UK dataswitch to US
Travel agents
making bookings and travel arrangements, printing travel carrier tickets using a computer printer system and maintaining professional communication with customers through various methods. If that's your week, this page is about your job.
The honest answer
Most tasks in this job are the kind AI has learned to do: calculating the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools. The tasks, though, are not you.
It would be a lie to soften that; providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey is what this work rebuilds around. The routes below start from it.
Your week, as this page understands it
Travel agents advise travellers upon travel arrangements, make bookings and receive payment for travel arrangements made. The job title says “travel agents”. The real job is the part underneath: providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey. That is the thing someone has to be right about.
The exposed part of this job is specific, and we won’t pretend it is coming back. But travel agents is not one task. It is 29 scored ones, and they are nowhere near equally exposed. The most durable of them, on this evidence, is providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey, and the ledger below shows exactly why.
Where the work sits, by task weight
- shifting to AI
- 55%
- changing shape
- 31%
- staying human
- 14%
These bars are tasks changing hands, not people being counted out. The ledger below shows which.
Whole-job exposure score 60 out of 100 (55–66 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, across 29 scored tasks. The number is the support for the sentence above it, not a headline about anyone’s future.
How we know this
What is measured: Every published task statement for travel agents is rated on five dimensions: can a model produce the output, does the work need a body in a room, does it need a legally accountable person, does it depend on a person being trusted in the moment, and how much data exists. A published formula turns those five ratings into the score; the model never writes the number.
How the bar is built: Each task’s share of the bar is its published importance weight, so a task you do all day counts for more than one you do twice a year.
Release: 2026-q4.1, scores computed 2026-08-04. Read the full method.
Your job, task by task
These are the official task statements for this occupation, in plain English, sorted by what the evidence says is happening to each one. The official wording sits under every line so you can check the rewrite against it.
- One row is marked low confidence, so treat it as a ballpark rather than a fine measurement.
- 8 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
Shifting to AI
16 tasksTasks today’s tools can already do most of. This is the part we will not soften: where these rows are the bulk of your week, the week changes.
Making bookings and travel arrangements
This is reading one thing and writing another: bookings in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 90 · 6212/00Source: “Make bookings and travel arrangements, including flights, hotels, and transport.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (71–79 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Searching options and putting a trip together across flights, hotels and transfers is exactly the kind of work booking software handles.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Booking transport and hotel reservations
This is reading one thing and writing another: transport in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 90 · 6212/00Source: “Book transport and hotel reservations, using computer or telephone.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Booking systems do most of this already, and software can search, hold and confirm reservations with only a quick human check.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Calculating the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools
This is reading one thing and writing another: the cost of travel in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Calculate the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Adding up fares, room rates and extras is arithmetic against a price list, which software does faster and more accurately.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recording information on clients, suppliers and travel packages
This is reading one thing and writing another: information in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Record information on clients, suppliers, and travel packages.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Typing client, supplier and package details into a system is routine record-keeping that software handles reliably.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Changing shape
9 tasksTasks where the machine takes the producing and a person keeps the checking, the deciding, or the answering-for-it. For most jobs this is the biggest group, and it is where "transformation, not termination" is literally visible.
Collecting payment for transport and accommodation from customer
The software now makes the first pass at payment, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 90 · 6212/00Source: “Collect payment for transport and accommodation from customer.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Card and online payment handling is mostly automated, though a shop counter still needs someone there for cash or card machines.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Assisting tourists in obtaining visas
The software now makes the first pass at tourists, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Assist tourists in obtaining visas, passports, and health certificates.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 56 out of 100 (49–63 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Visa, passport and health rules are published and easy to look up, though the official documents are still issued elsewhere.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 1/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Assisting customers in selecting package holidays
The software now makes the first pass at customers, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Assist customers in selecting package holidays.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (49–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Software can shortlist holidays well, but choosing one is a persuading conversation where customers still want a person's reassurance.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Staying human
4 tasksTasks that stay with a person, because they happen in the physical world, because the rules need someone accountable, or because the value is that a specific person does them.
