1. Introduction to Travel and Tourism Dealing With Dreams: The Travel Agency Industry
Chapter 5

2. A Travel Agent’s Value
More skilled at finding the best travel solution and the best deal
Experience save times and trouble
Professionalism equals accountability
Better knowledge of suppliers and destinations
Largely impartial to advertising

3. Training Needs of Travel Agents
Professional organizations
Destination marketing organizations
Suppliers
Travel schools

4. Kinds of Travel Agencies
Conventional, full-service agencies
Online agencies
Specialized agencies
Home-based agencies

5. Corporate Travel Management
Set corporate travel policy
Plan meetings, conferences, and convention programs
Negotiate with suppliers
Manage travel budgets
Arrange personnel relocation and housing
Communicate with management in other departments of the corporation

6. Travel Agents and Leisure Clients
They provide a warm and cheery greeting.
They ask questions to determine the client’s needs.
They do research, if necessary.
They make recommendations that meet the client’s needs.
They overcome objections that the client might have to the recommendations.
They enhance the sale by recommending additional products or services.
They close the sale by getting agreement and payment from the client.
They follow up to make sure the trip went well.

7. For Work or Pleasure? Corporate Agents Leisure Agents
Respond to requests
Deal with logistics
Usually work with short lead times
Know a lot about selected destinations
Usually hear about how a trip went
Most callers book travel
Inform and suggest
Deal with dreams
More likely work with long lead times
Know details about many more destinations
Hear about a trip if something went wrong
Most callers don’t book

8. Careers in the Travel Agent Industry
Senior executives, directors, managers, owners
Human resources/training specialists
Travel agents (leisure and/or corporate)
Outside sales representatives
Group specialists
Cruise, destination, corporate travel specialists
Clerical support and accountants
Vendor negotiators
Technological support

9. The Successful Leisure Travel Agent
Understands suppliers’ products and services
Knows destinations their clients most often visit
Has solid research and computer skills
Familiar with the logistics and requirements of travel
Knows basic bookkeeping and accounting
Has sharp sales, service and communication skills
Devotes time to expanding their expertise