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Travel consultant vs travel manager

The differences between travel consultants and travel managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a travel consultant and a travel manager. Additionally, a travel manager has an average salary of $66,782, which is higher than the $46,705 average annual salary of a travel consultant.

The top three skills for a travel consultant include reservations, booking and car rentals. The most important skills for a travel manager are booking, reservations, and customer service.

Travel consultant vs travel manager overview

Travel ConsultantTravel Manager
Yearly salary$46,705$66,782
Hourly rate$22.45$32.11
Growth rate20%20%
Number of jobs12,1774,078
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Average age5151
Years of experience22

What does a travel consultant do?

A travel consultant is responsible for organizing travel arrangements by recommending travel packages, inclusive of all details such as location, travel costs, amenities, and other related factors. Travel consultants confirm the client's preference, ensuring the execution of plans based on their best interests. They arrange the itineraries, reservations, and other specifics for the client's security and comfortability. Travel consultants should also consider factors that may affect travel plans, such as weather conditions and other booking complications, immediately notifying the client on plan adjustments.

What does a travel manager do?

The duties of a travel manager depend on their industry or place of employment. In general, they are in charge of making travel plans and arrangements for an organization's work-related trips. Their responsibilities include setting objectives, managing budgets and schedules, preparing travel accommodations and itineraries, gathering employee information, preparing and processing travel documents, and performing research and analysis to find the ideal travel services. Moreover, a travel manager must monitor the progress of all procedures and resolve issues should any arise.

Travel consultant vs travel manager salary

Travel consultants and travel managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Travel ConsultantTravel Manager
Average salary$46,705$66,782
Salary rangeBetween $29,000 And $73,000Between $45,000 And $98,000
Highest paying CitySan Francisco, CASan Francisco, CA
Highest paying stateVirginiaIdaho
Best paying companyVisaMorgan Lewis
Best paying industryFinanceProfessional

Differences between travel consultant and travel manager education

There are a few differences between a travel consultant and a travel manager in terms of educational background:

Travel ConsultantTravel Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 56%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common college--

Travel consultant vs travel manager demographics

Here are the differences between travel consultants' and travel managers' demographics:

Travel ConsultantTravel Manager
Average age5151
Gender ratioMale, 22.4% Female, 77.6%Male, 32.5% Female, 67.5%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.0% Asian, 9.5% White, 65.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%Black or African American, 7.1% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 13.1% Asian, 8.6% White, 66.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1%
LGBT Percentage17%17%

Differences between travel consultant and travel manager duties and responsibilities

Travel consultant example responsibilities.

  • Manage small scale projects to ensure profile databases and scripts properly transfer information in GDS.
  • Negotiate contracts, book event/meeting space; manage corporate housing for independent contractors, including RFP's and ROI's.
  • Collaborate with other offices on VIP and unusual international reservations for better quality of reservations.
  • Provide customer service by providing administrative support to associates using the online reservation booking tool Apollo.
  • Modify business travelers airline, car and hotel reservations including exchanging tickets in emergency and non emergency situations.
  • Book transportation and hotel reservations using a computer or telephone, collecting payment for transportation and accommodations from the customer.
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Travel manager example responsibilities.

  • Negotiate fares and manage reservations for group participants using a limit budget and contract agreements with airlines
  • Arrange VIP travel on corporate jet and communicate with pilot to ensure efficient scheduling.
  • Handle VIP travel on corporate jet and work closely with pilot to ensure efficient time schedules.
  • Help with converting browser base implementation to a completely WPF implementation, resulting in thrice the speed and performance gain.
  • Implement automated on-line travel booking via Internet.
  • Collaborate with international sites to implement their internet base travel booking tool.
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Travel consultant vs travel manager skills

Common travel consultant skills
  • Reservations, 33%
  • Booking, 12%
  • Car Rentals, 6%
  • Hotel Reservations, 4%
  • Corporate Travel, 4%
  • Travel Industry, 4%
Common travel manager skills
  • Booking, 11%
  • Reservations, 7%
  • Customer Service, 6%
  • Travel Industry, 5%
  • Card Program, 5%
  • Hotel Reservations, 4%