More on becoming a travel agent

I’d like to get back to Linda’s question concerning getting started making money as a travel agent.

Once you have decided that you want to pursue this as a career you will to establish a relationship with an authorized industry appointed travel agency (host agency). Regardless of whether you’re looking for full or part time employment either as a home based agent or in store front travel agency you will need permission to use their industry credentials when you make reservations and eventually earn commission of these sales. These professional agency identification numbers are what the suppliers utilized to identify you as a legitimate agency making you eligible to earn commissions on their products.

I would look for a host agency that wants you to succeed by selling travel for them and offers to affiliate with you for little or no costs. A good host agency should make industry specific available training available to you either free or at a nominal cost. For example the Sandals workshop that I recently attended cost me $25.00 while plenty of other training programs are offered free of charge. You just need your agency’s credentials (id numbers) to access the training. Supplying free or very affordable errors and omission insurance is another plus. There are many other factors so if you’re still interested it is time check out the information posted on the websites of NACTA (National Association of Commissioned Travel Agents) and the Outside Sales Support Network (OSSN).

I still believe that if you work (the optimal word here) smart and on your business you can earn $$ and qualify for free or reduced rate travel. But you have to sell travel to earn these travel benefits. This is where some of the MLM pitch people cloud the issue.

Believe me if all I had to do was to plunk down a couple hundred of dollars to get a free trip Europe I would be asking “Can I pay with my credit card?”

It all comes back to that nasty four letter word WORK! And I would also like to add the 5 letter word LEARN to the equation. In others word you have to LEARN to EARN.

Want to talk personally about becoming a travel agent just email me at thetravelprofessor@gmail.com and I will be glad to answer all of your questions.

Disclaimer: Please note that I am neither recruiting nor selling affiliations for any specific travel agent or agency. This is just an op-ed piece.