woman wearing a headset and smiling while sitting at a desk with a laptop, phone and globe on it

Travel counsellors

(NOC 64310)
Annual Earnings
$47,322
Training, Education, Experience and Responsibilities
High School Diploma
Job Openings
(2024-2034)
2,070

Career Overview

Travel counsellors:

  • Give clients information about travel options and tour packages
  • Make bookings and reservations
  • Prepare tickets and receive payment
  • Work in travel agencies, transportation and tourism firms and hotel chains

Job Titles

Booking agent - travel agency
Reservation agent - travel agency
Reservation sales agent - travel agency
Tourist information counsellor
Travel agent
Travel centre counsellor
Travel consultant
Travel counsellor
Travel information agent
Travel specialist
Visitor information counsellor

Duties

Travel counsellors perform some or all of the following duties:

  • Offer travel information to clients about destinations, transportation and accommodation options and travel costs, and recommend suitable products
  • Plan and organize vacation travel for individuals or groups
  • Make transportation and accommodation reservations using computerized reservation and ticketing system
  • Sell single fare tickets and package tours to clients
  • Promote particular destinations, tour packages and other travel services
  • Investigate new travel destinations, hotels and other facilities and attractions
  • Give travel tips regarding tourist attractions, foreign currency, customs, languages and travel safety

 

Earnings

Earnings is income that workers receive in exchange for their labour. Depending on the type of employment, earnings can be in the form of wages (hourly), salaries (fixed monthly or annual) or self-employed earnings.

Annual Earnings

$47,322

Provincial Hourly Rate

High$28.95/hr
Median$22.69/hr
Low$18.00/hr
Source: B.C. Labour Market Information Office, derived from 2024 Job Bank Wage data

Work Environment

# Workers Employed

2,435

% Employed Full Time

42%
Source: 2021 Census

Work typically takes place in a office setting.

Career Pathways

Progression to managerial positions is possible with experience.

Occupational Interests

It’s important to understand what kinds of occupations align with your interests.

For more about occupational interests visit Skills for the Future Workforce > Characteristics.

Here are the top occupational interest(s) for this career profile:

Enterprising
Enterprising

Education, Training and Skills

  • Completion of secondary school is usually required
  • A college diploma or vocational training in travel or tourism is usually required
  • Certification with the Canadian Institute of Travel Counsellors (CITC) may be required. This certification is granted after completion of a 60 credit requirement obtained through any combination of work experience, training and education, and successful completion of the advanced exam

Education programs in B.C.

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Find out more information about programs offered specifically for this career.

Skills

Every job calls for a certain set of skills. Knowing those skills is the first step in finding a good career fit.

Here, you will find the 10 most relevant workplace skills. Some are more important to achieving success in a certain career than others. These skills may come naturally to you or you may need to gain them through education, training and experience.

See the list of work-related skills below, ranked in order of importance for this career. Check out the list and see if this career matches your skills—take that first step!

Active Listening

Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

78%
Service Orientation

Actively looking for ways to help people.

78%
Reading Comprehension

Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.

75%
Speaking

Talking to others to share information effectively.

75%
Social Perceptiveness

Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

68%
Persuasion

Convincing others to change their mind or behaviour.

65%
Judgment and Decision Making

Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

59%
Critical Thinking

Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

53%
Negotiation

Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

53%
Active Learning

Understanding how new information could be used to solve current and future problems in making decisions.

53%

Labour Market Statistics

Discover data, facts and information that have been gathered and analyzed. Learn about the characteristics of the economy and labour market in B.C.

Employment

Find out about employment types and trends by region and industry.

Employment

2,435
Source: 2021 Census

Employment by Region

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Employment % Employment of this Occupation
Cariboo 30 1.2%
Kootenay 40 1.6%
Mainland/Southwest 1,850 75.8%
North Coast and Nechako 20 0.8%
Northeast 25 1.0%
Thompson-Okanagan 205 8.4%
Vancouver Island/Coast 270 11.1%
Source: 2021 Census

Labour Market Outlook

The B.C. Labour Market Outlook is a 10-year forecast of the expected supply and demand for labour in the province. It’s usually updated every year. The purpose is to provide British Columbians with the knowledge to make informed decisions on careers, skills training, education and hiring.

Forecasted Job Openings (2024-2034)

2,070
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Forecasted Job Openings

Forecasted Employment Growth Rate

Composition of Job Openings

Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Job Openings by Region (2024-2034)

Cariboo
Kootenay
Mainland/Southwest
North Coast and Nechako
Northeast
Thompson-Okanagan
Vancouver Island/Coast
Region Job Openings Avg. Annual Employment Growth
Cariboo 20 0.4%
Kootenay 20 1.2%
Mainland/Southwest 1,600 1.8%
North Coast and Nechako Not available Not available
Northeast Not available Not available
Thompson-Okanagan 250 3.1%
Vancouver Island/Coast 170 0.9%
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Industry Highlights

Learn about the opportunities in B.C.'s major industries, including employment trends, earning potential, locations of work and more.

Forecasted Job Openings by Industry

IndustryJob Openings (2024-2034)
Business, Building and Other Support Services1,930
Information, Culture and Recreation40
Transportation and Warehousing30
Accommodation and Food Services20
Retail Trade10
For additional industry information, visit the Industry Profiles page.
Source: B.C. Labour Market Outlook

Resources

Resource information is currently not available.