Talking to customers to understand their needs
The value here is that a specific person handles customers and stands behind it. That is earned, not computed.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Talk to customers to understand their needs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 21 out of 100 (14–28 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Understanding what a customer really wants comes from talking with them and earning their confidence.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 3/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Identifying customer needs and offering suitable services and products
This work happens in the physical world: customer needs, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Identify customer needs and offer suitable services and products.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 20 out of 100 (13–27 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Working out what a shopper wants usually happens face to face, though online tools already suggest products well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey
This work happens in the physical world: excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Provide excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 18 out of 100 (11–25 allowing for uncertainty): minimal exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: work that happens in the physical world; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Good service across a customer's visit is built in person, from the greeting to the fitting.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 2/4.
Show the other 19 tasks
Requesting travel carrier tickets through a system link to the travel carrier
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: travel carrier tickets in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Request travel carrier tickets through a system link to the travel carrier.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 93 out of 100 (89–97 allowing for uncertainty): very high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Sending a ticket request down a system link is a computer instruction that needs no person once the details are set.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Arranging refunds
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: refunds in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Arrange refunds.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Processing a refund is a rules-based transaction that systems already handle end to end.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Informing customers of changes like cancelled flights
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: customers of changes like cancelled flights in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Inform customers of changes like cancelled flights.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Airlines already send these alerts automatically, and drafting the message to a customer needs no judgement beyond the facts.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Sourcing and matching customers to a variety of travel options within their budget
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: customers in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Source and match customers to a variety of travel options within their budget.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 79 out of 100 (75–83 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Matching customers to options inside a stated budget is a search-and-filter job that software does quickly and thoroughly.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Analysing, and applying newing trends and developments in the travel industry
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: trends in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Analyse and apply new trends and developments in the travel industry.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Industry trends are widely written about and easy to summarise, though applying them to one agency needs local knowledge of the business.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Staying up-to-date with travel industry regulations and booking systems
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: up-to-date in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Stay up-to-date with travel industry regulations and booking systems.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 75 out of 100 (68–82 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Regulatory updates can be summarised automatically, though keeping current with a particular agency's booking systems still means using them.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Printing travel carrier tickets using a computer printer system
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: travel carrier tickets in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Print travel carrier tickets using a computer printer system.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 69 out of 100 (65–73 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Producing the ticket is a system command, though someone has to be by the printer to collect and pass it on.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Maintaining professional communication with customers through various methods
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: professional communication in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Maintain professional communication with customers through various methods.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Routine customer updates and correspondence are repeatable messages software drafts well.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Providing customer with brochures and publications containing travel information
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: customer in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Provide customer with brochures and publications containing travel information, such as local customs, points of interest, or foreign country regulations.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Destination guides, customs and entry information are abundant online and easy to assemble, with only the physical handover left to a person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 4/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Devising tours to meet specific customer interests
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: tours in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Devise tours to meet specific customer interests.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Drafting a themed itinerary is something software does well, but opening times, local quirks and supplier reliability still need checking.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Suggesting tours and car hire services
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: tours in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Suggest tours and car hire services.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (57–71 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Suggesting tours and car hire from a catalogue is straightforward for software, though reading what a customer actually wants helps.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Tailoring itineraries to meet the unique needs of business travellers
shifting to AIThis is reading one thing and writing another: itineraries in, a record out. That is the shape today's tools are built for.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Tailor itineraries to meet the unique needs of business travellers.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 64 out of 100 (60–68 allowing for uncertainty): high exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Business itineraries follow clear rules on timing, budget and preference, which software can draft, leaving a person to check the details.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Managing travel time effectively and in compliance with corporate policies
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at travel time, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Manage travel time effectively and in compliance with corporate policies.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 58 out of 100 (46–70 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, low confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Software can plan a compliant schedule, but actually keeping to it during a working day is something only the person can do.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 0/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Discussing with customers to determine their travel destination and dates
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at customers, but the deciding part still needs a person. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Discuss with customers to determine their travel destination and dates.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (46–60 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch.
