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Employment of reservation and transportation ticket agents and travel clerks is expected to show little or no growth during the projection period. Additionally, applicants for these jobs are likely to encounter keen competition.
Employment change. Employment of reservation and transportation ticket agents is expected grow only 1 percent from 2006 to 2016, reflecting little or no change to employment. Despite a growing and more mobile population who will likely travel more frequently, newer automated reservations and ticketing operations will speed transaction time and reduce the need for more workers to handle the expected higher volume of business. Most train stations and airports now have self-service ticket printing machines, or kiosks, which enable passengers to make reservations, purchase tickets, and check-in for train rides and flights themselves. Many passengers also are able to check travel times and fares, make reservations, purchase tickets, and check-in for most domestic flights on the Internet. Nevertheless, not all travel-related passenger services can be fully automated, primarily for safety and security reasons, and not all passengers use these automated services. As a result, job openings will continue to become available as increasing numbers of people travel more frequently. Additional growth will result to meet the travel needs of the growing retirement population, particularly in less traditional transportation centers, such as with boat or cruise operators or with companies who rent recreational vehicles.
Job prospects. Job applicants often face competition for these jobs, because entry requirements are relatively low and benefits for those who like to travel, particularly on the airlines, are high. Applicants who have previous experience in the travel industry, in sales, or in customer service should have the best job prospects. Those who possess a pleasant personality and strong customer service skills also should have good job opportunities. Additional job opportunities will result from the need to replace workers who transfer to other occupations, retire, or leave the labor force altogether.
Employment in these occupations may fluctuate with the economy. During recessions, discretionary passenger travel often declines, and transportation service companies are less likely to hire new workers and may institute layoffs.
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