Travel Agents

Individuals who assess the needs of tourists and business people and help them make the best possible travel arrangements. Travel agents give advice about destinations and make arrangements for transportation, hotel accommodations, car rentals, tours and recreation. They may also advise on weather conditions, restaurants, tourist attractions and recreation. For international travel, agents provide information about customs regulations, required papers (passports, visas and certificates of vaccination) and currency exchange rates. Travel agents consult a variety of published and computer-based sources for information on departure and arrival times, fares and hotel ratings and accommodations. They may visit hotels, resorts and restaurants to evaluate comfort, cleanliness and quality of food and service so that they can base recommendations on their own travel experiences or those of colleagues or clients. Many major cruise lines, resorts and specialty travel groups use travel agents to promote travel packages as a part of their marketing strategy.