[nabentre] Travel Agency Industry Alive and Well

[cheryl echevarria]

I am posting this information  because I have spoken over the last few weeks 
to those that are interested in the field of becoming a travel professional.

Other areas where you can look to get hired is reservations in cruise lines, 
many reservationists do work from home now depending on the cruise lines.

If you go to any of the cruise lines website, if you can access them, on the 
bottom of the home page they list employment or careers. They will either 
list what is being hired and/or they will give an e-mail address where you 
can apply and submit a resume.

Some will ask you to go to there home offices where they train prior to you 
working from home.

But here is information posts last week in reference to President Obama's 
lack of education about travel agents being a dead society.


Travel Agency Industry Alive and Well, Says ASTA
Alexandria, Va., Aug. 18, 2011 -ASTA came out in strong support of the 
travel agency industry today in response to a statement President Obama made 
regarding how the Internet has replaced many jobs, among them travel agents, 
while speaking at a town hall meeting in Atkinson, Ill.

In his talk, President Obama stated that ". one of the challenges in terms 
of rebuilding our economy is businesses have gotten so efficient that --  
when was the last time somebody went to a bank teller instead of using the 
ATM, or used a travel agent instead of just going online? A lot of jobs that 
used to be out there requiring people now have become automated."

"While the President's intention surely was not to disparage the travel 
agency industry, his statement makes clear the need for greater education 
and understanding of the important role travel agents play in today's travel 
marketplace," said ASTA CEO Tony Gonchar. "ASTA has communicated with the 
President to ensure he understands the contribution travel agent make to the 
economy."

In its letter, ASTA informed the President that today, the U.S. travel 
agency industry "is comprised of nearly 10,000 U.S.-based travel agency 
firms operating in 15,000 locations. We have an annual payroll of $6.3 
billion. Most importantly, our businesses produce full-time employment for 
more than 120,000 U.S. taxpayers."

Further, the U.S. travel agency industry:

processes more than $146 billion in annual travel sales, accounting for more 
than 50 percent of all travel sold. This includes the processing of more 
than 50 percent of all airline tickets, more than 79 percent of tours and 
more than 78 percent of all cruises
helps more than 144 million travelers get where they want to go each year.
"The travel industry remains a business very much built on personal 
relationships," added Gonchar. "Americans have the desire to travel, and 
they continue to turn to experienced travel agents to make these dream 
vacations a reality.

"Travel agents work as personal advisors to provide their clients with the 
best travel experience before during and after their trip. Thanks to their 
in-depth knowledge, experience and industry connections, travel agents are 
able not only to save their clients money, but their most valuable 
possession-their time," he added.

American's largest corporations also benefit from the experience of travel 
management companies (TMC). TMC's trained staff utilizes the latest online 
technologies in combination with management and security-driven strategies 
to ensure not only that a company's budget guidelines are met, but that the 
location of every traveling employee is known in the event of emergency. 
This high level of oversight, coupled with personal attention to detail, is 
the reason so many U.S. corporations trust their employees' travel to the 
services of a reputable TMC.

A study by Forrester Research found that in the first quarter of 2010, 28 
percent of U.S leisure travelers who booked their trips online said they 
would be interested in using a good, traditional travel agent. Moreover, an 
ASTA study released earlier this year found that 51 percent of ASTA 
leisure-based travel agencies saw increased revenue in 2010 compared to 
2009.

ABOUT ASTA
The mission of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) is to facilitate 
the business of selling travel through effective representation, shared 
knowledge and the enhancement of professionalism. ASTA seeks a retail travel 
marketplace that is profitable and growing and a rewarding field in which to 
work, invest and do business.
eading the Way in Independent Travel!

Cheryl Echevarria
http://www.echevarriatravel.com
631-456-5394
reservations at echevarriatravel.com

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Superior Travel, located in 
Baldwin, NY. www.superiortravel.com

Affiliated as an Independent Contractor with Absolute Cruise & Travel, Inc.