Role & future of a travel agent in Pakistan

By: Jahanzeb Zafar

According to American dictionary a person whose job is to find information about travel and to make arrangements for tickets and hotel rooms is known as a travel agent. Currently, a forum is looking after the matters of all the travel agents working around the globe and its name is Universal Federation of Travel Agent Association (UFTAA). UFTAA is an association of travel agents and tour operators. It is one of the largest organizations in the field of travel and tourism. The main objective of the association is the promotion, development, and expansion of the travel and tourism industry worldwide. Presently, it has more than 30,000 travel agencies on board from 120 member countries.

In the beginning, the travel agency business was in a state of experimentation and community help. It was created to facilitate and help travellers by air and sea. Gradually, the business grew up in such a scale that competitive travel companies around the world forged into a sophisticated business.

In 1841, Thomas Cook received a commission from Midland Railway to organize the transportation of the members of the temperance society. He founded an agency in his own name and partnered with his son to establish a tour package on holidays.

In 1887, Walter T. Brownell established Brownell Travel, the first travel agency in the United States, and led 10 travelers on a European tour setting sail from New York on the SS Devonia.

Do we still need a travel agent in the modern age? The answer is yes, and here’s why; a travel agent gets all the essential education and training to facilitate and serve the travel & tourism agencies, travel management companies, and aviation industry’s customers. After his/her study and training, he can give you less fares with reliability as compared to any other non-professional being.

Buying ticket from a travel agent can be beneficial rather than buying from an airline office because a travel agent can facilitate you more in terms of hotel accommodation, visa processing, car rentals, and cargo services within one package.

Now, let’s have a look at the situation of travel agents in a country that is located in South Asia, and is known for its rich tourism trends… PAKISTAN!

A lay man having interest in tourism might imagine that in Pakistan there are international airports, beautiful deserts, a sea view, and a piece from heaven named Kashmir; so the travel agents will be so lucky to have such places for making domestic and international tour plans.

Really? According to a report, Pakistan’s tourism is falling rapidly low and one of the main reasons of this fall is incompetent travel agents. Figures tell that:

80% of travel agents in Pakistan don’t have any certifications or training from IATA, UFTAA, PCAA or any other travel governing & training companies.
Because of lack of knowledge, most of the travel agents don’t know about the locations of tourism with in Pakistan.
Most of the travel agents don’t know how to promote tourism in Pakistan; their focus is on running business only.

TTCP factors that are causing difficulty in managing business by TMC’s across Pakistan due to:

Devolution of tourism sector to provinces after 18th Constitutional Amendment.
The Travel Agencies Act 1976 & Rules 1977, these are 45 years old
Different Act/Rules in each province
Issuance of license in each province with different conditions
Airlines issues tickets at their websites without Provincial Sales Tax and service charges
Unauthorized/Unlicensed travel/tour operators and entities working openly

This is my observation that 95% of travel agencies in Pakistan work mostly on Hajj, Umrah and Zyarat and if the same continues for the next two years, their will be no domestic tourism attractions further more.

Slow & steady wins the race! Focus on the solution not the problem

There are four important points to become a useful travel agent in Pakistan”

1- Get the knowledge of tourisms trends in Pakistan and all over the globe.

Religious Outbound Tourism (Hajj, Umrah and Ziarah)
Religious Inbound Tourism (Buddh / Sikh Zaereens)
Inbound tourism (International Tourists)
Outbound tourism (Leisure & Family Visits)
Domestic Tourism (Families / Students)
Culture / Archaeological Tourism
Sports / Adventure Tourism
Business Travelling
Medical Tourism

2- Get in touch with Pakistan’s top travel & tourism bodies

Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) is owned by the Government of Pakistan. The principal objective of the corporation is to promote and develop tourism in Pakistan.

TAAP; was established in 1974 with the explicit purpose of raising Pakistan’s flag at the world wide fora of travel related industry to promote air travel among its citizens and to promote tourism in Pakistan by providing convenience to the domestic and international tourists. TAAP represents travel agents, tour operators, and general sales agents in Pakistan.

3- Read the mind of the client and offer him/her a tour that somehow also promotes your country

4- Get education or do certifications in travel & tourism

Do the top 2 levels offered by IATA:

DIPLOMA IN TRAVEL, TOURISM FOUNDATION (DTTF)

DIPLOMA IN TRAVEL, TOURISM CONSULTANT (DTTC)

Jahanzeb Zafar is an aviation enthusiast and can be reached at