How is the Travel Agency Business these days?

How is the travel agency business these days? I have a interview with a travel agency for office work/ ticketing... However, how is the business these days? Do people buy tickets online mostly? or do most people go to direct travel agency to buy their tickets? If the direct travel agency's business is not going too well, I dont know if I should interview because chance of layoff..

You might have heard some of the big giants in online travel agencies like expedia, kayak, cheapoair......... people don't go any where, they directly come to these sites and buy airline tickets.

I worked at a travel agency from Feb '07 - May '08 and things were really busy at first...we were slammed during the summer of '07. But this past year things slowed down A LOT. I was making nothing in commission anymore and I decided it was time to move on.
It's a good thing I did because they ended up closing down my store (along with about 40 other branches in the US) about a month and a half after I left.
Travel agencies are definitely hurting these days and the internet will eventually take over.
You could take the job just to get experience and some discounts on travel, but dont expect a lot of pay.

Unfortunately, there is a risk of layoff in any business. That's the US in the 21st century.

It depends on the type of agency and its business mix. Is the interview with a small, local agency or with a large company that relies primarily on corporate customers?

Contrary to what some people on this website will tell you, everyone does NOT use the Internet. Yes, it is quite popular and lots of people do use it. However, there are also many people who don't like using their credit cards on the Internet. Some people simply don't want to put in the time and work to book their own trips. They would rather have someone else do it for them. Also, the Internet works best for simple trips. It's not the best place to book tours or complex itineraries.

That being said, it's a very tough business for small agencies that specialize in leisure travel. Airlines no longer pay commissions and the Internet is faster and easier for simple itineraries.

You might want to ask the interviewer about their business mix (but don't admit why you want to know - you're just interested in the type of clientele and the type of work that you might be doing) . They may be doing okay if they are located in an affluent area and sell a lot of cruises and high-end tours. They might also be okay if they have a good base of corporate clients or, better yet, specialize in corporate clients. Corporate travel is not immune to recession, but it's less affected than vacation travel. And, corporations are less likely to use the Internet because of the loss of control over costs.

I wouldn't be in any hurry to work for an agency that is dependent on low-end vacation travelers. There is no money in that.

As another answer has noted, the pay is not great for entry-level positions. Benefits might also be sparse unless you get in with a larger company. Travel discounts are largely a joke. I stopped using airline discounts years ago and started buying nonrefundable tickets. They were cheaper and easier to get.

Good luck!