Working as a travel consultant is a great job for those with an interest in travel and the world at large. Roles vary from one travel agency to another, with some specialising in package deals from holiday tour brochures, whilst others concentrate on booking long haul flights. There is an element of specialist training and all operatives have to be able to use the industry standard travel booking programmes. As a result, any applicant for travel consultancy positions needs to be up to speed and comfortable with diverse computer operations
This is a customer service industry, so a personable character and the ability to communicate clearly are aspects well received by travel consultant employers. A consultant ideally knows something about the locations the client is asking about, and some flight booking organisations ask for some reference as to which parts of the world an applicant has visited. The typical salary as a starter in the travel business is £18,000 with a team leader drawing a higher rate of £22,000 pa.

• Being amicable and approachable
• Being professional and assertive
• Being bilingual or multilingual
• Being detail oriented
• Stress management
• Project management
• Comprehensive industry knowledge
• Customer service
• Computer knowledge
• Interpersonal relationships
• Meeting deadlines
• Networking
• Negotiating
• Oral and written communication

Persons can use basic qualifications to enter the role of a Travel Consultant. Certifications such as:
•    BTEC
•    GCSEs (A
-C)
•    A levels
•    NVQ/SVQ
•    City and Guild
Studying areas such as Tourism, Travel Management, Geography, Business, Management, Hospitality, and Public Relations are also helpful. Attending a four year college provides the opportunity for students to cover core information that will help them become successful Travel Consultants*.
Some employers offer Apprentice programs for interested job seekers. During this process, they are able to learn the rudimentary skills and interesting travel information about different countries. As, junior Travel Agents they are then able to decide whether they would like to continue with their careers and study Travel and Tourism courses further.