Winston Hills, New South Wales31 travel agents near you

Before we delve into the different courses that allow you to work in a travel agency, let's start by highlighting the fact that no diploma is required if you want to open your own agency or work in one. In fact, since 2015, it is no longer mandatory to have a BTS in tourism or a similar degree to create your own travel agency. You can therefore practice without a diploma, however skills and experience remain key elements for success.

Let's not fool ourselves, creating this type of company, or even just working in it, is not within reach of those who are not passionate about the subject of travel and foreign cultures, and furthermore, it is never too late to train and learn. If you have no diploma to help you, but you want to change your career to become a travel agent for example, know that it will be possible to train yourself via your "Compte Personnel de Formation" (CPF). Inquire with Pôle Emploi to find out where your account stands and how much you have to train yourself.

After having said all this, let's now take a look at the courses that are most often favored before entering the world of work in a travel agency.

After high school: 2 years to obtain a BTS in tourism or operational commercial management; 3 years for the BUT (Bachelor Universitaire de Technologie) in commercialization techniques. Specialized schools also offer bachelor's degrees.

After a two-year degree:

• BTS in operational commercial management
• BTS in tourism
• Salesperson in business travel and tourism

After a three-year degree:

• BUT in commercialization techniques
• Professional license in tourism professions: commercialization of tourism products
• Professional license in tourism and leisure professions

After a five-year degree:

• Master of Science in Tourism and Destination Management

On a daily basis, the activities of a travel agent are diverse and varied, so much so that the professional will rarely have time to get bored during their days, provided their agency is running properly. These tasks can be very different from one company to another. However, to give you a more precise idea of what to expect when practicing this profession, we will summarize for you all the main functions, as well as the most common, for which a travel agent is responsible:

• To start, they must of course be familiar with their agency's tourist offerings in order to inform their customers and be able to illustrate their point with detailed information if necessary.
• They must also be able to welcome customers in person or over the phone, with the appropriate tone, voice and warmth.
• They must also respond to requests for quotes or information by email, which is an administrative task that takes a lot of time and requires organization and rigor at all times.
• They must also select tourism products according to the customer's request, then present their characteristics in a constructive and, if possible, argumentative way (the strengths, the prices).
• They must also advise the client on the different products (transportation, services), make the reservation, and then establish the contractual documents necessary for the commercial exchange.
• They must also check travel documents in advance so that the traveler does not encounter any unpleasant surprises during their trip.
• They must also establish the terms of settlement of a dispute or pass it on to legal or litigation services.
• They must also provide information for monitoring activity supports so that the agency can have an overall view of its activity and its evolution over time.
• They must organize the display of the sales space, with a certain marketing spirit.
• Finally, they must perform sales promotion operations, especially during periods specifically conducive to this.

The idea of traveling is often a source of anxiety for those who are preparing for it, as there are many things to consider so that the trip goes smoothly and without any hiccups. In this section, we will specifically discuss the main reasons why you should consider using a travel agency or at least a professional in the sector to organize your trip.

Preparing for a trip, even one of just a few days, is not easy. Certainly, a lot of information is available on the internet, but compiling it all to organize your future trip takes a lot of time. First, let's realize that going through a travel agency will allow you to save a lot of time. No need to spend several hours searching for the right flight or finding a hotel to sleep in, finding a rental car, etc. Calling on a professional means giving yourself more time to devote to other things that could also, why not, optimize your trip.

Then, entrusting the organization of your trip to a provider means trusting the experience and know-how of a professional who has the required skills to organize a trip that meets your expectations and advise you properly, both in terms of tourism, legal, or even geographical aspects.

Calling on a professional, contrary to what one might think, often turns out to be less expensive in the end than organizing everything yourself. Indeed, thanks to their relations with suppliers, the professional is likely to find very good deals for you and offer unbeatable prices, for example for flights, but also for accommodations. It is precisely the addition of all this that will allow you to save money.

