Never in my wildest thoughts would I have imagined how much knowledge, accreditation, reporting, and rule following went into being a travel agent or having a travel agency!
I always accepted and expected that commissions were paid to the travel agencies but now to learn that they have been phased out completely is quite shocking. Granted, transaction fees have taken the place of commissions, but the ways these transaction fees are now calculated makes me wonder how and why travel agencies stay in business.
I am beginning to see that travel management for government travelers has had to evolve over the past twenty some years due to major changes and how security also keeps changing. Technology has had a big impact on this evolution. The route to the present system has been long and complex and by just reading this section has me thinking that the rules and regulations seem to have been an insurmountable maze.
Reading this section does not a travel professional make but it is a well thought out tiny step to seeing the big picture.