Are you looking for information on how to become a travel agent in Florida? If so, look no further. On this page you will find information regarding travel agent education and training requirements, travel agent licensing, travel agent salary and much more.

Cheap air fares, cheap car rental, cheap hotels, and affordable travel packages are some of the things a travel agent will have to deal with when booking travel arrangements for their customers. Travel agents nowadays are expected to become travel experts because companies like Expedia.com, Travelocity.com, Priceline.com, Hotwire.com and Kayak.com enable people to become their own travel agent. With the click of a button they can book their own air fares, hotel accommodations and car rentals. The Internet is convenient because it's 'open' 24/7 and can often be accessed right from home. 30 Percent of the U.S. population goes online for their travel information. Some people however still prefer the expertise of a travel agent.

Sea World, Universal Studios, Walt Disney World and the Orlando Museum of Art are all tourist attractions in Florida that a travel agent can refer to their clients. Besides local attractions, a Florida travel agent also has to be able to refer their clients to attractions in vacation destinations worldwide. Travel agents can specialize in certain areas like cruise travel, group travel, business trips and honeymoons. It is estimated that the job outlook for these agents in the coming years will be good. http://www.planetware.com/top-tourist-attractions-/orlando-us-fl-orlando.htm

Hopefully the information below will answer some of the questions you have.

HIGH SCHOOL EDUCATION: Travel agent education and training can be found online, in community colleges and adult education programs. Before you can start any training, you will have to make sure to get your high school diploma or the equivalent. Some people go on to get their bachelor's or associate's degree. The Mahalo page 'How to graduate high school' might give some tips and pointers towards getting that high school diploma. Various courses that are good to take include geography, world history, computer science, and foreign languages. http://www.mahalo.com/how-to-graduate-high-school http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/travel_agent.htm

Some schools in Florida that offer classes towards becoming a travel agent include:

• ■ Florida International University, 11200 S. W. 8 Street, Miami, FL 33199

Phone: (305) 348-2000. This school was established in 1965. You can get a degree in tourism and travel from this school http://www.citytowninfo.com/school-profiles/florida-international-university

• ■ Broward College, 225 E las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301, Phone: (954) 201-7400. At this school established in 1959 you can take classes and get a degree in tourism and travel. http://www.citytowninfo.com/school-profiles/broward-college

If you prefer a home study course you can look into online classes from:

• ■ Stratford Career Institute: Established in 1991, offers classes in travel and tourism. http://www.citytowninfo.com/school-profiles/stratford-career-institute
• ■ Central Pennsylvania College: Established in 1881, offers classes in travel & tourism operations. http://www.citytowninfo.com/school-profiles/central-pennsylvania-college
• ■ Penn Foster Career School: Established in 1890, offers classes geared towards becoming a travel/tourism specialist. http://www.citytowninfo.com/school-profiles/penn-foster-career-school

EMPLOYMENT: Jobs for travel agents in Florida are more common in Orlando, Miami, and Fort Lauderdale. Tallahassee, Gainesville, and Cape Coral have the least amount of jobs for travel agents. Since most travel agents start out in entry level positions you will most likely start working as a receptionist or reservations clerk at a local travel agency in Florida. This is a good way to gain experience and learn the job. Over time you may get more responsibilities which may lead to that travel agent position. If you cannot get your foot in the door by getting that entry level position, try offering to work for free as an intern. This will look good on your resume and benefit you when looking for a future job. When it comes to your resume, you might want to take a look at the Mahalo page 'How to write a resume'. It might be of some help to you. http://www.citytowninfo.com/employment/travel-agents/florida

SALARY: The average base annual salary for travel agents in Florida is $28,645. The highest salaries for travel agents in Florida can be found in West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, and Fort Walton Beach. If you decide to start your own travel agent business the earning potential is unlimited. You get out of your business what you put into it. http://www.citytowninfo.com/employment/travel-agents/florida

BENEFITS: One of the benefits of being a travel agent in Florida is that you get to enjoy discounted if not free travel. After a minimum of 6 months on the job, your employer will add you to the list of employees authorized to travel at discounts. You will get your travel agent ID card issued by IATAN and will be able to start enjoying discounts on travel, hotels, rental cars, restaurants and more. Don't forget that traveling is seen as part of your job. Your employer allows you to travel so that you can experience various destinations as a tourist. This way when you are selling the destination, you can speak from personal experience and will be more confident and exited. If you get terminated form your job, you will have to turn in the travel agent ID card. http://www.travelagenttrainingcenter.com/Travel%20Industry%20Benefits.htm

SCAMS: When looking for a travel agent job, you can expect to run into one of the many scams out there. You can mostly find them on the Internet. Companies that sell the dream of being self employed and glamorize the profession are often scam companies that are only after your money. Following are some signs that will help you recognize these companies:

• If the company mentions only the positive aspects of a job as a travel agent, it might be a scam. For instance focusing on working from home, making your own schedule, making lots of money and traveling the world, are all signs it could be a scam.
• If the company asks for a large amount of money up front, it could be a scam. There are legitimate host companies that ask for money up front to allow you access to their web portal, so be extra careful here.
• If you are required to recruit new affiliates for the company, you are dealing with a multi level marketing company. They often make it sound like you will be working as a travel agent, when in reality you won't.
• If the company claims they are very successful, they often aren't.
• Watch out for companies that issue travel agent ID cards. Some companies, make fake ID cards. http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/scams.htm