Travel agency sales consultants, or sales clerks advise customers on business and leisure travel and sell travel packages. They may work in high street travel agencies or in call centres.

They may work for:

• large travel companies who act as agents for many different package holiday or transport providers
• small independent companies who specialise in certain destinations or types of holiday, such as adventure/activity holidays
• companies who are also tour operators.

The work involves:

• talking to customers to find out which kind of holiday they want
• helping customers to find a suitable package holiday or to plan independent travel, itineraries and accommodation
• checking availability of the chosen holiday by telephone or computer
• making bookings using a computer system 
• advising about passports, travel insurance, visas and vaccinations
• advising on car hire and excursions
• collecting deposits and filling in booking forms
• contacting customers when their tickets arrive and collecting final payments
• informing customers of any changes such as cancelled flights, and making alternative arrangements
• dealing with complaints.
  

Hours and Environment

As a travel agency sales consultant you will usually work 35 to 40 hours a week over five days, normally between Mondays and Saturdays. You may be able to work part-time.

You will spend a lot of their time sitting at a counter or desk, dealing with customers either face to face or on the telephone. You will be expected to have a smart appearance and will probably be provided with a uniform.

Your employer may arrange short visits to resorts overseas to improve your knowledge of the holidays you are selling.

Skills and Interests

To be a travel agency sales consultant you should:

• enjoy providing a service to the public and dealing with people
• have an interest in travel and a knowledge of geography
• be able to cope under pressure at busy times
• be organised
• have a good telephone manner and strong communication skills
• have selling skills, both face-to-face and over the telephone
• have good computer skills
• be able to calculate costs and handle cash
• work well as a member of a team.

Entry

The most usual way to get into this type of work is to find a job with a travel agency and train on the job.

You will not usually need any particular qualifications, although there is quite a lot of competition for jobs, so it might be an advantage if you to have GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) in subjects such as maths, English and geography. The most important thing is to be able to show employers that you are enthusiastic and have the right personal qualities and skills for the job.

It will be useful if you have experience in customer services or sales. You might also find it helps if you are able to speak other languages.

There are full-time college course which you can do before looking for work. These are not essential, but could give you an advantage with some employers. Relevant courses include:

• BTEC First Diploma in Travel and Tourism
• BTEC National Diploma in Travel and Tourism
• BTEC HNC/HND in Travel and Tourism Management
• degrees in travel and tourism. 

You may be able to get into this job through an apprenticeship scheme. Funding for apprenticeships is available for 16-24 year olds and some over-25s. To find out more, visit www.apprenticeships.org.uk. For information about apprenticeships in other parts of the UK, see Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Training

You will usually start as a junior travel consultant and receive on-the-job training from your employer. This will usually start with a short induction course. You may then be sent on further specialist training courses and educational visits. 

You  may also work towards the Certificate in Travel (Travel Agents) levels 2 and 3. Please contact TTC Training or visit their website for details of approved colleges offering the certificate. Contact details are in Further Information. 

The Travel Training Programme, which is the TTC Training apprenticeship scheme, includes work placements within the industry alongside structured training leading to NVQ levels 2 and 3 in Travel and Tourism, or SVQ levels 2 and 3 in Travel Services.  

You might also be able to gain qualifications in customer service or administration.

Opportunities

Travel agency consultants work for travel agents throughout the UK. Travel agencies range from small, independent agencies to large agencies that have many branches. 

Prospects for promotion vary between employers. In small firms there is often little or no possibility of promotion.  Large agencies may offer promotion to senior posts, such as branch management. It may be necessary to move from branch to branch or from employer to employer to progress. 

Some consultants move into other jobs in tour operating, such as courier or resort representative.

Annual Income

Figures intended as a guideline only.

Junior travel consultants earn around £10,000 a year, however this would be less for apprentices.
Travel agency sales consultants usually earn between £12,000 and £16,000 a year.

Consultants often receive commission based on meeting performance targets. They may also receive discounts on holidays. 

Further information

The Quayside
4 Furnival Road
Sheffield
S4 7YA
Tel: 0800 915 9396 2nd Floor
Armstrong House
38 Market Square
Uxbridge
Middlesex
UB8 1LH
Tel: 0870 060 2550 PO Box 217
Ware
Hertfordshire
SG12 8WY
Tel: 0870 770 7960