During the first year of business or while awaiting corporation approval, self-employed travel agents generally have low earnings. Their income usually is limited to commissions from hotels, cruises, and tour operators and to nominal fees for making complicated arrangements. Even established agents have lower profits during economic downturns. Earnings vary widely by occupation and experience. In addition to their hourly wage, full-time reservation and ticket agents who work evenings, nights, weekends, or holidays may receive shift differential pay.
Some employers offer educational assistance to their employees.
Unions representing these workers include the Transportation Communications International Union and the Amalgamated Transit Union . The travel industry generally is sensitive to economic downturns and international political crises, when travel plans are likely to be deferred. Therefore, the number of job opportunities fluctuates. Employment of reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks is sensitive to cyclical swings in the economy. During recessions, discretionary passenger travel declines and transportation service companies are less likely to hire new workers and even may resort to layoffs.