by Donald Wood
Last updated: 10:45 AM ET, Thu June 21, 2018
A new survey released Wednesday gathered information for travel agents on their employment conditions, challenges, experiences and compensation, as well as job seekers in the travel industry.
The 2017 Travel Industry Employee/Jobseeker Survey was launched by leading job resource site HotTravelJobs.com with the intent of finding a better understanding of the salary, hiring information and industry trends from travel agents in the field.
The study also compares salary changes between 2016 and 2017.
Corporate Travel Agent Results
| 2017 | Salary | 2016 | Salary |
| Average National Salary | $53,520 | Average National Salary | $47,814 |
| Northeast Average Salary | $56,680 | Northeast Average Salary | $47,213 |
| Southeast Average Salary | $48,446 | Southeast Average Salary | $47,872 |
| Southwest Average Salary | $46,592 | Southwest Average Salary | $51,132 |
| Western Average Salary | $55,588 | Mid-Atlantic Average Salary | $52,116 |
| Midwestern Average Salary | $51,384 | Midwestern Average Salary | $46,118 |
Over 400 travel agents were surveyed as part of the research, and the data found a significant increase in salary for corporate travel agents, with overall compensation increasing by 12 percent.
Leisure Travel Agents
| 2017 | Salary | 2016 | Salary |
| Average National Salary | $42,876 | Average National Salary | $46,101 |
| Northeast Average Salary | $42,271 | Northeast Average Salary | $50,000 |
| Southeast Average Salary | $34,034 | Southeast Average Salary | $49,000 |
| Southwest Average Salary | $78,333 | Southwest Average Salary | $45,400 |
| Western Average Salary | $46,000 | Mid-Atlantic Average Salary | $31,500 |
| Midwestern Average Salary | $24,880 | Midwestern Average Salary | $46,380 |
On the other hand, the compensation for leisure travel agents decreased by seven percent when compared to 2016, but HotTravelJobs.com attributes the drop to the increased number of independent agents affiliated with host agencies.
The survey also found the host agency model has been one of the largest growing ways for new travel agents to enter the industry.
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