Travel Agent Career Outlook | An Insider's Take

It used to be when I’d tell people I worked with travel agents, I get a puzzled look and then they ask, "Does anyone even use travel agents anymore?" or "Is it viable? I mean, nowadays? A travel agent career?"

As the value of a travel advisor has really taken root—thank you, Pandemic—I don’t hear this question as often. But I still do… so let’s get some things straight when it comes to the outlook of career as a travel advisor.

In 2023, travel agents are in higher demand than ever before. A 2023 consumer research survey from ASTA (the American Society of Travel Advisors) found that 50% of travelers are more likely to use a travel advisor post-pandemic. (This is a 7-point increase from 2022.)

Not only that, but according to Phocuswright's US Travel Agency Landscape, there are more travel agents to meet that need, "Travel agency share of the total travel market will rise to 26% in 2026 from 21% in 2022, but still lags 2019 levels."

Here are the crib notes: There’s no better time to become a travel agent. And let me tell you, you have come to the right place if you dream of a travel agent career! We've got tons of info on starting how to start a travel agency, travel agent training, as well as an online course on how to start your own travel agency.

If you’re curious to dig a little deeper into a travel agent career outlook, then read on! Here's what I'll chat on!

⭐️ HAR Article Highlights: ⭐️

1. Travelers Want Travel Advisor Services More than Ever
2. Analysis Paralysis Is Real (And Travel Advisors Help You Through it)

Questions we Answer!

1. Do People Actually Use Travel Agents?
2. How Many People Use Travel Agents?
3. How Many Travel Agents Are There?
4. Is There Money In a Travel Agent Career?
5. You're Biased Because You Love Travel Agents, Right?

Final thoughts!

1. You Don't Know What You Don't Know
2. Want to Become a Travel Agent?

Travelers Want Travel Advisor Services More than Ever

Pandemic-ignited pent-up demand to travel has led to a boom for travel agencies. The U.S. Travel Association reported $1.2 trillion in direct spending for 2022, exceeding 2019 direct spending levels ($1.1 trillion).

By all accounts, there is more opportunity for advisors right now than I’ve ever seen in my entire 30-plus years in the travel business. - Perry Lungmus, VP of Travel Leaders Network

Here's what this travel demand looks like. As of the publication date:

1. June 2023 TSA checkpoint travel numbers have tipped above 2019 levels.
2. According to a 2023 UNTWO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) press release, “An estimated 235 million tourists travelled internationally in the first three months, more than double the same period of 2022.”

That’s all fine and dandy but are all these travelers booking on their own?

When it comes to travel agents, the question is no longer, “Are travel agents relevant?” Now the question is, “Are travel agents able to meet the ever-increasing demand for their travel services?”

Perry Lungmus, VP of Travel Leaders Network, weighed in on what the demand for travel advisor services looks like on the ground among the TLN network of travel agencies:

By all accounts, there is more opportunity for advisors right now than I’ve ever seen in my entire 30-plus years in the travel business. Not only are agency owners looking for new talent and super supportive of those new to the industry, but travel sales continue to be very strong, supplier pricing and advisor commissions trends are great and most importantly, far more consumers now understand the advantages of working with an advisor. So, it’s truly a great time to build one’s career selling travel. 

- Perry Lungmus, VP of Travel Leaders Network

Analysis Paralysis is Real . . . And Advisors Help You Through It

A perfect way to break down why a travel agent career is a reality (even with the option to book online) is the TED talk "The Paradox of Choice."

It explains how the overwhelming amount of choices decreases satisfaction and increases paralysis. After watching this, you'll understand why travel agents will always be needed. You'll also understand why buying spaghetti sauce—with all those darn options—is exhausting!

It's our responsibility as an industry to educate the traveling public about the value of a travel agent.

