Career Overlap Transition record Edition 1 · ESCO v1.2.1
Table 1Transition record

tour operator managertodestination manager

A tour operator manager already meets 56% of what the destination manager role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.

From tour operator manager
56%
Overlap1
To destination manager
33 Skills carried over
17 Required, not held
56.7 Difficulty2
Career overlap Partial match

56%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

56.7/ 100

1 Share of the destination manager role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the tour operator manager profile. Required skills count in full, supplementary skills at 0.35. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs. 2 Combines what is missing with how specialised it is, so a gap of general skills scores easier than the same number of narrow ones.

Why

Why this move works

A destination manager role treats 20 of its required skills as things a tour operator manager already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • build a network of suppliers in tourism
  • build business relationships
  • comply with food safety and hygiene
  • educate on sustainable tourism
  • engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas
  • manage budgets

What stands in the way is 17 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.

Table 2

Table 2 · What you already bring

Of the 33 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A destination manager role needs them, and most people applying for one will not have them already. This is the part of a tour operator manager background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held select optimal distribution channel management skills
  • already held manage production of destination promotional materials communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held oversee the design of touristic publications management skills
  • already held oversee the printing of touristic publications management skills
  • already held manage distribution of destination promotional materials communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held develop strategies for accessibility management skills

All 33 carried skills, including the 20 the destination manager role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 24 missing skills fall into 6 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered below in the order worth working in: the areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the supplementary ones.

Skill to acquire Tier
01 management skills 6 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held build a strategic marketing plan for destination management required
  • required, not held plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage required
  • required, not held apply strategic thinking required
  • required, not held lead the brand strategic planning process required
  • required, not held plan digital marketing required
  • required, not held supervise crew required
  • optional, not held manage yield optional
02 communication, collaboration and creativity 4 required, 5 supplementary
  • required, not held coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion required
  • required, not held coordinate public-private partnerships in tourism required
  • required, not held develop inclusive communication material required
  • required, not held execute marketing plan required
  • optional, not held deliver presentations on tourism optional
  • optional, not held develop tourist information materials optional
  • optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
  • optional, not held design press kit for media optional
  • optional, not held train employees optional
03 services 3 required
  • required, not held geographical areas relevant to tourism required
  • required, not held local area tourism industry required
  • required, not held tourist resources of a destination for further development required
04 information skills 2 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held assess an area as a tourism destination required
  • required, not held measure sustainability of tourism activities required
  • optional, not held report touristic facts optional
05 assisting and caring 1 required
  • required, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas required
06 business, administration and law 1 required
  • required, not held market analysis required
Table 4

Table 4 · Where to start

The 3 entries a destination manager role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.

Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 33 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
  • already held build business relationships skill
  • already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
  • already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
  • already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
  • already held manage budgets skill
  • already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
  • already held manage distribution of destination promotional materials skill
  • already held manage production of destination promotional materials skill
  • already held manage staff skill
  • already held manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
  • already held oversee the design of touristic publications skill
  • already held oversee the printing of touristic publications skill
  • already held perform market research skill
  • already held recruit employees skill
  • already held sales strategies knowledge
  • already held select optimal distribution channel skill
  • already held set up pricing strategies skill
  • already held support community-based tourism skill
  • already held support local tourism skill
  • already held augmented reality knowledge
  • already held coordinate operational activities skill
  • already held create annual marketing budget skill
  • already held develop strategies for accessibility skill
  • already held develop working procedures skill
  • already held ecotourism knowledge
  • already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
  • already held manage contracts skill
  • already held measure customer feedback skill
  • already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
  • already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
  • already held use e-tourism platforms skill
  • already held virtual reality knowledge
7 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • optional, not held report touristic facts optional
  • optional, not held deliver presentations on tourism optional
  • optional, not held develop tourist information materials optional
  • optional, not held maintain relationship with suppliers optional
  • optional, not held design press kit for media optional
  • optional, not held manage yield optional
  • optional, not held train employees optional
18 held skills the destination manager role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role develop revenue generation strategies skill
  • not needed by the target role develop tourism destinations skill
  • not needed by the target role develop tourism products skill
  • not needed by the target role handle personal identifiable information skill
  • not needed by the target role identify suppliers skill
  • not needed by the target role maintain customer service skill
  • not needed by the target role manage distribution channels skill
  • not needed by the target role maximise sales revenues skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate tourism experience purchases skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate tourism rates skill
  • not needed by the target role oversee quality control skill
  • not needed by the target role plan marketing strategy skill
  • not needed by the target role plan medium to long term objectives skill
  • not needed by the target role prepare travel packages skill
  • not needed by the target role property management software knowledge
  • not needed by the target role provide customised products skill
  • not needed by the target role tourism market knowledge
  • not needed by the target role translate strategy into operation skill
4 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice

Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.

Skill to acquire Tier
  • required, not held geographical areas relevant to tourism required
  • required, not held local area tourism industry required
  • required, not held tourist resources of a destination for further development required
  • required, not held market analysis required
Index

Other moves recorded from tour operator manager

Full index of moves from tour operator manager

Note

How this record was compiled

Both occupations are taken from ESCO, which lists the skills and knowledge each occupation is expected to have and marks every one required or optional. Nothing here is a prediction about hiring, and nothing here knows that a particular employer wants a particular certificate. Treat Table 3 as a starting point for your own research rather than a syllabus. The full method states what these figures can and cannot tell you.