In New York, and across the United States, to be a travel agent at most agencies you must have a certification in travel and tourism. Without certification you can work in assistant or reception positions at agencies. This certification allows you to run or work for a travel agency in the state of New York. To obtain a certification you must attend a school that offers the program and complete the required coursework.
Attend a travel agent school in New York such as State University of New York At Delhi. Travel schools and technical colleges have specialized programs offering travel agent certification.
Complete the required classes such as geography, business marketing and computer science. You will learn how to use specialized computer programs for travel forms as well as ways to effectively communicate with customers. To enhance your certificate you may want to take a foreign language such as Spanish or French to specialize in an area. This will also help you when communicating with others overseas.
Submit your paperwork at the end of your course for your travel & tourism certification. Most programs will automatically do this for you.
Join the New York chapter of the American Society of Travel Agents. Here you will have access to a variety of networking tools including seminars and educational meetings.
