Travel agencies and travel agents are needed more than ever

Travel agencies, and by extension, travel agents are needed more than ever, according to Sean Flynn, owner of Expedia CruiseShipCenters

“There are almost as many misconceptions about working in a travel agency as there are about travel agencies themselves,” he states. “The truth is that our industry is growing and more than ever travellers are looking for professional advice – that’s what we provide.”

Some common misconceptions include perceived barriers of entry to the profession, such as completing a degree in a travel school. “Sure, that may be the case with some travel agencies but we take a different approach,” he says, adding that when you join Expedia CruiseShipCenters, comprehensive sales and product training is part of the package.

What defines the ideal candidate? “There’s no set profile,” Flynn explains. “We have stay-at-home mothers who are looking to get back into the work force, we have retired salespeople who want to stay active but don’t necessarily wish to work a 40-hour week. Some of our consultants have a full-time job and work at this on evenings and weekends.”

What they all share in common, though, is a passion for travel. “That’s something that we can’t teach,” he adds.

If you find yourself being the person in your circle of friends that everyone comes to for travel advice, or you like to spend weekends surfing the internet for travel ideas and creating your own customised itineraries then maybe a career in travel with Expedia CruiseShipCenters is right for you. “If you have some sales experience, that’s definitely an asset.”

“Just like the vacations that we sell, the opportunity to work as a vacation consultant can be tailored to your needs; you can work from home, part-time in the centre, and we also have full-time salaried positions available as well.”

With all of the options available online, do people still use travel agents? “Yes, in fact, we’ve seen our sales grow every year for the last ten years and the potential is as strong as ever. The cruise industry is incredibly dynamic, with new ships, new destinations, new features being added and improved all of the time. This can potentially create complexity for the consumer and so our role is to help match our customers to the perfect vacation.”

Expedia CruiseShipCenters have been in business for over 30 years and have three locations on the West Island and one Downtown. To learn more about the opportunities with Expedia CruiseShipCenters, visit www.JoinECSC.com/Montreal.