Distribution & selling · Trade
Travel agent
Also called travel advisor, travel agency
The short answerA person or business that books travel for customers and is usually paid a commission by the travel company.
What it means
A travel agent (more and more often called a travel advisor) books trips on behalf of travelers: flights, hotels, tours and rental cars. For car rental, the agent usually books through a GDS, a broker's agent portal or the rental company directly, and earns a commission on the rental.
Why it matters
Agents send a large share of international rentals, especially for longer and more complex trips. Many travelers never see the rental company's site at all; their agent handles it.
Wording by region
"Travel advisor" is now the preferred term in the US industry; "travel agent" is still the common search term.
Related terms
- BrokerA company that sells rentals from many rental companies but doesn't own the cars; the rental itself is with the company at the counter.
- CommissionA percentage of the rental price paid to the agent or partner who made the sale.
- Global Distribution System (GDS)A large reservation network that travel agents use to book flights, hotels and rental cars from many companies in one place.
Also related Agent portal, Host agency, IATA number