Travel Agents

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment for travel agents will decline by 26 percent through 2029. Most airlines and other travel suppliers now offer consumers the option of making their own travel arrangements through online reservation services, which are readily accessible through the Internet. Travelers are becoming less dependent on agents to make travel arrangements for them. Airlines have eliminated the flat commission they pay travel agencies. This has reduced the income of many agencies, thereby making them less profitable and less able to hire new travel agents. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has dramatically reduced the need for travel agents in 2020 due to lockdowns, business closures, travel restrictions, and the economic slowdown.