Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for travel agency customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required.

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.

1. Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.

2. Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.

3. Compute cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour's costs.

4. Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer terminal or telephone.

5. Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.

6. Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.

7. Print or request transportation carrier tickets, using computer printer system or system link to travel carrier.

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.

Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.

Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.

Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.

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.

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.

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.

Transportation - Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.

English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

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.

Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed

Education: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some may require a bachelor's degree.

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.

The college search results are undergraduate programs associated with Travel Agents. Further education may also be required to pursue this career.

The training search results include both short and long-term programs associated with Travel Agents, and may be more appropriate for adult and non-traditional students. Further training may also be required to pursue this career.

In NY the average wage for this occupation was:

$23,390 (per year) for entry level workers, and $44,660 (per year) for experienced workers.

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Based on the total number of annual openings and its growth rate, the employment prospects for this occupation are described as Least Favorable.

During 2006, there were approximately 8,640 Travel Agents employed in NY.

We estimate that in 2016 there will be 8,260  employed in NY. This represents a decrease of 0 job(s) each year, and a total of 60 job openings each year.

Travel agents - Visit this link for additional information on this career from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; a publication produced and maintained by the United States Department of Labor.

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Travel Guides - Plan, organize, and conduct long distance cruises, tours, and expeditions for individuals and groups.

Flight Attendants - Provide personal services to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers during flight. Greet passengers, verify tickets, explain use of safety equipment, and serve food or beverages.

Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks - Make and confirm reservations and sell tickets to passengers and for large hotel or motel chains. May check baggage and direct passengers to designated concourse, pier, or track; make reservations, deliver tickets, arrange for visas, contact individuals and groups to inform them of package tours, or provide tourists with travel information, such as points of interest, restaurants, rates, and emergency service.

Cargo and Freight Agents - Expedite and route movement of incoming and outgoing cargo and freight shipments in airline, train, and trucking terminals, and shipping docks. Take orders from customers and arrange pickup of freight and cargo for delivery to loading platform. Prepare and examine bills of lading to determine shipping charges and tariffs.

Couriers and Messengers - Pick up and carry messages, documents, packages, and other items between offices or departments within an establishment or to other business concerns, traveling by foot, bicycle, motorcycle, automobile, or public conveyance.

Dispatchers, Except Police, Fire, and Ambulance - Schedule and dispatch workers, work crews, equipment, or service vehicles for conveyance of materials, freight, or passengers, or for normal installation, service, or emergency repairs rendered outside the place of business. Duties may include using radio, telephone, or computer to transmit assignments and compiling statistics and reports on work progress.