YOU DIDN’T JOIN THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY TO BE A STICK-IN-THE-MUD BORING CORPORATE, DID YOU? NOR DID YOU JOIN IT TO SPEND LONG HOURS BEHIND A DESK, WITH NO WORK/LIFE BALANCE.

No – you joined because it’s one of the most vibrant and exciting industries to work in, and hoo boy, does it come with some sweet little perks.

Here, we dive into the crème de la crème of travel agent work perks, especially for working mum’s juggling their kid’s school schedules, to keeping in touch with other likeminded agents.

Hello networking!

Think being a travel agent is all about long, lonely hours and desk work? Think again! The travel industry is one of the best careers to get into if you love a little socialising added to your day job.

And that means finding likeminded individuals in your area, as well as creating strong relationships with wholesalers and other industry folk.

There’s tourism expos, roadshows, brochure launches, celeb visits, and more chances to catch up with the industry than you can poke a stick at!

So, this industry is ideal for keeping connections close!

More flexible than Barbie

In any job, there’s nothing quite like flexibility, and as a travel agent, this kind of thing comes in spades,  especially if you’re a mobile travel agent.

Working for home-based companies like MTA – Mobile Travel Agents, you get something many jobs struggle to offer: a work/life balance. That’s right – you want to save hours on commuting, work from your home office, pick-up the kids from school and take them to after school activities, and perhaps even squeeze in some housework in the middle? Easy peasy.

Seriously, when it comes to work perks, being able to work the hours that suit you is one of the biggest green ticks of all.

You become an expert on everything

Whether it’s which cruise ship is best for families, or what Pacific Island is perfect for relaxing, as a travel agent, you fast become a bit of a travel guru. And boy, does that help when it comes time to booking your own perfect holiday!

Being an expert in your field, it means you’ll always be able to offer valuable insight and stay in business, but it also means that when you want to take the hubby and kids on a special getaway, you’ll have the ideal itinerary tucked somewhere at the back of your brain.

From knowing which resorts have the best kids clubs (and the best adult activities while they’re at kids club), to being able to bag airfare bargains so taking the whole family doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, being an expert in a field like ‘travel’ isn’t a bad skill to have.

You skip the boring work

Working in travel is like constantly creating gorgeous mood boards for clients, and it can be mighty inspirational. But all that admin work can be a serious downer.

Well, when you work as a travel agent, depending on your agency, you can actually offload that boring work to someone else. Seriously!

At MTA, for example, non-income producing work is a thing of the past. That means head office and admin support take care of all the business that’s not getting you commission, so you spend all your time focusing on the things you love! It also means more time to spend with your loved ones, or catching up on your own life admin chores.

You make lifelong connections

Often when jumping from one job to another, the connections you make only serve you once, or fizzle out when you leave the company. Well, not in travel.

As a travel agent, you’ll be making connections with others in the industry all the livelong day, and that can only make your job more enjoyable, with little social outlets to make work more fun.

Plus, when you need a favour, some advice or someone to bounce ideas or concerns off, there are plenty of knowledgeable people to call on, from airlines to cruises to wholesalers.

And you’ve always got back up!

If you’re a mobile agent, this part of the job becomes even more important, given you’re not in an office with colleagues, so having support can mean everything. When you or your family urgently need assistance, your connections will be there to pitch in.

At MTA, for example, their Assistance Team – or ‘A Team’ as they’re fondly called – is there to cover you if you head on holidays, or when life’s unexpected emergencies call you away. No extra charge, no hassle.

Who’s the boss?

We’re the first to admit we don’t love having the boss peer over our shoulder or chase us over things we’re working on, but being an agent means you can often skip this part of work.

Nothing says ‘work perk’ like no boss, right? And after years of working for others, isn’t it about time you were rewarded and got to make your own rules?

In a brick-and-mortar agency, you’re left to your own devices when it comes to clients, but as a mobile agent especially, you run the whole thing, and it’s all on your terms. At MTA, you can choose the hours you want, the location you want and be in total control of how much you earn.

Want enough time to (calmly) get the kids ready for school in the morning and open shop at 10am? No worries. Want to wear PJs to ‘the office’ and only take on 4 big clients this week? Your call! How nice is that?!

Plus, if you want to swap your lunch break for a quick vacuum of the house, an hour outside with the little ones, or just a bit of R&R when the house is empty for once, you don’t have to ask anyone else’s permission but your own.

So you see, work perks come in all shapes and forms, and no doubt you’ll find them in most offices and industries.

But for agents, it goes beyond the odd post-work drinks to things like a work/life balance and the freedom to spend more time with your family or at home, and those kinds of perks are priceless.