Working in a Travel Agency

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Elfrieda Bryan
7 years ago
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1 Working in a Travel Agency

2 Everyday tasks in a travel agency giving information and advice on travel and accommodation to customers, both on the telephone and face-to-face obtaining information using the telephone and computer answering the telephone and s finding information in brochures and directories reading timetables, cost charts and temperature graphs and charts calculating travel distances and times, discounts and supplements costing holidays and insurance and applying discounts and supplements dealing with complaints converting money into different currencies completing holiday booking forms, on the computer and on paper

3 What skills? Speaking and listening listen carefully to detail, e.g. clients requirements for holidays, times and dates for travel, accommodation and excursions ask sensible questions to find information, e.g. from airlines and hotels speak clearly and distinctly, e.g. when giving cost, supplement and discount details to clients discuss flight prices and times, and temperature changes with customers deal quickly and sensitively with concerns, changes and complaints from customers, e.g. if accommodation differs from details stated in travel brochure use a polite and pleasant manner to give good customer care, e.g. smile and greet clients appropriately

4 Reading obtain information from various sources in brochures and on computer, e.g. temperature and sunshine details from graphs, tables and charts, flight times from tables explain details of travel documents received by clients, e.g. tickets for flights and activities, description of accommodation and resort attractions interpret different airlines requirements for flights and baggage allowances find information using alphabetical order, e.g. database records, telephone directories, filing systems Writing write clearly and accurately to avoid mistakes, e.g. completing booking forms on computer and on paper, filling in client records, requesting information from airlines and hotels note messages clearly and accurately from telephone calls and other conversations, e.g. enquiries from clients on holiday details, information for colleagues use keyboard skills, e.g. updating databases write letters and s, e.g. send s to colleagues, send letters to customers with holiday details and new holiday and flight offers

5 Number skills write numbers neatly and clearly by hand or type on a computer, e.g. holiday dates, flight times, costs, details of holidaymakers explain and calculate discounts and deposits on holiday prices and taxes and supplements on flights change money into different currencies using a computer or calculator and describe exchange rate fluctuations and their effect on conversion rates, e.g. pounds into euros calculate and collect payments using a variety of methods, e.g. cash, credit and debit cards, cheques

6 Communication skills needed to work in a travel agency reading understanding straightforward written and graphical information, e.g. holiday details in brochures and on the internet, temperature, sunshine and rainfall details, airline requirements for passengers writing completing forms and records, e.g. telephone messages, customers holiday requirements, booking holidays and flights speaking and listening talking face-to-face and on the telephone with individuals and groups, e.g. clients, colleagues, airline and holiday companies, hotel staff Numeracy skills needed to work in a travel agency numbers recording numbers and understanding charts and tables, e.g. dates, sunshine and rainfall charts, hotel, flight and holiday prices, supplements, discounts money dealing with cash, credit and debit cards, cheques time using time and dates, e.g. booking holidays, flights and hotels, arranging appointments, dates for currency to be collected temperature understanding variations during the year, in different destinations

7 To start work or undertake an NVQ in Travel and Tourism Services the skills needed are: NVQ 2 Travel and Tourism Services Reading Writing Numeracy Speaking and Listening National Curriculum levels Adult Literacy and Numeracy Standards For more information, download the Skills and Work user notes on

8 A2089 Copyright: NIACE, 2009 ISBN: For more information contact: The Basic Skills Agency at NIACE 21 De Montfort Street Leicester, LE1 7GE Tel: Further copies available from: The Basic Skills Agency at NIACE PO Box 5050 Sherwood Park Annesley Nottingham, NG15 0DL Tel: Fax:

SQA s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work

SQA s Skills Framework: Skills for Learning, Skills for Life and Skills for Work This framework has been developed for use in the National Qualifications development programme in support of Curriculum