time work is common. Some work additional hours during peak travel times or when they must accommodate clients’ schedule changes and last-minute needs.
 How to Become a Travel Agent

			Travel agentsGood communication and computer skills are essential for travel agents.			
A high school diploma typically is required to become a travel agent. However, employers may prefer to hire candidates who have sales experience or relevant certification or education. Communication and customer service skills are essential.
Education
Travel agents typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation, but employers may prefer to hire candidates who have a college degree or who have taken courses related to the travel industry.
Community colleges, vocational schools, and industry associations may offer technical training, certificates, or continuing education in professional travel planning. In addition, some 4-year colleges offer degrees in travel and tourism. Courses usually focus on reservations systems, marketing, and regulations regarding international travel.
Training
Employers in the travel industry typically provide on-the-job training that lasts at least 1 month. This training covers topics such as how to operate computer systems that are used in the industry. For example, a travel agent could be trained to work with a reservation system used by several airlines.
Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations
High school graduates with limited experience may demonstrate competence by taking the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP) test. The test has no eligibility requirements, but study and preparation may be required. The test is administered by The Travel Institute.
The Travel Institute also provides training and professional credentials for travel agents at three different experience levels. These credentialing programs are the Certified Travel Associate (CTA), Certified Travel Counselor (CTC), and Certified Travel Industry Executive (CTIE). To maintain the credential, each program requires continuing education annually.
The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) offers credentialing and educational programs for those seeking to become a travel agent. ASTA offers the Verified Travel Advisor (VTA) program and the ASTA Roadmap to Becoming a Travel Advisor.
TheCruise Lines International Association (CLIA) offers four levels of certification: Certified (CCC), Accredited (ACC), Master (MCC), and Elite Cruise Counselor (ECC). Each level requires a certain amount of training and product knowledge.
Some states require travel agents to have a business license, to register with the state, or to meet other conditions. Requirements vary by state. Contact individual state licensing agencies for more information.
Other Experience
Some agencies prefer to hire travel agents who have extensive traveling experience. These agencies especially prefer travel agents who focus on particular destinations or types of travelers, such as groups with a special interest or corporate travelers. Agencies also may prefer to hire travel agents who have sales experience.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Travel agents must listen to clients’ travel needs and offer travel advice and information that meet those needs.
***Customer-service skills.*** Travel agents must be able to interact with clients and respond to questions and complaints in a friendly, professional manner.
***Detail oriented.*** Travel agents must ensure that the reservations they make are for the dates, times, and locations that match travelers’ schedules.
***Organizational skills.*** Travel agents often work on itineraries for many clients at once. Ability to keep information in order and to ensure that bills and receipts are processed in a timely manner is essential.
***Sales skills******.*** Travel agents must be able to persuade clients to buy transportation, lodging, or tours.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                Travel AgentsMedian annual wages, May 2023Sales representatives, services$63,150  Total, all occupations$48,060  Travel agents$47,410Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median annual wage for travel agents was $47,410 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $30,580, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $69,640.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median annual wages for travel agents in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Travel arrangement and reservation services
                $47,010These wage data include money earned from commissions. Earnings for many travel agents depend on commissions and service fees.
Most travel agents work full time, although part-time work is common. Some work additional hours during peak travel times or when they must accommodate clients’ schedule changes and last-minute needs.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               Travel AgentsPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Sales representatives, services5%  Total, all occupations3%  Travel agents3%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of travel agents is projected to grow				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 8,600 openings for travel agents are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Demand is projected to increase for travel agents’ expertise in recommending options to clients seeking personalized travel experiences. People are expected to continue relying on travel agents for their advice on popular or unique destinations and for their ability to handle travel issues.
However, the ability of travelers to use online resources to research vacations and book their own trips may limit demand for travel agents.
			

                        Employment projections data for     travel agents, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Travel agents**
			41-3041
			66,300
			68,600
			3
			2,300
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Travel agents **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of travel agents. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Information Clerks**
            Information clerks perform routine clerical duties, maintain records, collect data, and provide information to customers.
            See How to Become One
            $40,540**Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners**
            Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.
            Bachelor's degree
            $56,920**Secretaries and Administrative Assistants**
            Secretaries and administrative assistants do routine clerical and organizational tasks.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $46,010
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about training opportunities and optional certificates, visit
American Society of Travel Agents
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA)
The Travel Institute

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Travel Agents
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Travel Agents, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/sales/travel-agents.htm (visited *May 15, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


**U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics**
Office of Occupational Statistics and Employment Projections 
PSB Suite 2135 
2 Massachusetts Avenue NE  
Washington, DC 20212-0001 Telephone:1-202-691-5700 

www.bls.gov/ooh
Contact OOH