Do you enjoy traveling and showing people around?
If that is the case, you should consider becoming a travel agent in Iowa.
You will have a successful career that is not hard to start, but first, you need more info.
Check out the article below and you will know what you need to do.
Travel Agent Job Description and Duties in Iowa
As a travel agent, you will have many tasks to finish on a daily basis.
Generally, you will have to assist your clients with doing the following:
- Transportation
- Accommodation
- Entertainment
To do this, you first need to:
- Review visas, vaccinations, and other travel necessities
- Understand the needs and desires of their clients
- Keep accurate records
- Find solutions to issues and emergencies
- Handle payments and deposits
- Promote the various packages resorts, hotels, and cruise companies offer
- Negotiate with hotels, resorts, cruise companies, and more
If you wish to, you can decide on an area of specialization, which can be:
- Honeymoon
- Family-oriented
- Business
- Budget
- Cruise
- Luxury
Travel agents should also have plenty of knowledge about the location they are suggesting.
Requirements to be a Travel Agent in Iowa
Travel agents should also get some skills so that they fulfill their daily tasks.
The abilities can include:
- 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
- Having a clean criminal record
- Being honest
- Have a high school diploma or GED
- Speaking a foreign language
- Liking and having the ability to travel
Having some experience in the field can also help, but it is not required.
A travel agent has to be ready to travel to get more knowledge on the locations they recommend.
Education and Certification for a Travel Agent in Iowa
While getting a degree and certification are not required, your chances of having a better job increase if you do.
Many travel agents opt for a degree in tourism, like a Bachelors’.
If you decide to attend a program in a school, you will join classes both online and physically.
The schools that provide travel agent programs in Iowa are:
Top 10 Schools in Iowa
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Des Moines Area Community College | 2006 ANKENY BLVD ANKENY, IA 50023 |
| Eastern Iowa Community College | 101 W THIRD STREET DAVENPORT, IA 52801 |
| Hawkeye Community College | 1501 E ORANGE RD WATERLOO, IA 50701 |
| Indian Hills Community College | 525 GRANDVIEW AVE OTTUMWA, IA 52501 |
| Iowa Central Community College | ONE TRITON CIRCLE FORT DODGE, IA 50501 |
| Iowa Lakes Community College | 19 S 7TH ST ESTHERVILLE, IA 51334 |
| Iowa State University | 1750 BEARDSHEAR HALL AMES, IA 50011 |
| Kirkwood Community College | 6301 KIRKWOOD BLVD SW CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52406 |
| Mount Mercy University | 1330 ELMHURST DR NE CEDAR RAPIDS, IA 52402 |
| Western Iowa Tech Community College | 4647 STONE AVE SIOUX CITY, IA 51102 |
To get into a program that a school provides, you must show proof of a high school diploma or a GED.
The program you will attend generally features 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 Iowa
You will find many benefits to choosing this field to work in.
You will get the chance to travel to various places and work remotely.
Another idea is to work in an office and be hired by a travel agency.
You will need to get some extra certifications if you plan on working as an independent travel agent.
If you are wondering about how much you will earn, a bigger city brings a higher salary.
This is also the case for travel agents who have experience and a degree in tourism.
| Item | Percent |
|---|---|
$33K | |
$36K | |
$43K |
Average Salary of Travel Agents in Iowa
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Des Moines | $37,070 |
| Cedar Rapids | $36,420 |
| Davenport | $36,532 |
| Sioux City | $32,670 |
| Iowa City | $36,121 |
| Waterloo | $34,827 |
| Ames | $36,725 |
| West Des Moines | $37,070 |
| Council Bluffs | $36,292 |
| Ankeny | $37,070 |
Regional Salary
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids, IA | 80 | $47,150 | $22.67 | $71,700 | $36,370 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 110 | $51,700 | $24.85 | $98,860 | $36,340 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Additional Information for Travel Agents in Iowa
In this state, you can join the Iowa Travel Industry Association.
This will definitely help you with your new career.
If you join the association, you will get more job openings and thus have more chances at a higher-paid job.
The travel agent license will require renewal when it expires.
In order to renew it, you may have to take some extra hours of education.
If you want to know when your license expires, you can contact the agency that issued your license.
This is exactly the info I needed! I had no idea where to start with becoming a travel agent, and it’s great to see that there are specific steps for building a career right here in Iowa.
As someone who’s been in the travel industry for a few years, I’d say building a client base and getting certified in popular booking software is key. Iowa has great opportunities if you’re passionate and dedicated!
I’m considering a career switch, and travel planning has always been a passion of mine. This post gives a clear outline of the steps, and I’m excited to explore certification programs that might fit my schedule.