Sidhu, Manraj Kaur - Travel Consultant

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[edit] Job Title (Manraj Sidhu)

Travel Consultant

[edit] General Overview

A travel consultant considers information about geography, tourism, management, and psychology in order to provide consultation or advice about travel to clients. Information about domestic and international geography is considered for marketing or selling travel destinations, understanding domestic or world time zones, understanding various modes of transportation, understanding different currencies, planning travel documents, and understanding maps. Information about tourism is required to organize or operate visits to places or countries. Information about management is required to deal with decision-making processes that are related to components of travel. Information about psychology is considered alongside management in order to develop strategies for effective decision-making processes within the working environment.

[edit] Job duties and responsibilities

A travel consultant incorporates knowledge about geography, tourism, management, and psychology into travel services. A travel consultant provides consultation or advice about travel to clients. A travel consultant also organizes and plans vacations for clients. Cooperation is required to deal with clients, and determine needs related to place of interest, procedures of transportation, accommodations, and travel costs. Organization of information is required for planning services that are related to tourism or travel. A travel consultant organizes insurance plans, accommodations plans, and transportation plans. Provision of information that is relevant to specific accommodations, transportation, and insurance should be available for clients through effective communication procedures. These effective communication procedures require information to be presented through publications such as maps, domestic or international rules and regulations, guides, and important events. Travel consultants also deal with issues related to travel. Preparation of promotional material such as travel publications is essential because it enables marketing and selling of travel plans. A travel consultant is required to enter information about travel services and clients on specific software. Cooperation with other travel consultants in an effective working environment is considered. Statistical and financial information is managed and maintained for effective selling practices or provision of advice to clients.

[edit] Typical Workday

A typical workday in a travel agency is like a regular work day that ranges from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm in an office. Time varies according to demand. Some travel agencies extend working hours up to 8:00 pm. Peak seasons range from middle of December to the first week of January. Low seasons range from middle of April to middle of June. Demand for travel services varies across the year. A travel consultant meets clients, provides advice, makes reservations for clients, and handles transactions. Data entry into a specific software ensures statistical and financial information is stored effectively. Calls are made to deal with reservations, clients, and other tourist organizations. Some days require attending seminar on travel services.

[edit] Educational requirements and other qualifications

Experience may be required. Fluency in English and excellent communication skills are required. Fluency in other languages is considered an asset. An ability to communicate and interact with clients and travel organizations is required. Knowledge about domestic and international customs, rules, regulations, and travel trends is required. A Bachelors degree in Tourism, Business, or relevant field is considered an asset. The Travel Industry Council of Ontario (TICO) Certificate is required in order to be a certified travel consultant within Ontario. The provinces in Canada abide by different regulations and certification. In the province of British Columbia, individual licences are not required when working under a licenced travel agency. In the province of Ontario, a registered licence is obtained from The Travel Industry Council of Ontario. This licence is then renewed on a yearly basis. The fees for renewal of licence depends on volume of sales. The following links provide information that is relevant with regard to educational requirements and other qualifications.

  • www.tico.com
  • www.ehow.com/how_6790222_become_travel_agent-ontario_-canada.html
  • www.acta.ca/full-time-ontario

[edit] Related skills, interests, and abilities

Strong selling strategies, management, teamwork, cooperation, learning, and applying new information, and effective communication are required for the job. Strong selling strategies are applied when marketing the various travel plans to clients. These selling strategies include knowledge about affiliated travel organizations, and knowledge about client behaviour. Management refers to the process of dealing with other travel consultants and affiliated travel organizations. Effective and efficient decision-making should be considered when engaging in discussion such as how travel plans should be improved. Teamwork refers to the combined effort of the travel consultant and other organizations that deal with travel plans in order to establish effective and efficient services for clients. Cooperation is required in terms of making reservations with tourist organizations. Knowledge about various countries or places should be incorporated into the marketing of travel plans. Effective communication is required with regard to establishing a network with other tourist organizations and clients. An ability to enter data in a specific software is required in order to maintain statistical and financial information. An interest in domestic and international geography is considered as an asset because knowledge is incorporated into marketing travel plans, providing consultation or advice to clients, and building a network with tourist organizations around the world.

[edit] Relevance of Psychology undergraduate degree

A psychology undergraduate degree enables an individual to obtain transferable skills. Transferable skills involve analysis of information, evaluating statistical information, effective communication skills, and provision of advice related to relevant information. Analysis of information allows one to incorporate needs of clients to specific travel services. Evaluating statistical information is studies in a psychology undergraduate degree. An understanding of statistics can be incorporated in a working environment to identify and apply effective strategies or patterns that are related to travel services. Effective communication skills are established through a psychology degree. These communication skills are obtained through interactions in seminars, and through writing assignments or essays. Provision of relevant advice is learned through analyzing and evaluating information in courses related to psychology. Electives provide transferable skills. An elective in geography, business, and tourism enables an understanding of other fields that can be used by a travel consultant.

[edit] Salary Potential

Annual employment income in the year 2005 was $29673 for 55 percent of individuals who worked full-time (Service Canada, Government of Canada). Salary rates depend on various factors such as decisions made by air carriers or other travel organizations, and events that impact countries or places.

[edit] Job Outlook

The projected demand of this job is moderate. The demand depends on qualifications and experience. Specialization in specific accommodations is considered significant. Job outlook depends on quantity of required advice and travel demands. Since consumers are turning to the internet, the job outlook is not considered in a positive way.

[edit] To know more

[edit] Notes and References

1.Consumer Protection BC. Retrieved February 13, 2015, from http://www.consumerprotectionbc.ca/businesses-travel-services-home/do-i-need-a-licence

2.Travel Industry Council of Ontario. (n.d.). Retrieved February 14, 2015, from http://www.tico.ca/

3.Travel Counsellors. (n.d.). Retrieved February 10, 2015, from http://www.servicecanada.gc.ca/eng/qc/job_futures/statistics/6431.shtml

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