Travel agents report ‘remarkably high’ job satisfaction, new study shows 

Becoming a travel agent is an increasingly popular post-pandemic career choice with 92% reporting high job satisfaction, a new study suggests. 

 

Travel professionals in the UK list creating memorable experiences (44%) and exploring new destinations (44%) among their top three favourite aspects of the job. 

 

They also highly value independence (35%) and access to special rates (44%), according to the poll of more than 1,300 travel industry staff cross Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Gulf region.

 

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When interacting with clients, respondents find that building long-term relationships (36%), receiving positive feedback (30%), and helping clients find the perfect offer (26%) are the most rewarding aspects of their work. 

 

In contrast, closing high-value sales is perceived as a much less rewarding experience, with only 8% of respondents selecting this, according to the poll by online B2B booking system RateHawk.

 

To stay motivated, travel staff choose ongoing professional and business development - 46% attend travel industry events, 45% set personal sales goals, 39% engage with professional networks and 31% regularly participate in webinars and educational courses. 

 

Other motivating habits include testing new AI tools, exploring partnerships and taking personal trips to design better itineraries for clients.

 

Travel professionals show strong loyalty to the industry, with 42% of respondents having more than 15 years of experience. This trend is especially prominent in Europe (51% on average), particularly in Italy (68%), Germany (64%) and Spain (52%).

 

At the same time, the industry continues to attract newcomers, with 18% of respondents globally reporting recent entry into the industry and having from one to three years of experience. 

 

This share is noticeably higher in some regions, such as 23% in North America and 25% in Latin America. 

 

Job satisfaction is “remarkably high” in the travel industry, with 92% describing themselves as satisfied or very satisfied in their roles. Latin America leads with the highest satisfaction rate at 95%. Only one per cent of respondents globally reported being dissatisfied.

 

Travel staff worldwide are most motivated by the opportunity to create memorable experiences for their clients (51%), explore new destinations (42%) and receive positive client feedback (39%). 

 

This reflects a human-focused approach that drives agents’ careers. One in five respondents also value the independence their travel career offers, while work-life balance (21%) and financial incentives (15%) are less commonly cited among the most rewarding aspects.

 

Meanwhile, a quarter of respondents worldwide (25%) have worked in the industry for four to 10 years, while 15% have 11 to 15 years of experience.

 

The survey found that 93% of the participants work in small and medium-sized businesses with fewer than 50 people. Of these, half of all travel professionals globally work in businesses of two to five people, with the highest concentration in Europe (58%) and Latin America (47%). 

 

Around 17% work as independent agents, with North America reporting the largest share (22%). 

 

Globally, medium-sized companies account for 26% of respondents. Only six per cent work in companies with more than 500 employees.

 

RateHawk head of business development Chantal Tomlinson said: “Even though our UK market has many professionals with long-term careers, the share of newcomers remains high thanks to all the supportive travel companies that help people enter the profession and actively encourage new talent to join. 

 

“In our survey, 40% of respondents have worked in travel for one to three years.” 

 

Managing director Astrid Kastberg said: “Today, the travel industry continues to draw new specialists, making it one of the fastest-growing career sectors, according to global reports. 

 

“Our study also highlights the growing popularity of the travel agent profession over the last three years. It is driven by the transformation of the economy after the pandemic and the desire of next-gen travellers to rely on travel agents while planning their trips.

"Since the majority of travel businesses are relatively small, effectiveness is crucial. Success depends on every team member.”

 

She added: “The travel industry has always attracted passionate specialists who love exploring the world themselves and helping others create meaningful experiences. 

 

“Our mission is to empower both veterans and newcomers with technology-driven solutions that streamline routine tasks and focus their energy on the parts of the job they enjoy most. 

 

"This report reflects our commitment to supporting the travel professionals’ community and driving the sustainable development of the travel industry in general. 

 

“We believe that by better understanding the real needs and motivations of travel professionals, stakeholders can create more relevant solutions.”