The travel and tourism industry is massive, generating over $850 billion annually worldwide. Best of all, the industry is expected to grow, so now is the time to get in and start working as a travel agent. However, what if you want to learn how to become a travel agent without experience? Boardwalk Travel Agency has everything you need to get your foot in the door and start booking clients ASAP.
Whether you want to take advantage of great package deals for yourself or have a passion for helping others book their dream vacation, this career is exciting and lucrative. So, here’s everything you need to know about how to become a travel agent without experience.
What Does a Travel Agent Do?
The primary job description for a travel agent is to help clients book their next trip. Whether it’s a dream vacation to the Caribbean or a work trip to the Midwest, travel agents handle the booking and logistics for their customers.
However, becoming a successful agent requires some essential skills, so let’s break down the specifics of what this job entails.
Work With Clients
First and foremost, you’ll want to provide excellent customer service to those you are helping. You make money from commissions, so the more packages you sell, the more you can earn. However, it’s not just about upselling the most expensive vacations. Instead, it’s about helping clients get the best trip possible.
Part of your job as a travel agent is to understand your client’s needs, which can change from one booking to the next (even with the same client). In some cases, it’s more important to have memorable experiences that the whole family can enjoy. In other instances, convenience and affordability are the primary motivators.
Regardless of the situation, you must accommodate your clients as much as possible, and you’ll have to talk to them at different points throughout the booking process. For example, you may talk about the type of trip they want to take and then have another discussion about their options before finalizing any booking arrangements.
MAKE RESERVATIONS
While you may have booked a flight or hotel for yourself before, the process is much different when working as a travel agent. Because you’re working on behalf of a client, you need to be able to compare options and rates before finalizing anything. Also, you must ensure that all details go to the client directly so they’re prepared for the trip.
Agencies like Boardwalk Travel connect you with third-party travel vendors and partners. So, instead of going through a traditional booking website, you’ll use an agency page that gives you more flexibility and insider information about a package. Plus, Boardwalk Travel works with all the top partners, including Disney, Universal Studios, Expedia, and more.
This part of the job can be the most time-consuming, but as you gain experience with booking different vacations, it’ll become much easier and more streamlined.
PROVIDE INSIDER DETAILS AND TIPS
Even if your clients are experienced travelers, they may not know what to expect from a specific vacation package. For example, if you’re booking someone on their first Disney cruise, they might not know where to board the boat or what amenities are available on board.
So, it’s imperative to know as much about the packages you’re selling as possible. Ideally, you can book some of them for yourself so you can get firsthand knowledge and experience, which you can then pass on to your clients.
Here is where you can separate yourself from other travel agents. The more insider knowledge and insights you can provide, the more valuable you are to your clients. You can notify them about best practices during their travels or how to get from point A to point B so they don’t get lost or confused along the way.
Why Become a Travel Agent?
Becoming a travel agent can be a fun and rewarding career for several reasons.
First, you get access to package deals and discounts that you can use for yourself or friends or family.
Second, you get to live vicariously through your clients. As you learn more about each vacation package and experience, you’ll discover what it’s like to travel around the world, all from the comfort of your laptop.
As you build your customer network and start booking clients, you can make a decent living in this profession. Plus, as you get better at attracting and retaining long-term clients, your earnings will only increase. So, if you love travel, you could start making money from your passion.
Finally, when working as an independent agent, your office can be anywhere you want. As long as you have an internet connection, you can book clients from your living room or a hotel room on the other side of the world. In fact, you can work as a travel agent while traveling—the ultimate win-win scenario!
How to Become a Travel Agent Without Experience
Fortunately, becoming a travel agent doesn’t require you to jump through hoops or go through weeks of intensive training. Instead, there’s a much easier and more affordable process. Here’s how you can go from inexperienced to a successful travel agent via Boardwalk Travel.
Step One: Sign Up for Boardwalk Travel
Typically, signing up for an online travel agency comes with ongoing monthly and annual costs. When you sign up with Boardwalk Travel, you only have to pay one membership fee. This fee gets you in for life, so no matter how long you are a travel agent, you can access all of our perks and services.
Step Two: Go Through Training
Your success is our success, so we’ve created an extensive training program to help you learn the basics of being a travel agent as quickly as possible. We know that you want to start booking clients immediately, so you don’t have to go through a probationary period or two weeks of mandatory training.
Instead, we have a library of videos showing you how to work the software and the steps to book a client and get paid. However, keep in mind that payments happen after the client goes on their trip, not when they book it. So, you must plan accordingly since your commissions won’t come in immediately.
In addition to training videos, we offer world-class support from experienced agents. If you have any questions about anything, feel free to ask and get the insight you need. Often, the best resource is someone who’s done it all before, and we’re always here to help you get your business off the ground.
