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FACTOIDS:
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• Travel agents held about 138,000 jobs in 1998, and more than 90 percent of them worked at travel agencies.
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• France is the world's most popular travel destination.
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• In 1997, the average household spent $1,259 on travel-related transportation, food and alcohol, lodging and entertainment.
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- Travel agents give advice to clients on destinations and make arrangements for transportation, hotel accommodations, car rentals, tours and recreation. They may also advise on weather conditions, restaurants, and tourist attractions.
- Agents also advise international travelers on customs regulations, passports and visas, certificates of vaccination and money exchange rates.
- They use computers to get information and keep up with frequent changes in travel schedules.
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- Travel agents must be well-organized, accurate, and meticulous to compile information from various sources and plan and organize their clients’ travel itineraries.
- Other desirable qualifications include good communication, computer, customer service, and sales skills.
- Patience and the ability to gain the confidence of clients are useful qualities.
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- Training at a postsecondary vocational school, college or university is increasingly important for travel agents. Many vocational schools offer six to 12-week, full-time travel agent programs, as well as evening and weekend programs. Travel agent courses are also offered in public adult education programs and in community and four-year colleges.
- The American Society of Travel Agents offers a correspondence course that provides a basic understanding of the travel industry.
- Travel agencies also provide on-the-job training for their employees, a significant part of which consists of computer instruction.
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- The travel industry is sensitive to economic downturns and international political crises, when travel plans are likely to be deferred. Therefore, the number of job opportunities fluctuates.
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Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics; American Demographics; Oregon State University
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