If you are thinking about becoming a travel agent, there might be various questions that arise. Questions about how to become a travel agent in New Mexico; What is the salary? What are the benefits? What are the duties of a travel agent? And much more.

Travel websites like Expedia.com, Priceline.com and Orbitz.com enable people nowadays to become their own travel agent. You can go online and book your flight, accommodations and car rentals. Because of this, travel agents have to basically become experts when it come to travel. Customers want travel information that they cannot find anywhere else. Just as you would be able to tell a customer that chapel of San Miguel, Delgado House, and Hotel St. Francis are tourist attractions in New Mexico, you should be able to tell them about attractions in travel destinations in various different locations. Travel agents sometimes have access to special deals and discounts that are not available to the general public. Some travel agents specialize in one type of travel. There are agents that specialize in cruises, business trips, and honeymoons. http://career.qandas.com/jobs/what-are-the-job-duties-of-a-travel-agent.html

Hopefully this page will help answer some of the questions you might have.

EDUCATION: To become a New Mexico travel agent you will need a minimum of a high school diploma or the equivalent. Many employers prefer to hire people with travel agent training. Therefore it's a good idea to get some additional training. Look into online courses, community college and public adult education school. Some classes that might be beneficial also include world history, geography, computer science and foreign languages. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos124.htm

SALARY: When starting out as a travel agent, don't expect to make a lot of money because you have to build a client base first before you can start selling travel. The 2010 base annual salary for a New Mexico travel agent is estimated at $27,776.00. http://swz.salary.com/salarywizard/layoutscripts/swzl_salaryresults.asp?op=salswz_psr&jobfamilycode=23&txtKeyword=travel+agent&hdOmniNarrowDesc=Materials+Management&hdZipCode=87501&hdOmniTotalJobsFound=20&pagefrom=selectjob&hdJobCategory=AR02&hdGeoLocation=Santa+Fe%2C+NM+87501&countertype=1&totaljoblistnum=2&joblevelcode=&hdCurrentPage=1&hdNarrowDesc=Hotel%2C+Gaming%2C+Leisure%2C+and+Travel&hdLocationOption=1&hdViewAllRecords=0&hdJobTitle=Travel+Clerk&hdSearchByOption=0&hdKeyword=travel+agent&rdbSearchByOption=0&hdStateMetro=301&jobcounter=8&hdSortBy=0&hdJobCode=OF13000058&hdJSBoolDisplayAdvertisement=&hdAjaxKeyword=travel+agent&hdAjaxKeywordWithOR=%23travel%23+OR+%23agent%23&hdAjaxDisplaySection1=0&hdAjaxDisplaySection2=1

LICENSING: Becoming a New Mexico travel agent doesn't require you to have a license or certificate of any kind. There is no state administered test you have to pass as you would when getting your driver's license or real estate license. If you decide to start your own business selling travel from your home, some states require you to become part of the Travel Seller's registration program. You usually do this in the form of a financial contribution. Registration is mainly necessary so that you are recognized by suppliers as a reputable entity. http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/FAQ.htm

EMPLOYMENT: Don't expect to start working as a travel agent right away. Most people start as a receptionist or reservations clerk at a travel agency and build their way up to becoming a travel agent. Working at a travel agency will give you a chance to learn the business by watching other travel agents go about their daily tasks. If you are not able to find a job at a travel agency, you can always offer to work for free, as an intern. This will look good on your resume and get your foot in the door. http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos124.htm

DUTIES: A travel agent eventually is allowed to enjoy discounted travel. However, there is more to the profession of a travel agent. Some duties include:

• ■ Advising travelers about their chosen destinations: Be knowledgeable when informing them about the climate/weather, attractions, currency, required travel documents, necessary vaccinations, customs and possible accommodations. Clients expect information they can't find anywhere else. They expect you to answer their questions
• ■ Calculating the prices of air fare, accommodation and rental cars and making sure it's compatible with your client's budget. Be able to quote various prices for package deals.
• ■ You will have to research publications and online sources for information on flights, group discounts, fares, and quality of hotel accommodations.
• ■ Print tickets and answer further questions asked by your customers.
• ■ If you work for a tour operator you might also have to develop, promote and sell the company's own travel services and package tour. This is usually done through direct mail, presentations and the Internet.
• ■ If a customer's flight is delayed, or if they run into problems during their trip, you will have to assist them. Travel agents assist before and during the trip.

SCAMS: Once you start looking for a travel agent job, you might come across one of the many scams out there. As a travel agent, you can work for a host company. This is basically a company that allows you to use their web portal and name to sell travel. They get part of your commission. Be careful when approaching a host company, make sure they are a legitimate agency. A lot of scam agencies focus on the benefits of being a travel agent, not on the actual work. They tend to glamorize the job and often they are multi level marketing schemes where you are expected to recruit new affiliates. Following are some signs to watch out for:

• If a company promises immediate free or discounted travel, it's most likely a scam. Scam advertising usually focuses on the benefits of the job. They over glamorize it. (Everyone would sign up if they were getting discounted/free travel)
• If the company brags about their success, they probably aren't successful at all.
• If getting the job requires you have to pay hundreds of dollars, walk the other way. http://www.homebasedtravelagent.com/scams.htm
• If you're asked to recruit affiliates, you are dealing with an multi level marketing company and not a travel agency.