Step Three: Start Booking Friends or Family
Before you book a trip as a travel agent, you may be nervous about the process. So, to make the experience a little easier, we recommend booking a trip for a friend or family member. This way, there’s less pressure to close the deal, and you can practice your customer service skills. We highly recommend developing scripts for your sales pitches so you always know what to say and sound more professional. You can practice and refine these scripts based on feedback from your friends or family.
While you can book a trip for yourself, it’s better to book for someone else first. This way, you can learn how to explain the details of a package, the benefits of it, and what your client should expect. The more you do this with others, the smoother and more confident you’ll be when speaking to new clients.
Step Four: Start Promoting Your Services
Once you’ve done a few bookings, you should be ready to start working with clients who don’t know you personally. Usually, the best place to start is with your own “sphere of influence.” Basically, you can tell everyone you know that you’re now a travel agent, so if they or someone they know needs help booking a vacation, you’re available.
Chances are someone you know (or someone they know) may want to book a trip soon, so you may be able to get a few clients immediately. Word-of-mouth marketing is crucial in this business, so make sure to tell everyone you work with to promote your services as much as possible. One successful booking can lead to another, and you’ll have a roster of repeat clients before you know it.
You should also promote your services online. While you’ll eventually need a website, you can start by creating social media pages. This way, new clients can get to know you a little before contacting you. As you start booking new clients, you can use the earnings from those commissions to invest in a website and paid SEO advertising.
Step Five: Lean on Boardwalk Travel’s Support Team
When you join our team as a Boardwalk Travel Agent, you’ll have the resources to become an expert at using the different software tools at your disposal. However, you’ll also encounter obstacles or questions you’re unprepared to answer. For those situations, you can rely on Boardwalk Travel to step in and help.
Remember, your membership fee works for life, so feel free to reach out whenever you need assistance. Whether it’s your first month on the job or five years from now, we’re always in your corner to help you succeed.
Benefits of Becoming a Travel Agent With Boardwalk Travel
You can stop wondering how to become a travel agent with no experience, and you can start your adventure as a travel agent while enjoying additional perks working with our agency:
- Flexible Scheduling – When you sign up with another travel agency, you must work a minimum number of hours and book a minimum number of vacation packages. With Boardwalk Travel, you set your own schedule and pace. Maybe you want to work as a travel agent as a side hustle in addition to your day job. Perhaps you only want to work on specific days of the week. You’re in charge of your career path, not us.
- High Commission Rates – Most travel agents expect to earn about 10 percent commission on each package they sell. At Boardwalk Travel, we pay up to 70 percent commission on everything. So, you don’t have to sell as many trips to make more money. However, as you build your business and attract more clients, your earnings can explode.
- Lifetime Support and Access – Typically, to be an agent with another agency, you must pay a monthly service fee to access their support and software. Boardwalk Travel only charges a one-time fee for lifetime access, so there’s even less pressure to close a deal immediately.
- Partnerships With Major Travel Vendors – We work with some of the most prominent vacation providers in the world, including Disney, Universal, and Expedia. In fact, you could even become a niche travel agent and only work with one vendor. For example, you could become a Disney travel agent and focus on booking dream vacations for families.
Tips and Tricks for Becoming a Successful Travel Agent
Having all the tools at your disposal is one thing, but success in this business often comes down to your approach to the job. Here are some ways to help you stand out and find more clients.
Focus on Value
There’s a tendency to focus on the price of a vacation package, and you’ll likely hear that from many of your clients. However, everyone can agree that the price is worth it if there’s value to what you’re receiving. So, it’s your job to take a value-first approach with each package you sell.
For example, instead of focusing on the price of the vacation, you can highlight the fun and memorable experiences your client will have. You can discuss how much this vacation will mean to them and their family for years to come. Also, don’t forget that many upgrades and perks are built on convenience. So, it often makes sense to pay more for a hassle-free vacation than to save a little money and jump through hoops.
Invest in Your Business
As you start making money from commissions, you should re-invest some of it back into your business. For example, you can invest in high-quality equipment like a headset or a high-powered desktop setup. Similarly, you should build a website to help clients find you and learn more about your services. If you’re serious about being a successful travel agent, you need to build your business infrastructure as you go.
Don’t Forget About Marketing
Marketing and advertising are essential to finding new clients. While word-of-mouth referrals are excellent, they may not generate enough leads month after month.
Typically, the best option is to invest in paid advertising so you can target your specific audience online. You can also develop marketing materials like blog posts, video clips, and customer testimonials. Often, the difference between becoming a successful or a struggling travel agent is the amount of marketing you do.
Sign Up for Boardwalk Travel Today!
Are you ready to start your next career? Boardwalk Travel is here to help you become the best travel agent you can be. Sign up for our membership today and see how easy it is to make money while following your passion.
