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Travel Operators manage or operate their own Australian travel business assisting clients with itinerary planning, tour reservations, and travel arrangements. They can work with domestic or international customers, but travel operators who work exclusively with overseas clients, are known as Inbound Travel Operators (ITOs).
As a travel operator you will be constantly on-the-go — juggling phone calls and emails from clients, airlines, tour guides, cruise companies, booking agents, and event managers. You could be showcasing a range of regional tourist attractions to an international client, negotiating a family package deal with an inland resort, preparing a group itinerary for an international tour group, or representing your business at a national tourism and travel conference.
In Australia, Travel Operators currently earn upwards of $1,000 per week, but you can expect much higher earnings if you have your own business. Travel Operators also enjoy a lot of travel perks including free accommodation and tours, plus invitations to industry events and conferences.
There are no clear employment figures on travel operators at this time, however you could start your own tourist operation or get a job at a travel agency, visitor information centre, events management company, or online call centre.
Successful travel operators are outgoing and friendly people and are usually passionate about travelling themselves. You’ll need an excellent geographical knowledge of Australia and polished communication skills. Get started in this dynamic career path by grabbing the Certificate III in Travel. It’s a hands-on qualification that will teach you how to sell Australian tourism products and services as well as process reservations and bookings.
As your career progresses, consider the Diploma of Travel and Tourism or the Bachelor of Business (International Tourism). You can also increase your success and employability by learning to use the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) with proficiency and honing your communication and customer service skills.
Source: Australian Government Labour Market Insights 2023, Australian Travel Careers Council
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Here are some potential career pathways within travel agent. Click on an occupation to learn more about the role and the qualifications that can help you get started in this industry.
Travel Agent
Reservations Agent
$960 weekly pay
Tour Advisor
Tourism Officer
Airline Customer Service Agent
$1,150 weekly pay
Tourism Consultant
$1,007 weekly pay
Travel Consultant
Reservations Manager
$1,400 weekly pay
Senior Travel Consultant
$1,500 weekly pay
Tour Operations Manager
Travel Agency Manager
$1,440 weekly pay
Travel Team Leader