Travel Counsellor
Learn about this occupation – including typical duties, education required, salary and job outlook information, job boards and more.
Travel counsellors advise clients on travel options and tour packages, make bookings and reservations, prepare tickets and receive payment. They are employed in travel agencies, transportation and tourism firms and hotel chains. (National Occupational Classification)
Occupational profile
Find detailed information about the occupation, including typical duties and working conditions, in the links below:
- National Occupational Classification (NOC) - Canadian occupational descriptions
- OCCinfo by alis - Alberta-based occupational information
- O*NET Online - U.S. resource for occupational descriptions and information
- Interview: Travel Counsellor - from StudyinCanada.com
- A Day in the Life of a Travel Agent - The Princeton Review
- How a Travel Agent Works - from the Huffington Post
Education
Canada's National Occupational Classification outlines the following employment requirements for Travel Counsellors:
- Completion of secondary school is usually required,
- A college diploma or vocational training in travel or tourism is usually required,
- Certification with the Association of Canadian Travel Agencies (ACTA ) may be required.
The University of Manitoba does not offer specialized training leading to a career as a Travel Counsellor. The Faculty of Kinesiology & Recreation Management offers courses in leisure and tourism as part of their Bachelor of Recreation Management & Community Development program and minor in Recreation Studies. U of M's Anthropology department and Human Geography program offer individual courses focused on travel and tourism.
U of M Academic Calendar
The Academic Calendar & Catalogue outlines program admission and course requirements. Use the left menu to navigate to a specific faculty and program. To determine which degree path suits your unique occupational goals, speak with a Career Consultant. For support with course registration and academic issues, speak with an Academic Advisor.
Exploring Other Education Options
Labour market information
Labour market information informs users of supply and demand for specific occupations and sectors. It includes such things as salary and job outlook information. These resources support informed career decision making and job search efforts.
Resources
- Trend Analysis: Job Market Report (Winnipeg Region) - Gov. of Canada Job Bank
- Occupational Outlook Handbook - Job outlook for U.S.
- Labour Market Information - from Tourism HR
- I want to be a travel agent. What will my salary be? - from The Globe and Mail
- Labour and Compensation Report (U.S) - from Travel Market Report
- 2023 Travel Industry Survey (U.S) - from Travel Weekly
- OpportuNext - salary range and job growth prospects - Manitoba
Professional Associations
Professional associations organize events and directories, job postings, career and labour market information. Student membership opportunities are also available. This is a great way to learn and network.
- American Society of Travel Agents
- American Society of Travel Advisors
- Global Business Travel Association - Canada chapter
Directories, Industry Associations, and Sector Councils
These resources provide industry news, labour market information and a list of potential employers. Remember, there are usually multiple industries worth exploring.
- Association of Canadian Travel Agencies - Industry Directory
- Tourism Industry Association of Canada
- Tourism HR Canada - formerly Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council
- Hotel Association of Canada - corporate members
- Family Travel Association - industry members (U.S.)
- World Travel Agents Associations Alliance
- World Travel and Tourism Council
- World Tourism Alliance
Job Boards
Search occupations of interest in the industry-specific job boards below to learn about skill requirements, employers, job duties and available jobs. You may also wish to search more general online job boards.
Other links
External resources that will provide you with additional information about the occupation, areas of work and opportunities to build experience:
- Destination Canada - government of Canada crown corporation
- Travel Manitoba
- Tourism Winnipeg
- Travel and Tourism Research Association - Canadian Chapter - tourism research and marketing
- Travelweek - news platform for travel agents
- Travel Industry Today - travel news publication for industry professionals
- Travel Weekly - travel industry news source (U.S.)
- Travel Agent Central - news and trends in travel
- Tourism Myths and Facts - from Tourism HR Canada
- UN Tourism (formally World Tourism Organization) - United Nations agency