Are you interested in becoming a travel agent in Connecticut?
While starting a career in this industry is quite easy, you will still need to have some info.
For that, check out the article below.
Travel Agent Job Description and Duties in Connecticut
Before anything, you should know what your new job will entail.
As a travel agent, you will help your clients with:
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
To help your clients with the above-mentioned tasks, you have to:
- Review visas, vaccinations, and other travel necessities
- Understanding the needs and desires of their clients
- Keeping accurate records
- Finding solutions to issues and emergencies
- Handling payments and deposits
- Promoting the various packages resorts, hotels, and cruise companies offer
- Negotiating with hotels, resorts, cruise companies, and more
You can also choose to specialize in one type of travel:
- Honeymoon
- Business
- Budget
- Cruise
- Luxury
Additionally, you will be able to help your clients more if you already know the destination.
Requirements to be a Travel Agent in Connecticut
You will also need to have some particular skills and knowledge, such as:
- Good communication skills
- Good management skills
- Able to use various computer programs
- Good problem-solving skills
- Great marketing skills
- Able to work full-time
- Detail-oriented
- Being confident
- Be at least 18 years old
- Have a clean criminal record
- Be honest
- Have a high school diploma or GED
While you are not required to have experience in the field, this might prove to be useful.
As a travel agent, you will be spending a lot of your time traveling.
If you have already traveled, you may find this is also helpful in your career.
Traveling is needed so that you can make better suggestions to your clients and provide them with info about a location.
Education and Certification for a Travel Agent in Connecticut
Having a specific education or a license is not required, but will increase your credibility as a travel agent.
Many people who become travel agents get a degree in tourism.
The degree that most travel agents choose is a Bachelors’.
If you decide to join a school and train, you can take classes both in-person and online.
For in-person classes, have a look at the schools in the table below.
Top 4 Schools in Connecticut
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Central Connecticut State University | 1615 Stanley St, New Britain, CT 06050 |
| Jack Welch College of Business | 4705 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT 06825 |
| Sacred Heart University | 5151 Park Ave, Fairfield, CT 06825 |
| University of New Haven | 300 Boston Post Rd, West Haven, CT 06516 |
To be accepted into a school, you may have to meet certain requirements,
One of these is having a high school diploma or GED.
When getting ready to become a travel agent, you’ll be taking classes like:
- Introduction to the travel industry
- Professional Skills
- Basic/International geography
- Destination geography
- Introduction to international travel
- Introduction to air travel
- Transportation
- Career development
- Sales and marketing for travel
Travel Agent Salary and Employment in Connecticut
There are many benefits to being a travel agent.
Some of them are being able to travel and being allowed to work remotely.
If you choose to, you can also work for a travel agency or have your own agency.
If you plan on working as an independent travel agent, you may need some extra licenses.
Salaries are usually higher in Connecticut.
This is especially true for the bigger cities and more populated areas.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$37K | |
$41K | |
$49K |
Average Salary of Travel Agents in Connecticut
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Bridgeport | $43,538 |
| New Haven | $41,534 |
| Stamford | $44,104 |
| Hartford | $41,193 |
| Waterbury | $41,316 |
| Norwalk | $44,104 |
| Danbury | $42,548 |
| New Britain | $41,392 |
| West Hartford | $41,193 |
| Greenwich | $44,104 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 210 | $66,090 | $31.77 | $89,610 | $37,280 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 100 | $60,240 | $28.96 | $98,270 | $35,330 |
| New Haven, CT | 40 | $66,770 | $32.1 | $99,500 | $33,870 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Agents with more experience and more credentials also earn more than their peers.
Additional Information for Travel Agents in Connecticut
As a future travel agent in Connecticut, you can join the Connecticut Travel Industry Association (CTIA).
This will help you get better credentials and thus have a more successful career.
Keep in mind that you may need to renew your license from time to time.
To know when it is time to do that, keep in touch with the agency that issued your license.
I’ve been thinking about a career change and this guide really breaks down the steps to becoming a travel agent in Connecticut.