Want to Become an Independent Travel Agent? Read to Know More!
Are you wondering to become an independent
travel agent, but a bit worried about taking the first step towards
self-employment? Do you think becoming a
home based travel agent is going to be a challenging career path? However, if
some of you are pondering what independent agents are and what they do, this
post is going to answer all your questions. So, keep reading!
What is an Independent Travel Agent? What Do they Do?
As an independent travel agent, you will be
working for yourself, creating customized itineraries for domestic and
international trips. Not just that, you can choose to deliver a complete
package of travel services including, but not limited to hotel bookings, flight
reservations, rental services, and more.
You can plan travel packages for your
customers, considering their individual interests and preferences. Entice the
perks to work from anywhere, anytime, on your own terms. Though your previous
travel agency experience will certainly help you in getting started but it’s
not mandatory to have it.
However, if you have customer service
experience in any domain, you can use the skills that you have learnt to
attract customers and gain success. You should learn to anticipate your
customer’s needs and fulfil them in a best possible manner.
Are You Ready to Begin A Travel Business?
You need to be dedicated, passionate and be
able to learn new skills to become
travel booking agent online. Moreover, you need to stay up to date with the
latest travel information, current industry trends, location advisories, etc.
to serve your customers excellently. When you are working from home, your job
is not restricted to booking tickets, in fact, you will be handling
administrative tasks, marketing chores, sales duties, and more.
Ask yourself if you:
- are a quick thinker and admire problem solving?
- possess effective convincing and selling skills?
- are ready to handle pre-sales and post-sales tasks?
If you are an experienced travel agent, or
new to the travel industry, looking to start
travel agency business from home, you should partner with a host agency.
Starting your own travel business can be challenging for you if you do not have
any travel experience, or you can’t meet certain eligibility requirements.
A host company will provide you with access
to some travel technology and resources that will make your job easier. It’s
important that you partner with a reliable host agency, but how would you know
what’s the best option for you with so many alternates available in the market.
Here are some attributes that you must look
for in the host agency prior to selecting one:
- From how many years the agency has been in the travel business?
- If the agency is assisting the travel agent in generating qualifying leads?
- What commission rates are offered by the agency to the online travel agents?
- If ongoing support and training are provided by the agency to new/ existing partners?
Research thoroughly and make a wise decision.
