How to Become a Travel Agent—Because, Believe It or Not, the Industry Is on the Rise

Head to any of the biggest and busiest airports throughout the United States these days and it will seem like a distant memory (or perhaps a bad dream) that not more than a few years ago, the pandemic had turned many of these bustling hubs into ghost towns. As travel returns with a vengeance, U.S. airports are once again buzzing with passengers. Consequently, airports are racing to keep up with ambitious renovation and expansion projects, a parade of new clubs and lounges for premium travelers looking to escape the masses, and a whole slew of new restaurants and services to better accommodate the flying public.

The American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) claims that American Airlines has removed 40% of its fare inventory from distribution channels used by travel agents and travel management companies following the implementation of new systems with the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) New Distribution Capability (NDC) technology.

The leading group representing U.S. travel agents testified in D.C. on Thursday that it supports a federal proposal to require much fuller and upfront disclosures by the airlines of all their fees, but raised concerns about how much agents would be require to tell their clients in “offline” meetings or phone calls.

The potential of generative artificial intelligence (AI) to produce personalized travel recommendations and itineraries, as well as on-point content for travel companies, is setting the travel sector abuzz. 

It gets harder and harder with each year to put a label on the kinds of travel that Skifters love the most. We hired a bunch of new people last year and, as you will see, that has meant we are dreaming much bigger.

The Agrarian Hotel, a 50-room hotel on the central coast of California, late last year added a feature that allows guests to tip housekeepers and other staff digitally.

Hotel leaders from around the world gathered in London this week for the Skift Future of Lodging Forum. Senior Hospitality Editor Sean O’Neill wrote an excellent summary of the event earlier this week where he shared slides from speakers, quotes from attendees, and a Paris Hilton TikTok.

American Airlines has ruled out delaying the removal of 40 percent of its airfares from traditional retail channels next month.

The latest signals suggest that business travelers are getting back on the road in significant numbers, although a full recovery keeps getting postponed.

Travel agents could bring a real-world perspective to complex rules shaping the protection of air travel passengers, as part of a modernization proposal for the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) watchdog for aviation consumer protection.

We started Skift on July 30, 2012, and set out to define the future of travel. We reported when the industry made bold, innovative moves – and called out missteps and wrongdoing. Observers called us “cool” and the “most influential media brand in travel.” 

It’s been a record-setting year for a regional airport in a coastal region of Mexico that may not be on most travelers’ radar.  The Manuel Crescencio Rejón International Airport in Mérida, Mexico has experienced 103 percent growth in passengers, along with multiple record-setting months, according to the airport and local media reports.