Travel professionals around the world show a strong, long-term commitment to the industry and report high levels of career fulfillment. Their purpose-driven mindset, fueled by a passion for travel and human connection, continues to shape the industry and helps professionals navigate the increasing complexity of the post-pandemic landscape. Data from RateHawk's latest report, ‘What Empowers Travel Professionals’, examines travel professionals' perspectives on the ever-evolving tourism industry.

RateHawk, the B2B online system for booking hotels, flights and transfers, surveyed more than 1,300 professionals across Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council. The study examines agents' key motivations, challenges and the role of technology in the travel industry in 2025.

The first part of the report focuses on travel professionals' experience trends and the key drivers behind their enduring careers.

Long-term commitment and a new wave of popularity

Travel professionals show a strong commitment to the industry, with 42% of respondents having more than 15 years of experience. This trend is particularly evident in Europe (51% on average), particularly in Italy (68%), Germany (64%) and Spain (52%).

At the same time, the sector continues to attract new entrants, with 18% of respondents globally saying they are new to the sector and have between 1 and 3 years of experience. In some regions, this share is significantly higher - for example, 23% in North America and 25% in Latin America. Meanwhile, a quarter (25%) of those surveyed globally have worked in the industry between 4 and 10 years, while 15% have between 11 and 15 years of experience.

"According to global reports, the travel industry continues to attract new professionals today, making it one of the fastest growing career sectors. Our study also reveals the growing popularity of the travel consultant profession over the past 3 years. This is due to the transformation of the post-pandemic economy and the willingness of a new generation of travelers to trust travel agents when planning their trips," commented Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk.

The survey found that 93 percent of respondents work in small and medium-sized businesses with up to 50 employees. Globally, 50% of them work in businesses of 2 to 5 people, with the highest concentration in Europe (58%) and Latin America (47%). Around 17% operate as independent agencies, with North America accounting for the largest share (22%). In contrast, solo professionals are much less common in Asia and the Gulf Cooperation Council, where medium-sized companies (6 to 50 employees) dominate, representing 44% and 51% respectively. On a global scale, the proportion of medium-sized companies among respondents is 26%. Only 7% of respondents work for companies with more than 50 employees.

"As the majority of travel businesses are relatively small, effectiveness is vital. Success depends on every team member, which is why RateHawk is developing technology-driven tools to help agents deliver superior service and achieve excellent results with less effort," said Astrid Kastberg.

Motivated by curiosity and the human touch

 Job satisfaction in the travel sector is very high, with 92% of professionals describing themselves as satisfied or very satisfied with their role. Latin America is the region with the highest satisfaction rate at 95%. Globally, only 1% of respondents reported being dissatisfied.

According to the survey, travel professionals worldwide are most motivated by the opportunity to create memorable experiences for their clients (51%), discover new destinations (42%) and receive positive customer feedback (39%). This reflects a people-centered approach that drives agents' careers. A quarter of respondents value the independence that travel careers offer, while work-life balance (21%) and financial incentives (15%) are less frequently mentioned among the most rewarding aspects.

When interacting with customers, respondents feel that building long-term relationships (36%), receiving positive feedback (30%) and helping customers find the perfect deal (26%) are the most rewarding aspects of their work. In contrast, closing high-value sales is perceived as a much less rewarding experience, with only 8% of respondents choosing this option.

To stay motivated, travel professionals prefer continuous professional and business development: 46% attend travel industry events, 45% set personal sales goals, 39% enjoy professional networking and 31% regularly attend webinars and training courses. Other motivating habits include testing new AI tools, exploring business partnerships and taking personal trips to design better itineraries for customers.

"The travel industry has always attracted passionate professionals who love to explore the world and help others create meaningful experiences. Our mission is to provide technology-driven solutions that help both veterans and newcomers alike streamline routine tasks and focus their energy on the parts of the job they enjoy most. This report reflects our commitment to supporting the community of travel professionals and ensuring the sustainable development of the travel industry in general. By better understanding the real needs and motivations of travel professionals, we believe stakeholders can create more relevant solutions," says Astrid Kastberg, Managing Director of RateHawk.

The report is based on a survey conducted in the second quarter of 2025. Respondents included representatives from the leisure and business travel sectors, including travel agents, travel management companies, tour operators, host agency members and independent travel consultants.