The rating behind it: Asking where and when someone wants to travel is a simple exchange booking systems already handle.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 1/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 4/4.
Promoting and selling travel products and services based on customer needs
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at travel products, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Promote and sell travel products and services based on customer needs.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (49–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Software can match products to stated needs, but persuading someone to buy still leans on a salesperson's live reading of the customer.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Resolving customer complaints regarding travel arrangements
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at customer complaints regarding travel arrangements, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Resolve customer complaints regarding travel arrangements.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (49–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Software can work out what went wrong and propose a fix, but upset customers usually want a person to own the problem.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Selling travel packages
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at travel packages, but the part that matters is a person saying it and standing behind it. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 80 · 6212/00Source: “Sell travel packages.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 53 out of 100 (49–57 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, high confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; the value is that a specific person does it.
The rating behind it: Presenting and closing a package sale still depends on live persuasion, even though the product information itself is easy to generate.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 2/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Recommending insurance options and vaccination requirements for travel
changing shapeThe software now makes the first pass at insurance options, but someone has to be answerable for the result, and it cannot be the software. So the job becomes checking and deciding rather than producing.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Recommend insurance options and vaccination requirements for travel.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 48 out of 100 (41–55 allowing for uncertainty): partial exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: reading one thing and writing another; the same decision, made over and over; someone qualified has to answer for it.
The rating behind it: Vaccination rules are public and easy to look up, but recommending an insurance policy is regulated advice needing an authorised person.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 3/4 · needs a body in a room 0/4 · needs an accountable person 2/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
Achieving performance and sales targets by implementing effective strategies
staying humanThis work happens in the physical world: performance, in a real place. Software cannot follow it there.
importance 70 · 6212/00Source: “Achieve performance and sales targets by implementing effective strategies.” (UK task statement)
How this row was scored
Exposure score: 24 out of 100 (17–31 allowing for uncertainty): low exposure, medium confidence.
Why it sits in this group: the same decision, made over and over; mistakes that are cheap to catch; work that happens in the physical world.
The rating behind it: Sales tactics can be suggested by software, but hitting targets happens through daily work on the floor.
The five ratings: output a model can produce 2/4 · needs a body in a room 2/4 · needs an accountable person 0/4 · needs to be trusted in the moment 1/4 · how much data exists 3/4.
What this job pays, and how many people do it
- Median pay
- £28,700a year, before tax, the middle of the range, so half earn more and half earn less.ashe-t14, 2025 · ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
How we know this
Source: ashe-t14
Reference period: ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025)
Rounding: Shown to the nearest £100. The exact published figure is in the downloadable dataset. We do not render pounds the survey cannot support.
- People doing this job
- 27,200in the UK, 2026.nomis-aps · Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period)This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
What is deliberately not here: a forecast of how many of these jobs exist in ten years. Where an official projection exists for a market we publish it with its vintage; where it does not, we leave the space empty rather than borrow the other country’s number.
Why this is shifting
The reason is boringly specific. Most of what is shifting here is reading one thing and writing another: the cost of travel in, a record out. The rows above are exactly that shape: calculating the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools and making bookings and travel arrangements. What it cannot do is be there in the room, and that is still where excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey gets done. Which is why this page talks about your tasks changing, not your job ending.
Your move
Over a pint: what I’d tell you if you were my friend
The exposed part of your job is the biggest part, and I am not going to dress that up: calculating the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools is work today's tools do quickly and cheaply, and that is not coming back.
So, given all that: 55% of this job's task weight sits in rows the software is already learning, 31% in rows that change shape rather than disappear, and 14% in rows it is nowhere near. That is the position, measured across 29 scored tasks. It is not a forecast about you.
What you have that the software does not is providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey, plus the years of knowing when something looks wrong before you can say why. That is the raw material for everything below.
