■ How to become a travel agentTravel agents make travel arrangements and bookings for clients, and provide information about tourism attractions in the country of destination. They may sell airline tickets; book accommoda-tion, tours and attractions; do ticketing; and process payments.

Travel agents can work in a range of areas, including retail (in a ‘high street’ travel agency), corporate (arranging travel for business customers) and online (using web tools and services).

Qualifications needed

Most employers want applicants to have a qualification. The National Certificate in Travel (Level 4) is the minimum qualifica-tion accepted by the Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand (TAANZ) member employers. Qualifications are designed to provide the applicant with all the skills required to be ready for work. Generally, when a person is hired their induction process will put the practical finishing touches on the qualifications.

Travel wholesalers and travel consolidators generally need some further specific training. In addition, those seeking to work on meetings and events, and conference and incentive arrange-ments, would benefit from some specific training.

If you are a secondary student you may be able to take part in the ServiceIQ ‘Travel Gateway’ programme. This programme allows you to earn NCEA credits while working in the travel industry. ServiceIQ also offers trainee schemes at reduced cost for gaining national certificates.

→ ServiceIQ: www.serviceiq.org.nz

→ ATTTO Gateway travel programme: www.attto.org.nz/tourism-gateway

Cost of study

National Certificate in Travel – Level 4 (polytechnic)

Bachelor of Tourism Management

$3,000 one year $18,600 over three years

Average costs in 2015 for a domestic student. Costs vary between institutions. Some polytechnics may have a zero-fees scheme. Further costs include materials, textbooks, and accommodation.

Rents vary from place to place. Estimated market rents by re-gion, city and suburb are available on the MBIE Tenancy Services website.

The StudyLink website provides general budget advice for students, and the Sorted website provides help with detailed budget planning.

→ Tenancy Services: www.tenancy.govt.nz/rent-bond-and-bills

→ StudyLink: www.studylink.govt.nz

→ Sorted: www.sorted.org.nz/calculators/money-planner

Where to study

A number of tertiary institutions offer courses in travel and tourism. There are also universities offering courses.

Completed qualifications

The number of students completing Level 4 tourism studies certificates has fallen slightly in the last few years.

Source: Ministry of Education

■ Income and employment prospectsIncome

In 2015, the average income for travel agents was $46,600. Travel agents are salaried, but they also receive commissions or bonuses depending on their sales. They can often earn sales incentive bonuses if they meet set targets.

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TRAVEL AGENTSJOB PROSPECTS

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JOB PROSPECTS The travel industry has improved since the recession with greater international departures. But, employment is tight due to changes in the structure of the industry, including the rise of online travel booking. The chances of getting a job as a travel agent are fair, as the industry recovers and worker turnover continues to create openings for new and experienced travel agents.

At a glance

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Estimated average income

$46,600

Average income from Statistics New Zealand’s Income Survey 2015.

Salaries for travel consolidators go up to $100,000 or more (including commission and bonuses).

Graduates with a bachelor’s degree in the field of tourism earned $34,200 one year after their study ended. After five years, in-come had increased to $46,300.

Senior managers and owners of agencies may make considerably more in salaried earnings and bonus payments.

Median earnings after qualification completion

One year Two years Five years

$34,200 $38,100 $46,300

Source: Ministry of Education

Employment and skill shortages

Travel agents’ employment

Current Projected growth

2013 2014 2014–19 2019–24

4,200 4,300 up 1.4% 0.3% per year -1.1% per year

Source: MBIE Estimates. The projection figures are for the broader category of ”Personal Service and Travel Workers”; this may differ from the results for tourism and travel advisers.

Overall employment in this occupation is showing a slow decline in numbers, with forecast growth of 0.3% per year until 2019, and a 1.1% fall per year to 2024.

Source: MBIE Estimates

More agents are using technology (increasing their productivity); and many people are booking their travel online. This means the demand for labour lags behind the expansion of the market. Ongoing staff turnover, however, means that qualified staff are needed at entry level and for people with specific and advanced skill sets.

Where to find job vacancies

Travel agents vacancies are advertised through public media such as the Trade Me Jobs and Seek websites.

→ Trade Me Jobs: www.trademe.co.nz/jobs

→ Seek: www.seek.co.nz

Career path

Travel agents may progress into management roles or may start their own businesses.

They may also specialise in specific roles such as a travel whole-salers (selling airline tickets, accommodation, and tours to retail travel agents) or become travel brokers.

■ Other informationLinks

More information on travel agents is available on the Careers New Zealand and TAANZ websites.

→ Careers New Zealand: www.careers.govt.nz

→ Travel Agents’ Association of New Zealand: www.taanz.org.nz

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