Travel Agent Jobs for Backpackers

Travel Agent Jobs in Australia

As a working holidaymaker, you probably have a passion for travel. So why not turn that passion into a profession (at least temporarily)?

Working as a travel agent offers a fantastic opportunity for 417 and 462 visa holders to use their personal experience to help other travellers find their ideal destination!

Where are most travel agent jobs located?

Travel agent jobs are generally found in cities - places where normal people in need of a holiday tend to live - although you’ll also find a healthy amount of agencies in tourist destinations, particularly those who aim for the backpacker market.

Major travel agencies in Australia include Flight Centre, STA Travel, Phil Hoffman, Intrepid, Contiki, Topdeck, Peterpans and Happy Travels.

What travel agency jobs are available to working holidaymakers?

Because most agencies are located in big cities, travel agency roles don't often count towards your specified work quota if you’re looking to get a second or third year visa. Being a travel agent is also a career for many Australians, so agencies are often looking for permanent, full-time workers rather than casual or part-time hires.

Those notes aside, there are more opportunities available at a travel agency than simply being a travel agent. Here are a few of the most common positions:

• Travel agent: Use your wealth of knowledge to find trips of a lifetime for other travellers!
• Marketer/ salesperson: Tourism is a competitive industry, so many travel agencies hire people to actively sell their services.
• Office worker: A travel agency is like any other company - phones need to be answered, accounts need to be balanced, and workers need to be paid - so in-office jobs are available too!

What qualifications are needed?

Usually none! While certain positions might require higher education, the most valuable qualification for most travel agent positions is lived experience.

What is the pay like?

Many in the industry will tell you that being a travel agent isn’t about the money. It’s more of a calling; you get to chat about alluring destinations all day, and make people’s dreams come true. You do still have to eat though.

Travel agent pay usually hovers around the minimum wage, although Australia has the highest in the world - around $20 per hour - so this isn’t as bad as it might sound.

Being a sales job, a bonus structure will usually be in place to top up that base rate.

Pros and cons of travel agent jobs

So should you look for travel agency work as a backpacker? Let’s sum up the pros and cons.

Pros

• Get paid to talk about travel
• Put smiles on people’s faces
• Can be well paid if you’re good at your job

Cons

• Short term, part time and casual work may be hard to find
• The base rate will often be the minimum wage
• May not count as specified work for your second/third year visa extension

Should you be a travel agent as a working holidaymaker? If the pros outweigh the cons, if you like sales, and if you can find work, it’s a fantastic option!