This transcript was generated from the episode audio and may contain minor errors.
[Music]
Have you ever used a travel agent to book a trip? Now, before you say no, 'cause I think a lot of our listeners are like, "No, I don't use a travel agent, just go and do it online." Well, if you have ever used a site like Orbitz, Travelocity, or Priceline, then you have actually booked with a travel agent, because these are online travel agencies, they just aren't always so helpful when you have a problem, which is supposed to be one of the main benefits of working with an agent. I mentioned all that because today's listener is interested in becoming a travel agent in the modern sense of the profession. It's an interesting profession or side business these days, just because the industry has evolved so much. So in lots of ways, travel agents aren't needed, like individual travelers are empowered to find lots of information and make a lot of bookings themselves, but they do still serve a purpose, and some of them actually make a good living at it.
So that's what our listener wants to figure out. How can she get certified? How can she find her market and enter the world of becoming a travel agent? Question and answer coming up in just 30 seconds. [Music]
Hi, Chris, this is Susan.
I recently found your show through Spotify. When I was a kid and my parents took us on vacation, they used a travel agent to book flights. I know it's such an outdated idea, but so most people these days just go online and book things themselves, but it looks like travel agents still exist, especially to help people plan more complicated trips and excursions, as well as for luxury hotel bookings where agents still earn a commission and have access to the perks that just a normal traveler doesn't get. So I am wondering if you can let me know how I break into this market. Do I need to get certified?
And do you know what the earning potentials are? Looking forward to hear your thoughts on this. Bye. - I remember the same thing with my parents. I grew up in two different families that were on opposite sides of the country.
Sometimes one family was out of the country. So I did a lot of flying back and forth for summers and holidays and such. And at least a few times, I remember going with my mom or my dad to the travel agency to book my tickets or even to learn about options, which I know a lot of our listeners are like, oh my God, I can't imagine a world like that. And I can't imagine a world like that either. The internet is so much better.
But travel agents, as Susan said, and Susan, thank you for the question. They do remain helpful for exactly what she mentioned. Luxury trips, specialized tours, upscale hotel stays, less so for basic airfare, since that's not usually commissionable anymore. So traditional travel agents have largely gone out of business or at least they've had to evolve in some way because they don't get paid very well by the airlines. Airlines kind of figured out we don't have to pay them so much.
But there are other options as mentioned. So Susan asked about certification. It's not actually required as a travel agent. There are several different bodies that offer certification. It's probably a good step just in terms of your social proof to have something.
So if you look at the travelinstitute.com, also internationaltravelinstitute.com, which appear to be two different business slash certification companies. I do think they're companies more than organizations, which tells you a bit. But at least for one of them, you can pay $450, then you become a certified travel associate. Now, none of that stuff has anything to do with getting business, of course. And so that's what Susan really needs to think about.
I think that is the core issue, not just how do I get my certification or my qualifications done, but how do I actually get business? And for that, you're really gonna need to specialize. You're really gonna need to specialize. You're gonna need to build some platform of your own. It's not that different from building platform for something else because ultimately it's gonna be a relationship-based business.
You're gonna need referrals. You're probably gonna need to do some kind of content marketing in terms of making YouTube videos or Instagram or TikTok videos, or something else perhaps. But the point is, again, building your authority to then build the business. So that's the main focus. As for the earning potential, it's a really big range.
Like most travel agents these days don't make that much, but some do very well. And the ones who don't make that much are, you know, still trying to pursue a traditional model or don't have platform or haven't really thought through how they can reach a specific market. And the ones that are doing very well, of course, well, the answers there would be the opposite. So I always like to look and say, what do these groups do differently? You know, the few people out of 100 or whatever the number is who have really succeeded.
What was the path that they chose? What actions did they take? And are those actions unique to them? Or might they be replicable by someone else? Perhaps even you, our listener.
And listeners, thank you for joining me today. If you have a question of your own, sidehustleschool.com/questions. We will continue to feature them throughout the year, along with updates from other listeners as they launch their projects. The show is available wherever you get your podcasts. My name is Chris Guillebeau.
This is "Side Uswelschool." [Music]
- From the Onward Project.
