15 Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Agent

The travel industry alone is a great way to open yourself up to a variety of opportunities.

Among the most popular are travel agents.

Whether you’re considering transitioning to a new career or adding a part-time hustle to your life, a travel agent may be the perfect career path.

This guide will provide you with some of the most well-known pros and cons of being a travel agent.

This will help you determine whether this career is a great choice for you.

Pros of Being a Travel Agent

Here is a list of pros of being a travel agent.

Flexible Career

Not only is a job as a travel agent flexible, but it also provides you with a lot of mobility.

You have the luxury of choosing your own location and hours to work.

One of the biggest benefits of becoming a travel agent is having a great deal of flexibility.

Your primary duty as a travel agent is to market and sell your travel packages and tickets.

Some travel agents work from home as a freelance agent, while others work from offices.

The choice is yours.

Be Your Own Boss

Another pro of being a travel agent is you have the option of becoming your own boss.

If you enjoy helping people with traveling and always dreamed of owning your own business, becoming a travel agent may be ideal for you.

More and more people are becoming independent travel agents.

All that’s required is a little bit of research on your end.

Self-employment gives you the ability to set your own work schedule and much more.

Many Opportunities to Travel

As a travel agent, you already have a good idea of travel deals and packages.

This gives you the benefit of actually taking advantage of some of the travel destinations you are selling to your clients.

Most of the time you will receive discounts for trips via FAM trips.

This allows you to get some assistance with your research and familiarize yourself with the services you are offering your clients.

Additional Training Isn’t Required

Travel agents don’t require certain training requirements, unlike other careers.

If you have a passion for traveling and helping others, a career as a travel agent may suit you well.

Additionally, there are accreditations you can receive online at no additional cost to you.

Whether you’re thinking about starting your own agency or working for a company, you are giving yourself more room for flexibility.

You can set yourself up to sell your travel packages right from the comfort of your own home as long as you have an organized plan.

Great Income

All travel agents aren’t created equal.

If you do your part and really market yourself well, your earning potential will be extremely rewarding.

One thing is for sure, being a travel agent does promise you a satisfying income.

Travel agents, on average can make $44,410 annually.

Depending on the type of travel agency job you have in addition to commission, your earning potential could be higher.

There are other reports that state travel agents can earn up to $500,000 each year.

An array of Job Opportunities

By becoming a travel agent, you have now opened yourself up to a vast range of job opportunities.

A job as a travel agent allows you to focus your attention on a particular area that you are passionate about.

For example, you may make the decision to only sell travel packages for honeymoons and cruises.

Or perhaps you want to focus on African safaris or Caribbean resorts only.

The opportunities are endless.

You are in control of where you’d like to work.

Maybe you want to work for a company overseas.

Or, maybe a large corporation better suits you.

Part-Time Options Available

If you’re looking for a part-time side hustle as a travel agent, you may be in for some good news.

Versatility is definitely on the table if you are considering becoming a travel agent.

This enables you to set your own schedule to fit in with the rest of your life.

In the future, if you decide to transition to working full-time, this type of job still gives you the advantage of adding another side hustle with no problem.

Exciting Career Choice

Let’s face it. Being a travel agent is exciting.

You can enjoy the luxury of traveling around the world.

You will also meet people from all different backgrounds.

These things combined will deliver some of the best experiences you’ve ever had in your life.

Rules, activities, and destinations will always change as a travel agent.

With this type of job, you’ll never get bored.

Cons of Being a Travel Agent

While a job as a travel agent may sound exciting and classy, there are also several disadvantages.

Read on to learn about some of the cons of being a travel agent.

Demanding Career

One of the biggest cons of being a travel agent is that it’s extremely demanding.

As a travel agent, you should be prepared to make yourself available all day, every day.

This mainly has to do with the time differences throughout the world.

If your clients are wanting to travel to a different part of the world, they may reach out to you if they have some questions.

These questions may come in at any time during the day.

It’s possible you may even have to respond to a phone call in the wee hours of the morning.

May be Stressful

You may not want to believe that being a travel agent could be stressful even with all the bonuses that come with it.

However, no matter the profession, every job faces challenges and disadvantages.

It’s typical for travel agents to become overloaded with demands from every side of their career.

They deal with pressure during the peak season.

They also have to work on commission pay only.

If you’re employed through an agency, there’s always a chance of being fired.

A lot of Competition

It’s not hard to become a travel agent, which is one of the reasons many people are choosing this career path.

With that comes the need for you to stand out and make yourself appear different from the rest of the competition.

People are always going to travel.

Travelers are also faced with a plethora of options for travel agencies.

This may make your job more challenging as you must find a distinctive selling point to gain new customers.

Stability is Lacking

Travel agents are not in demand as they once were years ago.

Times have changed.

Travelers now have access to information they didn’t have before.

This makes it easy for anyone to plan their own trips.

Customers can plan a trip online without the need for a travel agent.

This jeopardizes travel agent’s job stability.

If you work for an agency, you may have a quote to meet.

If you don’t meet that sales quota, your job may be at even more risk.

Customer Lawsuits are Possible

As a travel agent, you must tread very carefully.

Customers now have access to additional information where they can compare prices, etc.

If a customer files a lawsuit against you for misrepresentation or negligence, it can put a damper on your finances and reputation.

Customers tend to go the legal route these days when looking for a solution to a dispute.

While you can’t be held liable for things that go wrong during their trip, you are held to high expectations.

Low Annual Salary

Another huge disadvantage of being a travel agent is their annual salary.

On average, travel agents can expect to earn $48,943.

While this isn’t necessarily low, it could be better.

It’s possible for certain travel agents to receive a higher annual salary, but this would depend on several factors.

But, for the most part, it’s typical for travel agents to not earn more than $50,000 a year.

No Room for Growth

Many career paths have opportunities to advance and move up in your profession.

However, there’s only so much you can do as a travel agent.

This isn’t a career where you can really grow unless you work for a travel agency.

Working for an agency gives you the option to move up to a branch manager.

The best option you have when it comes to being successful as a travel agent is to open up your own business.

15 Pros and Cons of Being a Travel Agent – Summary Table

Should You Become a Travel Agent?

It really depends on what you are expecting from the profession itself.

On average, you can earn up to $50,000 annually.

This doesn’t include commissions and bonuses.

Considering these factors, it may be worth your time to hold a job as a travel agent.

However, the job can come with some major drawbacks.

It can be demanding.

You also must make yourself available 24/7 to customers who may be traveling across the world.

But, even with the challenges, you can still benefit more from all the good things being a travel agent has to offer.