To conclude this section, we would like to emphasize that for each of us, safety and assurance during the trip are two essential things, regardless of the final destination. Thanks to their total mastery of the travel world, a travel professional will be committed to ensuring your safety throughout your stay. Furthermore, you will benefit from after-sales service and, in the event of an unforeseen circumstance (whether it be a canceled flight, an airline strike, or other), you can obtain assistance simply by contacting your travel agent, who will then take care of finding a solution to your problem.

There isn't really a rule about this, as long as you don't wait until the last minute. Consider that the sooner, the better, so planning a trip to the other side of the world cannot be done overnight. The agent has to find a flight, accommodation options at the destination, and a whole bunch of other services that you might want to take advantage of once you're there.

It is therefore better to start planning at least a few weeks or months in advance. This will also allow you to benefit from better prices, which is not insignificant. Note, however, that some agencies specify a maximum anticipation date, meaning that, for example, it will not be possible to book a flight or even a hotel 2 or 3 years in advance... but this is natural and almost goes without saying.

No matter where you are or where you want to go, finding this type of service is relatively easy, as long as you don't live in a too remote area. Whether you live in Winston Hills downtown or in the deepest countryside, start by asking your acquaintances and loved ones, although it must be acknowledged that word-of-mouth is not necessarily the most effective way to find the rare gem (but you never know...). If you live in a very remote area, in the middle of the countryside, not finding a travel agency nearby (within 20 or 30 kilometers) should not stop you or discourage you; be sure that you will find an agency in the nearest medium or large city! In any case, rest assured that the right professional, once contacted, will be more than willing to make your life easier, and if necessary, subsequent exchanges can be done through emails or phone calls. If word-of-mouth yields nothing, which is very possible, then it is recommended to use the internet, by consulting a site like StarOfService, for example, which lists all professionals in a certain field, based on where you're conducting the search. In just a few clicks, the site will provide you with the contact details of the said professional and you can contact them right away, and this also applies to travel agents. From there, you are free to shop around or simply choose the one closest to your home, it is no longer our concern...

The rates that we are going to indicate here are not contractual, but simply average values ​​obtained throughout the French territory. Each agency has its own way of billing, so we cannot recommend enough that you ask for the details of the services from the relevant agent. Only then can you have a precise idea of ​​what you are paying for. Having said that, let's now move on to the pricing, which, while not to be taken as exact figures, will still give you an idea of ​​the prices practiced on the market. In general, it should be noted that the majority of a travel agency's income comes from commissions paid by the various suppliers involved during the stay; these are percentages that are taken from each sale made. Generally, the agent on average takes between 8% and 10% of the public price for a plane ticket sold; regarding other services, the percentage is between 9 and 15% of the public price. Consulting fees, act and reservation fees are also sources of income for a travel agency, but it is up to each brand to quantify its services. Therefore, you will have to ask the question or inquire when the time comes.

No matter where you are or live, whether in a particular city, region or department, finding this type of professional is relatively simple, based on studies on the subject. So whether you live in the inner city of Winston Hills or in the depths of the countryside in Moselle or Gironde, we advise you to start by asking around among your acquaintances and friends, as word of mouth is always a good way to find the right address for such things (we all know people who have traveled through a particular agency, so let's start by looking in that direction...). If this first search yields no results, it is then possible to use the Internet, as it is the most common way to purchase travel services, not physical agencies. Once online, no matter which search engine is used, we suggest consulting a site like StarOfService, for example, which lists all professionals in a particular field, depending on the location of the search and where you live. In just a few clicks, the site will provide you with the contact details of the professional and you can contact them within minutes to inquire about their availability, rates, etc. Don't hesitate to consult a large number of customer reviews and comments, as they are essential information for getting an idea of the level of service provided by the agent or agency in question.

• How long have you been practicing this profession? What training or diploma do you possess to carry out this activity?
• What are your rates? Can I have a detailed breakdown of them?
• Will you provide me with a proper quote prior to starting the work?
• What are your availability to discuss my travel project?
• Can you guarantee the respect of deadlines and rates that we agree upon?