This week: one thing
Sit on the machine's side of the desk. Pick one real piece of the cost of travel you would normally do yourself, let whatever software you already have take the first pass at it, and then go through what it produced and write down every single thing it got wrong. One evening this week. Do not fix anything yet. Just catch it.
- What you end up holding
- a written list of the machine’s mistakes, in your handwriting
- How long it takes
- an evening, or an hour if you pick one job rather than one client
If you can’t run software on your employer’s or your clients’ data: Do the same hunt on paper. Take one printed piece of the cost of travel, work through it the way you always do, and mark every point where you made a call rather than followed a rule. Same evening, same list, nothing to log into and nobody to ask permission from. That list is the same artifact: it is the judgment written down.
Over the next 90 days
Change one sentence about what you do. Not on a CV. Out loud, to whoever pays you. From “my job is calculating the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools” to “I check what the software does and tell you what it means.” Your error list from this week is what makes that sentence true instead of a claim, so use it: show it once, to one person, inside the next ninety days. Same skills, priced as judgment rather than as typing.
Over the next 12 months
Walk toward the end of this job that answers for things, and get it recognised. Pick the one part of providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey you are already best at, and spend the year making it formal: a qualification, a named responsibility, a specialism people ask for by name. Price it honestly: that is evenings, it is months rather than weeks, and the seats are competitive because everyone in your position is looking at the same door. Before you pay for anything, spend an hour with National Careers Service. It is free and government-funded, and it is listed below with the rest of the free routes.
The roads out of here, and why I am not sending you down them
I looked at the obvious moves out of this job, and here is what I found.
I checked the 12 nearest UK occupations to travel agents (nearest by the work that AI is not taking, not by job title), and none of them survived. The closest was travel agency managers and proprietors: only about 19% of its durable work is work you already do. I am not going to pretend that is comfortable news: 55% of your own task list is already in the top exposure band. But the answer on this evidence is not a sideways jump into a job with the same problem. It is to walk toward the end of this one that answers for things. “collect payment for transport and accommodation from customer” is the part that stays with a person, and spending a year getting formally recognised for it beats a standing start somewhere else.
How that was checked: this job was compared against all 412 UK occupations in this release on their official task statements, and the 12 nearest were examined one by one. A move that turns on an industry, an employer or a qualification rather than on the work itself will not show up in a check like that. And this release carries no licence register, so anything you are weighing needs that looked up separately.
3 moves I checked and rejected
These are the obvious-looking jumps. They are here with their reasons rather than quietly dropped, because the ones that fail are worth knowing about. It is one less thing to turn over at night.
Travel agency managers and proprietors
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “sell travel packages”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 19% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: You would be starting most of it from nothing: about 19% of the durable work in that job is work you do today, and the rest you would be learning while the bills carried on.
Sales and retail assistants
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “achieve performance and sales targets by implementing effective strategies”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 8% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 8% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: £25,056 against your £28,746, 12.8% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.
Retail cashiers and check-out operators
Why it looked obvious: It came up as a near neighbour because one of your tasks is on their list in the same words: “identify customer needs and offer suitable services and products”. Across the whole of both lists that adds up to about 7% of the work in that job the software is not taking.
Why I am not recommending it: Almost none of it is work you already do: about 7% of the durable side of that job. That is a different job, not a next step. It is a pay cut, in those words: £24,622 against your £28,746, 14.3% less (ASHE Table 14.7a, 2025 provisional (both)). Retraining to earn less is a decision, not advice.
What I’d stop worrying about
A friend tells you what not to spend fear on. This is that list.
The headline number you read somewhere
The big “X% of jobs” figures are about the whole economy, not about you. The number that describes your job is on this page: 55% of its task weight, across 29 scored tasks. Every row behind it is printed above with the source. Check ours; ignore theirs.
“It’s too late for me to become something else”
You are not starting from zero, and the page shows why: providing excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey is work the software cannot do and you already do it. The move above is a repricing of what you know, not a new career. Nobody who has just left college has that.
