Travel Counselor
[one_half][ads1][/one_half]A Travel counselor is a travel agent who has years of experience and who has gained certification through a trade organization. These professionals advise clients on interesting destinations and attractions. They also handle hotel, airline & rental car bookings and explain local conditions and customs to the clients.
Travel Counselor Planning a vacation can be a daunting task, there are many things to consider from accommodation to car rental to transportation to Tours and food arrangements etc.
Job Profile
The role of travel agents is to help travelers sort through the vast sea of information & make the best possible travel itineraries for them.
Travel Counselors make plans of the tour for clients and tourists, plan the itinerary, suggest best travel options and advice about the destinations. They operate within the infrastructure set up by the tourism departments of the Govt. and the ancillary services which support the tourism industry. They also take up responsibilities of promoting travel packages of resorts and Spas and marketing about specialty travel groups to their clients.
A Travel counselors work depends upon the department he/ she is working in. In a Government run department, A Travel counselor may plan travel facilities, publicize destinations, promote international tourism, select & develop tourist destinations, provide relevant information to tourists and such.
Skills Required
- One needs to have a rich background or prior experience in Sales and Marketing.
- Keeping detailed notes on client preferences & past itineraries can help you suggest new destinations and itineraries they might not have considered.
- Ability to efficiently create and sell travel services to existing clients without being too pushy.
- One needs to have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. This skill is a must.
- One needs to possess great interpersonal skills.
- Customer service skills are also very essential.
- Good Computer skills are also very important for a travel counselor.
- Must have a great knowledge about all the surrounding travel destinations and tourist places.
- One needs to keep track of the frequently asked queries and enquiries and improvise on them.
- Knowledge of Geography and climates are also important, since the clients may travel all around the world.
- Good Math Skills are also very essential.
- A Travel counselor may have several tasks at hand and hence must be very well organized. Organisational skills are very useful in this vocation.
- One must have an interest in serving people.
- Should have a flair in giving good advices and counseling.
Salary Package
A Travel counselor may earn a salary package of around 1,26,000 INR to 2,50,000 INR per annul in the initial period, depending on the institution passed and the department and company or agency one is working in.
Job Prospects
A Travel Counselor will find employment in either of the following departments
- Railways.
- Cruise Liners.
- Government run tourist departments.
- Civil Aviation.
- Tour Operators.
- Travel Agencies.
A Travel counselor these days can also create a website and upload relevant content related to travel packages and market their travel services online or even get hired by a Travel website.
Many resorts and cruise liners hire Travel counselors to help them lure customers and sell their travel packages and make customers make use of their services.
How Do I get There ?
- One can passe his/ her 10+2 from any stream and then opt for a Travel and Tourism course for his Bachelor’s.
- One can also opt for a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations and Advertising and then be a Travel Manager.
