Travel agency staff do need security awareness training and phishing tests, because people are the main target of the fraud that hits this sector constantly, and a trained, alert team is one of the most effective defences there is. Good training is regular, relevant and paired with simulated phishing so staff learn to spot and report the scams aimed at travel desks. For most agencies it is part of managed IT at about £45 to £100 per user per month.
Travel teams handle a flood of email, move money, and work under time pressure, exactly the conditions fraudsters exploit. Technology stops a lot, but the human who pauses to verify a suspicious payment request is often the last and best line of defence. Here is what good training looks like.
Why people are the target
The fraud that costs travel agencies, business email compromise, payment redirection and phishing, is aimed squarely at people: a convincing email asking to change bank details, a fake supplier or owner request, an urgent message that pressures someone to act fast. No tool catches every one, so staff who recognise the signs are essential.
Regular, relevant training
One-off training is quickly forgotten. Short, regular sessions that keep security front of mind, using examples relevant to a travel desk such as spoofed suppliers and payment-change requests, are far more effective. Training the whole team, including overseas offices, keeps standards consistent across the business.
Simulated phishing tests
Realistic, safe phishing simulations let staff practise spotting scams and show where extra help is needed, without the risk of a real attack. Done supportively rather than as a gotcha, they build genuine confidence and steadily reduce the number of people who would click a malicious link or act on a fake request.
Build a reporting culture
Staff should find it easy to report a suspicious email and feel encouraged to do so, even if they are not sure. A simple report button and a no-blame culture turn every employee into a sensor, so the team catches threats early and IT can warn everyone and tune defences quickly.
Measure and keep improving
Good training programmes track how the team is doing over time, click rates on simulations, reporting rates, and focus effort where it is needed. That steady improvement is what turns awareness from a tick-box exercise into a real, measurable reduction in risk.
What to ask a provider
A specialist for travel agencies should be able to answer:
- Have you supported travel agencies, hosted desktops and systems like Amadeus, Navitas, FareXpert or TRAMS before?
- How do you give office, remote and overseas staff secure, reliable access in any time zone?
- How do you protect us from invoice, supplier and crew payment fraud, and help with PCI DSS?
- What is your response time when a booking or payment is at risk, out of hours?
- Is the price clear and per user, with security included rather than charged separately?
Where to start
If you are not sure where your agency stands, a short review is the quickest way to find out: confirm multi-factor authentication is on for every account including overseas machines, check that booking systems and backups are managed and test-restored, confirm a strict bank-detail verification process is followed every time, and make sure only approved software can run. Those few steps remove most of the risk and show where a travel-aware managed setup pays off.
The bottom line
When a travel agency’s IT and security are right, the business simply runs: people in every office and time zone reach the same fast systems, payments go where they should, threats are caught early, and travellers get answers whatever the hour. The technology fades into the background and the team gets on with looking after clients and crew.
That dependability comes from a setup designed, secured and actively managed for how travel actually works, not a generic contract. For a business that runs long hours, handles money and depends on a few specialist systems, a predictable per-user cost for that protection is far cheaper than the downtime, fraud or data loss an unmanaged setup eventually invites.
Why travel agencies choose First Stop IT
First Stop IT has supported businesses since 2002, including travel agencies and travel management companies, and we understand the systems a travel desk runs on: Amadeus, Navitas, FareXpert and TRAMS, delivered securely over hosted desktops, alongside Microsoft 365. We support travel businesses based in Essex, Hertfordshire and London with teams working worldwide. Our credentials include:
- Cyber Essentials Certified
- IASME Cyber Assurance (Gold)
- NCSC Assured Service Provider (Cyber Advisor for Cyber Essentials)
- Microsoft Partner
- Crown Commercial Service Supplier (G-Cloud)
- Quality Principles Certified
We look after more than 2,000 endpoints across 50 companies, we have been named a Top 50 UK MSP for three years running, and we support organisations with 10 to 100 employees across Essex, Hertfordshire and London, including teams working internationally.
Book a free IT and cyber security review
Want your team and your cover in good shape? Book a free IT and cyber security review with First Stop IT.