“I should learn to code”
Almost certainly not. The value in your job is moving toward checking, deciding and answering for the output, not toward writing the software. A weekend of Python will not change your position; the error list from this week will.
The “obvious” next job everyone suggests
I checked the obvious moves and most of them did not survive. The reasons are printed with the routes above, including the pay and the gate. A move that fails on the numbers is worth knowing about so you can stop turning it over at night.
You are reading the United Kingdom figures
The United States splits this work across more than one official group, of which First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers is the closest. The pay and employment figures are not directly comparable, and we do not average them together.
Switch to the United States page →partial match
The other groups this work is counted across:
In US official statistics this job is counted as First-Line Supervisors of Non-Retail Sales Workers, Travel Agents and Reservation and Transportation Ticket Agents and Travel Clerks. Pay is shown separately for each of those groups (medians cannot be averaged together), while the task list and the scores on this page are for this group only.
Your route through this
Where to go next, and what it costs
Free, and complete
The moves above cost nothing. These are the real services that go with them: public, government-funded, and free at the point of use. Nothing on this page is behind an email address or a payment.
In England:
A free hour with a government-funded careers adviser is worth more than another evening of reading. In England that's the National Careers Service.
Free, government-funded
In England:
National Careers Service - Find a course
Search what's actually running near you before you spend anything.
Free to search; individual courses vary
In England:
Free courses for jobs (Level 3 qualifications)
A free Level 3 qualification you already qualify for beats a paid course you don't need.
Free for eligible adults
In England:
Free, up to 16 weeks, and you get a job interview at the end. In England these are Skills Bootcamps - search what's running near you.
Free for eligible adults in England
In Scotland:
My World of Work (Skills Development Scotland)
In Scotland it's My World of Work, from Skills Development Scotland.
Free, publicly funded
In Wales:
In Wales it's Careers Wales.
Free, Welsh Government-funded
In Northern Ireland:
Careers Service Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland it's the Careers Service on nidirect.
Free, Department for the Economy-funded
No Space for this job, but one for what is happening to it
Nothing Collab365 runs is built for travel agents, and we are not going to point you at the nearest one and call it a fit.
There is one that is not about a job title at all. The AI Authority is about being the person who directs these tools at work rather than the person they get compared to. That is worth saying here, because 55% of the work on this page is already inside what they can do.
7 days free, no card needed. Explore up to 2 Spaces before you choose a plan: you pick a plan later, not now.
The AI Authority is a general community about working with AI, not a course for travel agents. You do not need it to act on anything here: the moves above cost nothing and stand on their own. The data on this page is the same either way.
Noted, and thank you. We’ll email you if a Space for travel agents launches. Nothing else.
That did not look like an email address, so nothing was saved. Have another go below.
We could not save that. The fault is ours, not yours, and your address was not stored. Please try again later.
No deadline on any of this. The page will still be here, and the data is refreshed on a published schedule rather than when someone wants a headline.
Questions people ask about this job
- Will AI replace Travel agents?
- Not as a job, but it is already doing parts of the work. Across the 29 official task statements scored for Travel agents (United Kingdom, SOC 6212), 55% of the importance-weighted core work is made of tasks today's AI could already do most of. The overall exposure score is 60 out of 100 (range 55–66, band: high). That is a statement about tasks, not about headcount: this measures what AI could do, not whether any employer adopts it, whether the law allows it, or whether doing the routine parts faster creates more demand for the human parts. Figures are from release 2026-q4.1.
- Which tasks in “Travel agents” can AI already do?
- The highest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Calculate the cost of travel and accommodation using various tools” (93/100, very high); “Record information on clients, suppliers, and travel packages” (93/100, very high); “Request travel carrier tickets through a system link to the travel carrier” (93/100, very high). Each score comes from five published 0–4 ratings turned into a number by a published formula, and each carries the model's one-sentence reason on the page.
- Which tasks in “Travel agents” stay human?
