The American Society of
Travel Agents said that employment at travel agencies is the highest in five
years and wages are going up.
ASTA’s 2014 Labor & Compensation report found
that 74% of members had at least one employee or independent contractor in
2014, the highest percentage of agencies with employees and/or independent contractors since 2010.
On average, agencies
have seven employees, a number which has remained steady over the past few
years, and 11 independent contractors, a number that has gone up slightly. For corporate agencies,
the average number of employees has risen, while their usage of independent contractors remains
low — 81% have employees, 19% have an independent contractor.
The report also said
that average salaries have increased over the past ten years.
Full-time travel agent
salaries have increased 19% for experienced agents and 18% for new hires.
Salaries for managers with sales responsibilities increased the most at 20%.
Agencies said that their
best source for new hires are referrals, followed by newspapers ads. Agencies
said that fam trips, discounted travel, flexible hours and a relaxed company
environment appealed most to potential hires.
One third of independent
agents (effectively one-person agencies) had employees or independent
contractors working for them in the past, but changed their business model
due to changes in the industry or the economic slowdown in 2009 and 2010.
Two-thirds of these agents said that they do not plan to hire in the future.
ASTA conducted the
survey through its 2014 ASTA Research Family, a representative sample of ASTA
member travel agency owners and managers. The survey data was collected
online via SurveyGizmo.com in
September 2014.
Out of 449 agencies
queried, 325 responded.