After all, if we can't convince you—reading this because you WANT to be a travel agent—of your own value, how can you expect to convince anyone else? Want a few other resources to help you walk the walk? We have some. 😊

1. Using a Travel Agent Vs. Booking Online: Hard data on how travel agents save travelers time and money.
2. 3 Real-Life Ways a Travel Agent Can Save You Money That Expedia Can't: Want a few one-liners next time someone brags about booking online and not needing an agent because they are experts on everything? This one's for you. 

Now, let's get into the real questions you've likely got floating around in that head of yours...

1. Do People Actually Use Travel Agents?

First thing to know is that if you’re booking your air from MSP to LAX for a trip to see friends, you may not need a travel advisor if you’re familiar with the ancillary fees, different rules based on what type of ticket you’re booking, etc. 

Where do travel advisors of today really shine? Complex trips. When you’re spending thousands of dollars, traveling with a group or internationally, that’s when you’ll really be grateful for their expertise, connections and support.

Would you buy a house without a housing inspection? Would you buy a car without test-driving it first? No. Probably not. So why would dropping a nice chunk of change on a vacation be any different? 

A traveler can't "test drive" a vacation, but you know who can? A travel agent. Advisors have done the FAM trips, visited the destination, and toured the ship. They provide the knowledge and expertise from first-hand experience. They’ve already qualified suppliers, researched destinations, and established direct lines to suppliers they can rely on to support travelers during their trip. 

They qualify travelers too, asking travelers questions they may not think to ask themselves, From details like, "Is premium brand liquor important to have included in your resort?" to directing travelers to critical information on COVID restrictions such as, “What are the latest travel restrictions to New Zealand, and will my travel insurance cover a cancellation if those requirements change before my trip?” 

So why doesn't everyone hire a travel agent? I think it's primarily because of a lack of education. When people think of travel agents, they likely have a very limited idea of what a travel agent does—they just press a button and book a ticket right? Wrong. 

Consider that pre-COVID, travelers spent 23+ hours planning and booking a trip, visiting 140+ web pages before booking.

People certainly can book their own travel but whether or not they should is a whole different question. 

2. How Many People Actually Use a Travel Agent? 

Without a doubt, people love to travel. But does this correlate to using a travel advisor? The short answer is, yes. 

22% of U.S. travelers used a travel advisor¹. This percentage will grow, with 50% of travelers reporting they’re more likely to use a travel advisor post-pandemic (a 14% increase from 2022!)². 

While it’s tough to pinpoint the exact number of people that use a travel advisor, we know that nearly 3/4 of cruise bookings are made by travel advisors. And this is straight from the horse's mouth!

That's right, the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), owned by their 53 cruise line members, found that not only do travel agents account for the vast majority of cruise bookings, but that younger generations are more likely to use a travel advisor than older generations³ That makes a travel agent career look awfully promising, doesn't it? :)

But it goes beyond cruises. Traditional travel agencies still sell a significant chunk of land-based leisure vacations including custom trips, tours, all-inclusive resorts, etc., and sell about 1/3 of all air tickets.

And we'll end it with this factoid: PhocusWright, a market research firm in the travel industry space that leans heavily towards online travel agencies (OTAs), released their 2023 report on traditional travel agencies titled "U.S. Travel Agents: Optimism Abounds".

I think they say it best:

Phocuswright has been researching the U.S. travel agency landscape since 2006. Our initial study examined the possibility of travel agency extinction. Instead, with business models changing, and new tools and technologies emerging, the need for professional, personalized services has stood the test of time. Travel agents are not only surviving; they are thriving.

3. How Many Travel Agents Are There?

The BLS’ latest travel agent headcount lands at 66,300. But this number is a tad misleading. Why? Because the BLS looks primarily at travel agent employees. What does this mean? Their count excludes self-employed agents from their count. ⁴ 

This is kind of a big deal. There are tens of thousands of self-employed travel agents and these agencies—often home based with less visibility than traditional storefront agencies—are the fastest growing segment in our industry. So leaving them out of the statistics is very misleading when it comes to career outlook!

