Some career choices are driven by money. You look for something that has an unlimited potential for earning, you do it the best that you can and you watch the money pour in. This is great for some people, but money alone doesn’t buy happiness. That’s why others choose to pursue careers dictated by their passions. The teachers, firefighters, sculptors and writers of the world may not make as much money, but they love what they do and it shows. One career that is often driven by such passion is that of the travel agent. A travel agent helps people book vacations to far off lands, so in some ways they help dreams become fulfilled. It’s a great feeling that allows travel agents to jump out of bed in the morning with smiles on their faces. Here are five of the benefits of being a travel agent.

First on the list must go flexibility. You can find work within a larger travel agency, but many people in this field start their own businesses. They manage their own schedule, which is a far cry from what most employees experience. As a travel agent you’ll set your own goals for the business and for your own life, which allows you to strike a proper balance and not get overwhelmed. Overload will always be a possibility, but if that happens you will only have yourself to blame.

If you do get overloaded, another benefit is that you’ll receive discounts on all sorts of travel opportunities. Some travel agents make their money from those people booking the trips, especially if you end up handling the travel for an entire company. But in most instances you get paid by the vendors looking for that vacation business. When someone books flights, hotels, excursions, rentals and anything else you organize you’ll receive a fee. And businesses looking to improve their numbers will offer travel agents reduced rates to make a good impression. They want you to check out their hotel, spa or what have you and recommend it to your clients. And you’ll reap the benefits.

You’ll also have the opportunity to build an extensive geographical and cultural knowledge base. If you have a passion for travel it usually stems from visiting somewhere far from home and absolutely loving it. As a travel agent you’ll be able to have that same experience with a wide range of destinations. Your job will be to know more about various trips than anyone else. As a travel lover, the research you have to do will never feel like work.

Possibly the best part of all of the above is that you can do your work from anywhere. You will probably want to have an office, but almost all of your time will be spent negotiating and booking elements of a trip. As long as you have an internet connection and a phone line you could handle that from the beaches of Guam or a cafe in Paris. There’s no geographical requirements, and thanks to the internet you can court clients from all across the world.

Although the discounts you receive will probably be non-transferrable, as a travel agent you will know about generally available deals before anyone else. If airfare goes on sale, you’ll be alerted. If a particular chain of high end hotels releases floors worth of discount rooms, you’ll get first dibs. And you can share that information with your friends and family, helping save them time and money. Your parents won’t have to settle for couponloco’s discounts anymore, as what you can help them get will be much better. Your social circle wins, and you get to enjoy the feeling of helping them have the best vacation of their lives.