Americans are going to be spending a record amount of money on vacations this year-and as a travel agent, some of that money could go into your pocket.
According to data from Allianz Global Assistance, average spending on summer travel will surpass $2,000 for the first year on record, and the 11th annual Vacation Confidence Index estimates the total spend will cross the $100 billion mark for the third consecutive year.
Exploring a career in travel, particularly as a travel agent, can be a lucrative one. In fact, 9.3 million Americans use travel agents, meaning that the earning potential in the industry is great.
However, just like with any job, it's important to receive the necessary training. No one wants to buy a product from someone who doesn't understand what they are selling and that goes for vacations, too. Especially for travel, it is essential to understand the experience, the destination, the hotel and the industry as a whole-inside and out.
That's where Travel Agent Academy comes in.
Travel agency revenue growth is growing, and the travel industry is recruiting new agents. Those new to the business-and those who want to grow their business-need education and Travel Agent Academy is one of the best resources for learning the ins and outs of the industry and an excellent means to become a specialist in a variety of different categories and destinations.
The Value of Certification
Why Travel Agent Academy? Because education pays. Travel agents with certifications and specializations make almost twice as much in annual sales as those who have none.
According to the Travel Institute's "The Changing Face of Travel Agents" survey, those who have supplier and destination specializations and/or have niche specializations earn twice as much annually.
Travel Agent Academy was established in 2005 and is the most visited travel agent education platform in the country. Its success is also born out by the numbers. Ninety-nine percent of graduates say that they are likely to sell more of what they learned about during their education program. Ninety-eight percent say that they would recommend Travel Agent Academy to other travel agents.
Travel agents who have taken classes through Travel Agent Academy have referred to the programs they took as "awesome," said that they gained "super knowledge" and felt confident selling after an "excellent learning experience."
Built by Experts
Travel Agent Academy programs are built by experts. The award-winning programs are written, developed and designed by educators with more than 200 years of combined experience, and each program is carefully written and designed with agents in mind in order to inspire them with the confidence to sell more.
Ninety-eight percent of Travel Agent Academy graduates say that they are satisfied with the specialist program that they took, and many top travel industry brands have trusted their travel agent education programs to Travel Agent Academy.
Key Elements to Training
Travel Agent Academy is built to perform where and when travel advisors need it. The program uses top-of-the-line technology available everywhere and accessible anywhere.
The learning process is also fun and easy. Programs use visual content so that users can more quickly process and understand the course content. It's also easier to find and learn about available topics with simple navigation tabs, putting information at agents' fingertips. A game-like, scenario-based assessment process reinforces key points of learning.
Several features set Travel Agent Academy apart from the competition, including embedded videos, interactive maps, avatar assisted learning and dynamic assessments based on scenario-based quizzing and information retention. There are also accessibility options, such as text-to-speech conversions, and the program can be translated into multiple languages.
There are more than 50 courses available along with six affiliate courses. Graduates can show off diplomas, earn rewards and receive Travel Institute credits. Most importantly, however, agents will gain a deeper understanding of their chosen subject and the confidence to sell more to their clients.
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