Traveling the world is exiting, with new adventures and places just waiting for you to experience. For some traveling the world is exciting enough, but for others becoming a travel agent is just one more step in the exciting world of travel.

So what is travel agent school? A travel agent school is an institution that trains you to help people plan and organize travel details. You will learn how to:

• Make plane, train, bus, cruise ship, car and other transportation reservations
• Understand and calculate currency exchange rates
• Understand travel visas, passports and other international paperwork.
• Be aware of travel advisories and world safety concerns
• Help travelers understand what shots and immunizations are required for certain areas.
• Book hotels and other lodgings.
• Know what travel destinations are popular and why
• Know what airlines are offering, including seat sales, package deals and more.

And as a travel agent you will also have the opportunity to create exciting vacations plans for individuals and groups such as treks to exotic places. More and more, travel agents are expected to understand the different local customs in countries and, in some cases, the local laws.

Travel agent schools also teach the basics of advertising, sales, and marketing, as well as computer skills and other programs to help you work effectively with customers in a travel agency setting.

While many travel agents run and operate independent companies, most will work for an established travel agency. There is room to specialize as a travel agent in areas such as corporate travel or adventure travel. One may also earn a Certified Travel Counselor status through the Travel Institute.

Some travel agent schools do offer online training, with some offering degrees in as little as 12 weeks. It is important to do a good investigation into what each travel agent school offers.