ABSTRACT
As travel and tourism industries continue to face challenges, the relationship between travel agencies and airline companies has become increasingly inseparable. International airfare ticketing personnel are the first level service agents, and they must continue to improve on the quality of service to increase the operational competitiveness of the travel agencies. Quality of service rests upon the professional competency of the personnel. This is a qualitative research that incorporates in-depth interviews with professional experts, ten from the travel industry and ten from the airline industry, and these interviews have provided insights into the necessary occupational competency of an international airfare ticketing personnel. These conclusions include: 1.The major job responsibilities of an international airfare ticketing personnel are to provide service with international airfare ticketing products, to efficiently utilize necessary international airfare ticketing tools, and to comply to international airfare ticketing rules and regulations. 2. These personnel must be able to accomplish the following six tasks, including managing the business co-operation between airline companies and travel agencies, fulfilling passenger ticket sales and related services, ability to use the airline reservation system, sufficient knowledge of ticket price rules, and confirmation of passenger ticketing transactions and the related rules and regulations. 3. The related knowledge (K) competencies were: Travel industry experts focus on confirming and utilizing reservation records effectively and the familiarity with reservation codes and ticket rules, but airline experts place more importance on understanding the meanings of airline tickets and the usage guidelines, identifying a total of 24 key items. 4. The related skills (S) competencies were: Travel industry experts focus on friendly and courteous interaction with the customers and the ability to identify customer preference and recommend appropriate services, but airline experts place more importance on the ability to read and explain airline tickets effectively and to clarify the meaning of the ticket usage guidelines that relates to special needs, identifying 20 items. 5. The related attitude (A) competencies were: When emphasizing on a friendly relationship, travel industry experts focus on the drive to self-improve and the ability to be diligent, but airline industry experts have identified 16 key items, placing more importance on the ability to actively and aggressively identify and solve problems. In conclusion, academic institution must carefully organize a comprehensive study course that focuses on real life scenarios, and the corporate industry must also provide on the job training to further develop capable international airfare ticketing personnel.
KEYWORDS
Keywords: Travel Agency, Professional Competency, Airfares and Ticketing, Competency Standard, Occupational Competency Standard