How lucrative is the travel industry, really? You might be surprised to learn that salaries for customer service jobs at travel agencies and airlines are on the rise.

The median pay for a travel agent working in the United States in 2012 was $34,600, or $16.64 an hour, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. In the UK, salaries are as high as £40,000, up 8.11% from the previous month and is the highest figure since April.

However, it is not clear if the trend will last. Currently, the 10-year job outlook for travel agents is not so good. There is an anticipated decline of 12 percent in jobs for travel agents by 2022. There were 73,300 travel agent jobs in 2012, and there will be 8,900 fewer jobs for travel agents by 2022, as reported by the BLS.

While a decline is expected in the profession, prospects for employment are greater for agents who specialize in specific travel destinations, or who have a history of working with special interest travelers.

Read more about real-life and behind-the-scenes travel industry drama on our blog.