Becoming a Professional Travel Consultant

Since the first time a primary school teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grow up, I have always struggled to find my purpose, my perfect position. That was until I grew much older, raised my children and immigrated to a different country. Since then, I have found my passion, learned more than I could have envisioned and have the confidence to start a new career in the Travel and Tourism Industry. I now know how to pursue my dream profession, have a career plan with short and long-term goals, know my strengths and weaknesses, and how to find support. 

Right before the pandemic hit the world, I was looking to re-enter the workforce; when I came across the ad for the position of Travel Consultant. It struck a chord in me; I knew this was what I wanted to do. However, I didn’t get the position because I lacked the required skills. Of course, I then promptly enrolled in a Travel and Tourism Diploma. Eighteen months later, I am just as passionate, if not more so.

A career plan is a continuous process and provides direction, helping us fulfil our career goals. However, mine has somewhat changed since I created my original career plan at the start of this course. Since then, I have completed my work experience, and as a result, I have found a mentor to guide me.

Find a mentor or a coach within your network. It can make a huge difference to your career in the long run.

Saneeya Agrawal (2020)

I named this blog The Sonder Traveller (TST), confirming how I highly hold people, their stories, and my family. TST’s core values are commitment, courage, reliability, gratitude, and compassion; it is also the values I need to succeed as a professional travel agent. As a professional, I will commit to building a dependable professional network and strong customer focussed relationships with compassion.

Personalising their experience – focus on each customer as an individual.

Develop your tourism business, 2019, p16

I now better understand the importance of Ethical Business and the characteristics and values associated with ethical behaviour, including honesty, integrity, loyalty, and fairness. Understanding business ethics will be essential for my career’s future professional direction. Partaking in ethical business practices will

enable me to make responsible decisions and maintain highly ethical behaviour when running a business.”

Project Manager, 2019

I didn’t expect to be this eager to be on the verge of starting my ideal career. Moreover, I feel prepared with industry knowledge and practical skills to start a successful career as a professional travel consultant.

I was swallowed whole at the start of this journey, from studying the history of travel, knowledge of what is trending in the industry, understanding and expressing myself through TST while showcasing my values, ethical business practices and support of sustainable, eco-friendly tourism products. I recognise the value of staying customer-focused with product knowledge and using technological trends implemented in the travel industry to my advantage.

Thanks for reading,

Val