How to Become a Travel Agent in Oklahoma
A career as a travel agent is a colorful opportunity to provide clients with security and peace of mind while exploring the diverse and opportunistic array of cultures and destinations worldwide.
Learn to earn a competitive salary while contributing to the ever-growing travel industry.
Education & Training
Below are some online training classes offered in conjunction with schools near you.
How Much Does It Cost?
$2,200 for the options above.
The cost of education to become a travel agent may vary drastically depending on course length and the kind of education a prospective travel agent is pursuing. Online certificate courses may cost between $700 and $1,000 for the entire program. Prospective travel agents may also have the opportunity to pursue an online degree, ranging between $6,000 to $8,000 per semester, though some educational institutions may fall outside of this range.
How Long Does It Take?
100 hour courses, such as the ones above can be completed in 6 months if you are motived to study hard. But, most certificate programs for travel agents may range between 9 to 15 months. Prospective travel agents may also acquire a college degree in related fields such as marketing, business management, or tourism. This higher education may take 2 to 4 years, depending on the degree level.
A travel agent license or related certification is not required to become a travel agent in Oklahoma. Still, various licensing and certification options are available from organizations that may boost your credibility and employability and the quality of your services as a travel agent. A specific certification level may also be an employment requirement for a travel agency.
What Do You Study?
A training course for prospective travel agents may address the following:
- Documentation: Organizing what documentation clients may need for travel and booking; keeping track of receipts and itineraries.
- Planning & Booking: Booking flights, hotels, transportation, and activities; organizing venues for events, for example, if a client is planning a wedding abroad.
- Geography & Culture: Being familiar with geography and the culture of destinations you may recommend to clients.
- Optimizing Clients’ Experiences: Finding opportunities and events that best address clients’ needs, ensuring costs meet clients’ desired price ranges.
Benefits of Taking the Course
Completing a certification program online instead of a traditional education or degree pathway may present a variety of benefits to the prospective travel agent.
An online certification takes considerably less time to complete, saving students time and money on their education.
A certificate course specific to travel agents may additionally exclusively address information relevant to the career, focusing on something other than extraneous or irrelevant information students following a traditional degree pathway may be subject to.
Featuring a certification related to the job on your resume may additionally signal your competence to employers, demonstrating your skills beyond the general fields of advertising or business management and highlighting your knowledge specific to the vocation.
Salary
How Much Can You Make?
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median national salary for travel agents in the United States is $46,400 annually, or $22 an hour. The median salary for travel agents in Oklahoma is $50,000 annually or $16 per hour, according to Indeed.com.
Average salaries for travel agents in the largest 5 cities in Oklahoma are as follows:
- Oklahoma City: $46,000/year, $15/hr
- Tulsa: $55,700/year, $18/hr
- Norman: $59,000/year, $19/hr
- Broken Arrow: $58,600/year, $19/hr
- Edmond: $43,500/year, $14/hr
Job Description
What Do They Do?
The core of a travel agent’s role is meticulously planning clients’ journeys, ensuring their expedition is smooth and anxiety-free. Essential obligations encompass organizing travel dates and destinations and collaborating alongside hotels, airlines, and vendors to curate client packages.
You’ll encounter chances to cater to individuals, families, and even sizable groups, orchestrating diverse occasions like weddings. Furthermore, the role may extend to corporate engagements, entailing the crafting of business-oriented vacation getaways and company-wide retreats.
Job Duties & Responsibilities
Your interactions with clients, whether in-person or online, will involve a comprehensive assessment of their financial plans, preferred travel periods, vacation objectives, chosen destinations, and any upcoming occasions they intend to embark upon. Your responsibilities include crafting travel schedules, selecting suitable flights, securing accommodations, and planning activities.
Beyond mere planning, you must review documentation with clients, ensuring they possess all the necessary travel prerequisites, such as visas and passports. Clients must also be well-versed in any cancellation policies and customs requirements. You will also need to keep track of expenses, dates, and reservations, as well as address any difficulties or complications clients may experience when it comes to travel logistics.
Career Path
Certifications & Exams
A travel agent license or related certification is not required to become a travel agent in Oklahoma. Still, various licensing and certification options are available from organizations that may boost your credibility and employability and the quality of your services as a travel agent. A specific certification level may also be an employment requirement for a travel agency.
Seeking additional education and licensing can be an excellent way to gain the information necessary to work in a specific field of the travel industry, such as event planning or working with corporations for meetings, conferences, or retreats.
State License or Certification
The state of Oklahoma features no specific requirements necessary to become a travel agent. This means that licensing and education requirements are up to travel agencies to decide.
Completing relevant training by acquiring a certificate or a degree is an advantageous accomplishment that can significantly increase your employability as a travel agent. Even disregarding agency-specific requirements, completing a certification may boost your credibility with clients should you choose to be self-employed.
Although Oklahoma has no licensing requirements specific to the profession, prospective travel agents wishing to open their own business must adhere to state and county-specific business protocols. This may include registering your business, paying appropriate fees, and ensuring you meet any small business standards for your region of employment.
Apprenticeships
Completing an apprenticeship is optional for prospective travel agents in Oklahoma. Still, it can be a valuable venture to gain job experience.
Completing an internship or on-site training may be a gateway to employment at your training agency. Additional training may grant you the skills to specialize in certain areas of the travel industry, such as planning commercial trips or events for corporate or private clients.