TRISH MITCHELL, SENIOR TRAVEL CONSULTANT AT TERRA TRAVEL SHARES HER TOP TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.
The Northern Irish travel industry is relatively closeknit and I’ve been lucky enough to be involved in it for more than twenty years.
Being small means you have the ability to get in touch with the right people to help your career and there is a willingness to share information, which is great to see.
Thankfully I’ve always been interested in travel, even from a young age and this is my first tip for having a successful career in the industry. Being well travelled and having experience in new markets can give you an edge and the chance to break into the industry – particularly if you don’t go down the traditionally route of Travel & Tourism qualifications.
Although I’ve travelled the world to source locations for clients, it is not as glamorous as it seems. It’s not a 9-5pm job as travel agents are usually the first one at a location and the last one to leave and then the same again the next day and the next day after that.
Even working in a high street travel agency does not mean you just smile and push a few buttons on your computer. Multitasking is the name of the game and my day-to-day tasks include taking phone calls, answering emails and dealing with customer walk-ins.
There is also a lot of behind the scenes work involved in selling a holiday – admin, paperwork and follow-up is all part of the sales process and it’s constant right up until after the client has travelled.
In terms of personality traits, keeping a cool head, being customer focused and being a hard worker is probably the key attributes to work in travel – so if this does not describe you then forget it as you just won’t survive. Natural disasters, plane strikes and delays are becoming more frequent so being a great communicator and thinking on your feet is a must.
I know it’s obvious, but having an interest in your chosen sector and having willingness to learn is the quickest way to get ahead.
This could be as simple as writing a travel blog, volunteering at industry events or getting a summer job in a foreign country, which goes towards emphasising your dedication.