All About a Career as a Travel Agent, How to become a Travel Agent, Salaries of Travel Agents and more on Mywage Zimbabwe
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By Wongai Zhangazha
For more than a decade Zimbabwe’s image has been marred by bad publicity which has seen the number of tourists decreasing. However, after the formation of the Government of National Unity in 2008 improvements have been noticed in both the economic and social sectors. This offers a great opportunity to market the country – by being a travel agent! The sector offers a great career choice for young, confident and cheerful women to work in the field.
Duties
On a typical day a travel agent gives advice on destinations, advising on weather conditions, tourist attractions, restaurants and recreation. They also make arrangements for transportation, hotel accommodations, car rentals and tours.
For international travelers they provide information on required papers such as passports, visas and certificates of vaccination and even currency exchange rates.
Moreblessing Chiri, a 26 year old travel agent with Acturus Travel, loves her job which involves also booking flights for customers and consulting with air flights information on departure and arrival times and fares. At times, her duty entails rating hotels and restaurants, evaluating comfort and cleanliness and quality of food for clients.
However, most of her work time is spent in the office behind a desk, and the computer and telephone are her main tools when communicating with clients.
Skills
Moreblessing holds a degree in Tourism and Hospitality from Midlands State University; however many travel agents have a diploma in Tourism and Travel.
Travel agents face competition from the internet where people go to get travel information. The increasing use of computers and technology worldwide has made employers demand travel agents with very good knowledge in this field.
Travel agents also require excellent communication skills and customer service skills as well as good sales skills and the ability to work well under pressure.
It would be an advantage to be well versed in a foreign language, such as French, Portuguese or Dutch. It is important to understand one’s country’s history, culture and geographical situation. The more knowledge one has, the greater the ability to market one’s country and give hood, honest advice.
Personal requirements
Apart from education requirement, travel agents need to have an outgoing personality, be polite, trustworthy, pleasant, and respectful and possess a great deal of patience, even when working under stress. Dressing is very important - travel agents need to look presentable and professional in formal clothing in a way that appeals to clients. Your looks say a lot!
Salary and Benefits
This varies from agency to agency. Travel agents can be paid around US$600 per month depending on the company they work for. They have the benefits of medical aid and pensions. Perks can include free or reduced flights, and free accommodation at hotels where they can take their families.
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