Should you pursue certification to become a travel counsellor? How will this professional path be different from what a tourism agent does? The truth is that the additional work and getting the certificate can pay off in better professional opportunities.
The world is becoming an increasingly global place and more people take lengthy vacations. Many of these individuals require the services of professionals for the selection of the right destination, the best hotel or transportation option. The tourism field provides a lot of professional stability for the best experts. Getting travel counsellor certification can certainly open a lot of doors and help you establish a highly successful career.
Are you wondering what the benefits of being a certified travel counsellor are? Here are some of the most important ones.
Attractive Salary
A travel counsellor in Canada has access to an attractive remuneration package. These professionals earn an average of 16.71 dollars per hour or a median annual salary of 35,372 dollars.
In comparison, a travel agent in Canada earns a median annual salary of 30,618 dollars, Payscale.com reports.
The best earning travel counsellors can expect salaries exceeding 43,000 dollars per year. Commission bonuses come in the range from 1,887 to 3,663 dollars, according to December 2014 statistics. A travel agent can expect to earn much lower bonuses and commissions (in some case, these will remain zero).
Diversified Duties and an Exciting Job
The travel counsellor has a really dynamic and exciting job that comes on top of the attractive remuneration package. These professionals are expected to first and foremost give their customers information about different destinations and their most determining characteristics.
In addition, travel counsellors are expected to make suggestions on the basis of the client’s preferences, sell tickets or help with booking, promote destinations or specific travel services to their clients, provide practical travel tips and help with the selection of travel insurances.
As you can see, the travel counsellor has many more responsibilities than an agent. The experience and the quality of the vacation will often be dependent on the suggestions made by the counsellor. If clients remain happy and completely satisfied with the ideas provided by their counsellor, these clients will probably turn in loyal long-term customers.
A Chance for Professional Specialization
Travel counsellors that have specialized knowledge or experience in a particular field may expect to earn much more than other professionals in the tourism field.
Some counsellors may choose to specialize in a particular destination or a particular type of services. Others will work with certain types of clients like corporate entities, for example.
There’s a lot of room for flexibility. Anyone interested in travel may choose a favourite specialization field and pursue a career in that niche.
Numerous Education and Certification Opportunities
It isn’t difficult to become a certified travel counsellor because the education and certification opportunities are numerous.
A secondary school and a relevant college diploma will be required for the beginning of a career in the field. Travel counsellor certification is also available through the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA). To get a certificate, professionals will be required to pass an exam and they’ll also need at least 1,800 hours of workplace experience. The certification procedure will involve one final step – a practical evaluation.
Many educational facilities provide the courses needed for the travel counsellor certification. Some of these schools have better reputation than others. Doing a bit of online research will be sufficient to choose the best program. Taking a look at the fees and the curriculum will be great for starting the research and choosing the right price to quality ratio.
Doing What You Love
The final advantage is probably the most important one. Anyone having a passion for travel will love working as a travel counsellor.
The majority of individuals working in this field are really passionate about tourism, visiting different destination, learning about new cultures and helping others explore all of these possibilities. The job of the travel counsellor is connected to a high level of professional fulfillment and workplace enjoyment.
Counsellors meet all kinds of people, they often take professional trips and participate in seminars or workshops. It’s fun, it enables communication with a vast range of individuals and it makes the profession so dynamic and exciting.
Pursuing certification in the travel field will open many opportunities and lay the foundations of a great career. Starting with the right education is imperative and the same applies to constantly refining your skills. If you’re fully committed to establishing your career in the tourism field, pursuing travel counsellor certification will pay off in the long run.
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