Travel Agents

Certification or Licensing

To be able to sell passage on various types of transportation, travel agents must be approved by the conferences of carriers involved. These are the Airlines Reporting Corporation, the International Air Transport Association, and the Cruise Lines International Association. To sell tickets for these individual conferences, travel agents must be clearly established in the travel business and have a good personal and business background. Not all travel agents are authorized to sell passage by all of the above conferences. Those who wish to sell the widest range of services should seek affiliation with all three.

Travel agents may choose to become certified by The Travel Institute. The institute offers the designations of certified travel associate, certified travel counselor, and certified travel industry executive to applicants who complete education and experience requirements. Certification is not required but can help travel agents advance in their careers.

The Society of Government Travel Professionals offers the certified government travel professional designation. The Global Business Travel Association provides the global travel professional certification.

Some states require travel agents to be licensed or registered, so it is important to check the requirements for the state in which you plan to work.