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Travel agents are people who help others plan their holiday or business trips, and there is no better state to start a travel agency than Montana.
Its diverse terrain offers tourists anything from skiing holidays in the Rocky Mountains to camping in the wide-open spaces of the Glacier National Park.
In other words, the scenic beauty of the countryside and quaint mountain towns are sure to attract many visitors who will need the services of a travel agent to help them plan their dream holiday adventures.
That is why Montana is a perfect state for starting a travel agency.
Article Table of Contents
Travel Agent Duties in Montana
Most people think that as a travel agent, you will be expected to provide transport, accommodation, and entertainment for your clients.
These are just broad types of services you will provide.
To ensure that your clients have a blissful holiday, you will need to ensure your clients have all the required visas, vaccinations, documents before their departure.
You will need to keep accurate records of who is going where and what flight they are taking.
If there are any emergencies along the way, like the client losing their documents or other issues, you need to find solutions.
You also need to handle payments and deposits for flights, hotels, etc.
You need to ensure your clients are happy with your service by promoting resorts, holiday packages, and cruises that your client will like.
As a travel agent, you will also need to negotiate with hotels, resorts, and cruise companies to arrange discounts that may entice your clients.
Licensing Requirements to Become a Travel Agent in Montana
Licensing your travel agency in Montana is not complicated.
All you need is to fill out a Travel Agency Registration form and pay a fee.
The same goes for most other states except for five states that have the seller of travel registration laws.
These states are California, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, and Washington.
The laws are “extraterritorial” and apply to those who reside in those states and those who want to sell travel products to residents from those states.
Travel Agent Programs
Although it is possible to become a travel agent with only high-school education and on-the-job training, the safer route (and one that many employers prefer) is to take a specialized college degree or professional body certification.
As a travel agent, you need to be able to work with embassy officials to organize visas for entry into international countries, be able to juggle multiple client needs, and have superior organizational skills.
You need a broad base of knowledge to be able to serve your clients efficiently.
To enter into the travel industry field, you can either follow a bachelor’s degree program offered through universities or colleges or pursue certificate programs.
If you graduate from a certificate program, you must write an exam to verify your proficiency.
The entry-level exam is the Travel Agent Proficiency (TAP), offering the basic credentials.
Passing that exam allows you to practice as a travel agent.
Once you work for at least 18 months full-time, you can take the advanced credential of Certified Travel Associate (CTA), and when you have at least 5 years experience, you can choose to further qualify as a Certified Travel Counselor (CTC).
These advanced certifications consist of 12 self-paced courses with certification exams.
Salary
There are many factors that affect the amount of money you take home as a travel agent.
How much you earn depends on your education, certification, additional skills, and the number of years you worked as a travel agent.
The Salary.Com website estimates that the average salary for a travel agent in Montana is $37,871, with the range falling between $34,505 for novices to $44,104 for experienced agents.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Billings | $37,046 |
| Missoula | $31,971 |
| Great Falls | $33,538 |
| Butte-Silver Bow | $31,971 |
| Bozeman | $31,971 |
| Helena | $32,552 |
| Kalispell | $33,970 |
| Havre | $32,958 |
| Anaconda-Deer Lodge County | $31,971 |
| Miles City | $36,466 |
Sources
https://www.salary.com/research/salary/recruiting/travel-agent-salary
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a travel agent cater to anyone who wants to travel, or are there subspecialties you can choose?
Travel agents can choose to cater to a specialized market segment if they so choose.
Often the specialist agents are able to command higher fees for their expertise.
You may choose to specialize in one or more of these fields: Leisure travel, Corporate travel (Business travel), International travel, or even Medical Tourism Travel.
How much profit can a travel agency make?
Travel agents receive a commission on the fights and tours they book.
Approximately 78% of their income comes from commissions.
The other 22% is earned from service charges.
What are the top 3 schools offering Travel Agent courses in Montana?
Suppose you want to complete your studies in Montana.
In that case, you have a choice of Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Montana State University in Bozeman, and the University of Montana, situated in Missoula.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Travel Agent
Travel Agent License by State