Things You'll Need:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Bachelor's degree in Travel and Tourism or certificate from a travel school
- TAP test
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Step 1
Graduate high school or earn a GED. Most travel certification programs and travel agencies require a minimum of a high school education.
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Step 2
Do as much traveling as you can. Although it's not necessarily a requirement, travel agents who have real life travel experience are much more desirable than those who just have book learning.
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Step 3
Enroll in a 4-year college and major in Travel and Tourism. Specializing in geography, a foreign language or computer science is also very desirable for the travel industry.
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Step 4
If you don't wish to go to a 4-year college, enroll in the Travel Institute to earn a Certified Travel Associate (CTA) certification. You can find a list of schools near you on the Travel Institute website (see Resources) or enroll in their correspondence school program.
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Step 5
Go to the Travel Institute website and register to take the TAP test. It's a test created by the Travel Institute to measure basic travel knowledge. If you pass, your name will be added to a national list, making you more visible to employers who are hiring.
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Step 6
Investigate local travel agencies and contact them about entry level positions. Most travel agents begin their careers as receptionists or reservation clerks before being promoted to agent positions.
