Travel agent job description template: Everything you need to include

Hiring an unqualified travel agent can lead to thinner margins, unhappy customers, and reputational damage. Often, this stems from poorly written job descriptions that over-prioritize generic travel knowledge and neglect the need for concrete skills – such as research, negotiation, and problem-solving. 

But that doesn’t have to be your story. 

In this article, we share a foolproof travel agent job description and offer top tips on assessing applicants with skills-based methods so you can find someone who truly meets the unique needs of this role.

Travel agent job description template

Job Title: Travel Agent

• Location: [City, State/Remote]

• Department: [Travel & Tourism/Customer Service]

• Reports To: [Manager/Supervisor Title]

• Job Type: [Full-Time/Part-Time/Contract]

Job Summary

We are looking for a friendly and detail-oriented Travel Agent to join our team. In this role, you will assist clients in planning, organizing, and booking their travel arrangements, including transportation, accommodation, and activities. The ideal candidate will have excellent customer service skills, a passion for travel, and a keen eye for detail to create seamless and memorable travel experiences.

Key Responsibilities

• Client Consultation: Meet with clients to understand their travel needs, preferences, and budget.

• Travel Planning & Booking: Research, recommend, and book travel arrangements, including flights, hotels, car rentals, and tours.

• Itinerary Development: Create and provide customized travel itineraries tailored to the client’s requirements.

• Problem Resolution: Assist clients with travel issues – such as cancellations, changes, or emergencies – ensuring a smooth experience.

• Sales & Upselling: Promote travel packages, insurance, and other value-added services to enhance the client’s journey.

• Market Research: Stay updated on travel trends, destinations, and special deals to provide clients with the best options.

• Compliance: Ensure all bookings and documentation comply with travel regulations and company policies.

• Follow-Up: Build relationships with clients through post-travel follow-ups and feedback collection.

Key Competencies and Skills

• Proficiency in reservation and booking systems (e.g., Amadeus, Sabre, Galileo).

• Strong customer service and communication skills.

• Excellent organizational and time management abilities.

• Attention to detail and accuracy in handling travel documentation.

• Passion for travel and enthusiasm for sharing travel experiences.

• Problem-solving skills and the ability to work under pressure.

• Strong interpersonal skills and a customer-focused approach.

• Flexibility to accommodate client needs, including after-hours support.

• Proficiency in multiple languages is a plus.

Qualifications

Required:

• Knowledge of popular travel destinations, attractions, and transportation options.

• [Any qualifications mandated by laws in your state – including Sellers of Travel laws like those in Florida]. 

Preferred:

• Bachelor’s degree in Travel, Tourism, or a related field.

• Proven experience as a Travel Agent or in a related role.

• Certification in travel and tourism (e.g., Certified Travel Associate [CTA], Travel and Tourism Professional [TTP]).

• Experience with corporate travel management or luxury travel planning.

• Familiarity with travel insurance policies and regulations.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary and commissions.

• Discounts on travel and related perks.

• Opportunities for professional growth and certifications.

• A dynamic and inclusive work environment.

• Access to industry-leading tools and resources.

Application Instructions

To apply, please submit your [application materials, e.g., “a brief cover letter outlining your travel experience and passion”] to [email/website link].

Deadline: [Insert Application Deadline]

[Company Name] is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds to join our team.

Why this travel agent job description template works

Our travel agent job description has been carefully crafted to help you attract the most skilled travel agents – not just passionate travelers.

Here’s why each part of this role description works effectively. 

Job details and summary

We start by clearly specifying the work arrangements for the role. Travel agents often work remotely or as contractors, and many candidates will assume every role is remote. It’s crucial to let them know upfront if the role is remote, hybrid, or on-site and if it’s part-time, full-time, or freelance. 

Additionally, we outline the primary nature of the role as client-facing so less experienced candidates can carefully consider if they’re comfortable interacting with customers and being their first point of contact for everything from bookings to customer support. This way, they can self-assess their suitability and match, eliminating unsuitable applications before they even get to you. 

Key responsibilities 

This section lists the daily duties in this role. We’ve deliberately put these in a logical order, beginning with client consultation and moving through to bookings, itinerary development, problem-solving, and client follow-ups. 

We’ve also made sure candidates know that managing individual client trips is not where their responsibilities end. They’re expected to stay updated with the latest trends, ensure compliance, and engage in market research and customer relationship management. 

Many travel agents assume these are “above and beyond” their role, so it’s important to clarify that these are the standard expectations from the get-go. 

Competencies and qualifications 

When it comes to defining what we’re looking for, we placed competencies and soft skills over formal qualifications to emphasize that these are more critical for success in a travel agent role. 

The best candidates will be adaptable to different client needs, great at problem-solving (especially when unexpected issues arise), and excellent at managing customer relationships overall. 

We’ve listed qualifications like college degrees as preferences rather than requirements. This widens the talent pool and opens the doors to candidates who are skilled through alternative routes like self-learning, online courses, and more. 

Our offering and application instructions

According to a recent panel discussion, with many seasoned agents retiring, there’s a lack of skilled travel agents in the market today. With this in mind, we’ve dedicated an entire section to employee benefits like pay, travel discounts, and growth opportunities – so you can attract talent before the competition does. 

Finally, we end with clear application instructions and encourage candidates from different backgrounds to apply. This not only ensures compliance but also demonstrates a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and fair hiring practices – something worldly candidates will appreciate.

Next steps: Attracting and assessing travel agent candidates

Once you've posted your travel agent job description to traditional and niche job boards, your website, and social media platforms, expect to see a large number of applications come through. You need a quick and accurate way to separate those who are skilled from those who simply "enjoy traveling." 

The best way to do this is with TestGorilla's talent assessments. Our library of 400+ science-backed tests can be used to assess your candidates' technical expertise, soft skills, cognitive abilities, behavioral traits, and more. 

You can combine up to five tests to create your own custom travel agent assessment and use it to screen applicants in the early stages of your hiring process. 

Here are some tests for travel agents to consider. 

Hard skills

• Sales Aptitude test

• Social Media Management test

• Customer Service (Multimedia) test

• Language tests

Soft and cognitive skills

• Communication test

• Negotiation test

• Problem Solving test

Personality and culture

• Motivation test

• Culture Add test

• Big 5 (OCEAN) test, DISC, and other personality assessments

What's more, you can add custom questions to these tests to ensure you cover topics or skills critical to your company. 

These tests are an excellent way to get a well-rounded view of your candidates' strengths, interests, development areas, and more – and with automatic scoring, you can easily find and select the most skilled candidates to interview. 

Keen to learn more? Create a free account to explore how TestGorilla can help you hire exceptional candidates and post your open remote positions on our job board. 

FAQs

What are the qualities of a travel agent?

A good travel agent is knowledgeable about travel and destinations, organized and methodical in their planning, great at adapting to clients' unique needs, quick at solving last-minute problems, and exceptional at providing top-notch customer service. 

How much do travel agents get paid?

On average, travel agents in the US get paid a base salary of $50,040/year or $24.06/hour from their company or agency. They also tend to make commissions from hotels, airlines, and other external travel partners. Learn more in our article on what to pay a travel agent.