So, how many travel agents are really out there? ASTA reported that their trade organization and their affiliates represent 160,000 travel advisors in the United States according to its 2023 fact sheet. This includes employees and those home based independent advisors the BLS missed. 

4. Is There Money in a Travel Agent Career?

A travel agent career isn't a career unless you can actually make a living off it, right? And I’m happy to report that yes, you can make money as a travel advisor! You can read up on how much travel agents make in its very own article!

81% of advisors reported their 2022 sales increased from the prior year. 77% of all advisors reported their 2022 sales have recovered to pre-pandemic levels. 

What levels are advisors trying to recover to? In 2019, the average income for full-time experienced hosted advisors was at an all-time high, $64,377.

But ultimately, it's not all about money. A travel agent career has amazing perks, like special travel agent rates and FAM trips. It offers the chance to travel to beautiful destinations and to have great experiences, a chance to travel and get paid or write it off. Have you read our story from our ATMEX trip? Heat not your thing? How about Alaska?

Plus, if you open your own agency you get freedom and flexibility in addition to travel perks.

5. You're Biased Because You Love Travel Agents, Right?

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics projects a 20% career growth for travel advisors over the next decade (2021-2031), which is “much faster than the average for all occupations."

Busted. We are biased, and we do love travel agents and this a travel agent career is a great route for travel lovers. :) So let's bring in some opinions from media outlets who aren't necessarily on Team Travel Agent.

Forbes recently touted the value of the advisor. Media giants like The Boston Globe, Consumer Reports, Wall Street Journal, and Barron's also show a travel agent career is viable.

Data from the Bureau of Labor and Statistics projected a 3% career growth over the next decade (2022-2032), which is "about as fast as the average for all occupations". But! The April 2023 projection was a 20% career growth for travel advisors over the next decade (2021-2031), which is “much faster than the average for all occupations". As a travel industry insider, I can tell you there is a SERIOUS travel advisor shortage and an unprecedented demand for travel. And remember, the BLS growth numbers are just looking at travel agent career growth when it comes to employees, not the tens of thousands that are self-employed and start their own agencies.

You Don’t Know What You Don’t Know

I want to do one final humble analogy. I bought a foreclosed duplex many years ago, a real fixer-upper. It had a total of 19 rooms—splashed with colors varying from blood red with sparkling gold trim to eggplant purple. It was hideous.

You know the saying, "You don't know what you don't know?" That was me.

When you're not an expert, you're too unskilled to realize it.

I'm a novice painter but after my first few rooms, I was feeling pretty proud of my accomplishments. Then, a peculiar thing happened. As I continued painting, I was learning enough to realize my paint jobs weren't—GASP!—professional! I made mistakes that would have been common sense to a pro and my end results were nowhere near professional.

After painting all 19 rooms, I became more efficient, better at painting, and much more appreciative of the skills required of professional painters. When it came to painting skills, there was a huge divide between me and a professional painter—I had a long way to go to even come close to being an expert!

The same goes for a travel agent career. You can book it yourself, but until it's something you do day in and day out, you can't appreciate what a real pro does. Someone that books travel all the time knows the nuances of travel and the tools to book it well. Travel agents know what to do, who to get it from, how to get the best deal, and how to avoid mistakes that would otherwise tank a bucket-list trip. 

Want to Try Out a Travel Agent Career?

A travel agent career means you live, eat, and sleep travel. Everyone likes to think they're a travel expert because they can Google it. But in reality, there is a lot more to being a travel agent than meets the eye, don't you agree?

If you're interested in a travel agent career, check out what it takes to become a travel agent. Better yet, take a gander at our free 7-Day Setup and the free trial of HAR’s course!

Our mini course will walk you through the steps you need to take before getting your travel agency off the ground! What more could an aspiring agent ask for? 🙂

Footnotes

1. Source: ASTA 2023 Press Kit ↩
2. Source: 2023 ASTA Consumer Survey ↩
3. Source: CLIA State of the Cruise Industry 2023 ↩
4. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, October 2023 ↩