The main function of any travel agency is to, of
course, act as an agent. This includes selling tickets and travel
products, reservations, and so on, on behalf of one or several
suppliers. Travel agents generally work with no charge to the traveler
him or herself. Rather, the travel agent takes a small commission from
the overall cost. Again, this isn't added on top of the sale or
anything like that. Rather, their commission is taken out of the
advertised price.
So why go through a travel agent? Well, besides
the simplicity and convenience, the main draw is that travel agents
receive tickets at significant discounts.
This is pretty much how travel agencies work the
world over. However, there are a few different types of travel agents…
General Sales Agents for Foreign
Travel Companies
A general sales agent is something like a tourism
ambassador. A company with its headquarters located in, say, Japan,
might set up travel agency offices all around the world to encourage
tourism to the country where their headquarters is located. The travel
agent will still seek to find better deals for their customers (as,
after all, that's what turns a customer into a return customer), so
they are not indebted to any one airline or hotel, but, they do tend to
focus strictly on travel to, and within, the country where their
headquarters is located.
Business and Commercial Travel
Agencies
Most travel agencies have a department of business
travel and a department of leisure travel. The needs for one traveler
and the other tend to vary in a few significant ways, and so, splitting
up the duties amongst a couple of departments can help to allow either
department to specialize, finding better deals for business travelers
on the one hand, and better deals for leisure travelers on the other.
However, there are also travel agencies that specialize strictly in
business and commercial travel. Incidentally, there aren't a whole lot
of agencies that restrict themselves solely to leisure travel.
By Class
In the United States, there are several main types
of travel agencies: corporate-owned national chains,
national/international franchises, membership associations -- such as
AAA -- and independent, locally owned travel agencies with no brand or
corporate affiliation. National chains will have the most consistent
policies and pricing not matter where you go, and often the best
international "hotline" customer service, but not always. Big-name
franchises offer similar perks but different local owners can opt out
of certain promotions and pricing specials. Membership-based
associations are often less commission-focused since they rely on
member fees. Independent agencies tend to cater to niche markets, such
as assisting sports teams, church and school groups looking for
inexpensive travel, and large group options.
Cargo Travel Agencies
A few travel agencies specialize in shipping
cargo. Of course… that's not entirely relevant if you're looking to fly
for business or personal reasons. Still, this should go to show how
many different areas an individual agency can specialize in.
Online Travel Agencies
One of the real boons to the travel agency
industry has been the use of the internet to allow travel agents to let
their travelers compare a wide variety of options for hotels and
airline tickets. Ironically, there was some fear for a period of time
that, by selling tickets directly to travellers, the travel agencies
would go out of business. However, a handful of travel agencies have
proven that, even if you can find good deals yourself, there are still
instances where a travel agency can find you an even better one. Many
traditional bricks-and-mortar travel agencies now have full-service web
sites so that you can get the best of both worlds: convenience of
self-serve online booking with the benefit of talking to a real person
when you need it.
Multi-Destination and Niche Agencies
If you want to split it up into just two types of
travel agency, you have multi-destination and niche. Multi-destination
out-bound travel agencies are usually larger, offering flights to just
about anywhere. Niche agencies are usually independent, and focus on
one specific part of the world. If you're flying to say, Greece, you
might find a niche agent who knows the area very, very well. Most of
these niche agencies cater mainly to people with family in that
country, or who do business there on a regular basis.
Consider your individual needs, preferences, and
trip objectives when choosing your travel agent. Different types of
agencies provide different levels and types of services. If you are a
frequent globe trotter, you may want to use a large corporate travel
agency with many branches in countries all over the world. Or you may
view travelling as a treasure hunt or puzzle, where researching and
finding the most off-the-map places is half of the fun. If this is the
case, a niche operator may be just the right travel partner for you.
Article Source: http://
www.articlesbase.com/travel-tips-articles/different-types-of-travel-
agencies-600363.html About the Author
Cynthia Andrews is a freelance writer who writes
about the travel industry and vacation tips often discussing specific
benefits and travel deals one would find through working with a travel agency. | 