- About 14% of this job's task weight sits in work that scores low for AI exposure. The lowest-scoring tasks in release 2026-q4.1 are: “Provide excellent customer service throughout the full customer journey” (18/100, minimal); “Identify customer needs and offer suitable services and products” (20/100, low); “Talk to customers to understand their needs” (21/100, low). Low scores usually mean the task needs a body in a room, a legally accountable human, or trust built in real time. Those are the three things the scoring rubric treats as gates rather than obstacles.
- What should someone working in “Travel agents” do about AI?
- Start from the ledger rather than the headline: 55% of this job's weighted core work is exposed, and roughly 14% is not. The practical move is to spend more of your week on the tasks that score low, the ones above, and to get fluent at directing AI through the tasks that score high, because those are the parts that change whether or not you are ready for them. This page does not predict your job, and nothing here is career advice tailored to you: the score describes the occupation, not the person.
- How is the AI exposure score for Travel agents calculated?
- Each official task statement for the occupation is rated on five published 0–4 dimensions (output replicability, physical embodiment, licensed accountability, real-time human trust, and data availability) by claude-opus-5 using scoring prompt task_scoring_v1.0. The model never writes the score; a published formula turns the five ratings into a 0–100 number, so every score can be recomputed by hand. The occupation figure is the importance-weighted mean across 29 scored tasks. The prompt, the rubric, the formula and the full dataset are published at https://futureproof.collab365.com/method and https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1 under CC BY 4.0.
Where these numbers come from
About the data on this page
- Provisional, because the ONS revises this figure in the autumn.
- This headcount comes from a survey, not a census, so treat it as a good estimate rather than an exact count.
- One row is marked low confidence, so treat it as a ballpark rather than a fine measurement.
- The match between this job and its counterpart in the other country is partial, so the two pages count slightly different groups of people.
- 8 of this occupation's scored task statements carry a score that was measured under a different occupation's context, because the statement is shared between jobs and has only been scored once so far. Each one names the occupation it was measured under in the free routes below; none is presented as a measurement for this job.
- Task clusters are not derived in this release, so the task-cluster field is empty and no Collab365 Space routing is attached to this occupation yet.
- Task statements
- gaisi-indexProcessing: catalogue-bridge → ssc-relatedness-weighting → task-scoring → score-aggregation
- Task weights
- gaisi-index (relatedness)
- Scores
- Rubric task_scoring_v1.0, model claude-opus-5, computed 2026-08-05.
- Pay and employment
- ashe-t14 (ASHE 2025 provisional (reference April 2025))nomis-aps (Apr 2025-Mar 2026 (latest APS 12-month period))
Figures on this page come from release 2026-q4.1, published 2026-08-05. Every release keeps its own permanent address, so a figure you cite in March is still there, unchanged, in November.
The plain-English wording on this page is assembled directly from the task statements and the published ratings, not written by hand for this occupation. That is why it is specific, and it is also why we say so.
The routes and free resources further up are today’s, not the release’s (last reviewed 2026-08-05). A route is an offer, not a historical fact, so it moves on its own clock.
Using these figures?
Cite this
Everything on this site is published under CC BY 4.0. Quote it, chart it, sell something built on it. Just say where it came from, and cite the dated release rather than the site, so the figure you quote stays checkable.
Plain text
Collab365 (2026). Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1 (methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0). https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1. Licensed CC BY 4.0. Built with O*NET data (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); ONS data (Open Government Licence v3.0); GAISI task framework (arXiv:2507.22748, MIT); BLS data (public domain).
BibTeX
@misc{collab365futureproof2026q41,
title = {Collab365 Futureproof: task-level AI exposure for US and UK occupations, release 2026-q4.1},
author = {{Collab365}},
year = {2026},
url = {https://futureproof.collab365.com/data/2026-q4.1},
note = {Release 2026-q4.1, methodVersion 2.0.0, promptVersion task_scoring_v1.0, CC BY 4.0}
}Data as of release 2026-q4.1, published . Releases never change after publication; when the figures move, a new dated release is published beside this one and this one stays exactly where it is.