Travel agents advise travelers about the best possible travel arrangements for their requirements. For those who enjoy researching destinations and gaining the perks of the occasional familiarization trip with different areas of the country or world, this can be a dream job.

Most travel agents will work for a travel agency, but many jobs also exist in corporate environments as well.

As of 2008, there were slightly more than 100,000 travel agents, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. And employment growth in this area is expected to stay at this level through 2018.

Travel agents are expected to pull information from a variety of sources to create itineraries and plan travel. They must be well-organized, accurate and detailed oriented. Other useful skills include foreign language and .

Travel agents must be have strong computer skills, and be familiar with ticketing and reservations systems.

Travel agents also wear many hats, so they should also be comfortable serving in a marketing and sales capacity because they spend a majority of their day interacting with clients and confirming travel arrangements.

Check out these titles and general compensation information, according to PayScale (October 2010):

Travel Agency Manager (U.S.)

  • Salary: $36,546 – $56,038
  • Bonus: $1,474 – $8,139
  • Profit Sharing: –
  • Commission: $$3,931 – $30,521
  • Total Pay: $36,663 – $60,626
  • PayScale Salary Report

Travel Desk Manager, Corporate (U.S.)

  • Salary: $41,183 – $65,501
  • Bonus: $1,350 – $6,500
  • Profit Sharing: $983 – $8,139
  • Commission: –
  • Total Pay: $40,093 – $64,737
  • PayScale Salary Report

Travel Agent (U.S.)

  • Salary: $29,391 – $43,422
  • Bonus: $496 – $2,501
  • Profit Sharing: $356 – $1,989
  • Commission: $1,207 – $9,899
  • Total Pay: $27,735 – $41,609
  • PayScale Salary Report

Corporate Travel Consultant (U.S.)

  • Salary: $34,706 – $53,874
  • Bonus: –
  • Profit Sharing: –
  • Commission: –
  • Total Pay: $37,192 – $47600
  • PayScale Salary Report

Program Manager, Travel Delegations (U.S.)

  • Salary: $40,000 – $63,725
  • Bonus: $1,017 – $10,000
  • Profit Sharing: –
  • Commission: –
  • Total Pay: $39,373 – $63,090
  • PayScale Salary Report

Development Manager, Non-Profit Organization (U.S.)

  • Salary: $36,157 – $51,439
  • Bonus: $300 – $2,453
  • Profit Sharing: –
  • Commission: –
  • Total Pay: $36,286 – $51,805
  • PayScale Salary Report

Travel Clerk Reservations (U.S.)

  • Hourly Rate: $10.12 – $14.55
  • Overtime: –
  • Annual Bonus: $350 – $9,325
  • Total Pay: $23,565 – $36,363
  • PayScale Salary Report