Tour operator manager to travel agent
A tour operator manager already meets 31% of what the travel agent role asks for. The move turns on 26 required skills not yet in the profile.
77/ 100
1 How much of what a travel agent is expected to do is already part of a tour operator manager’s work. Directional: the figure for the reverse move differs, because moving into a speciality is not the same problem as moving out of one. 2 Every skill the travel agent role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A travel agent role treats 12 of its required skills as things a tour operator manager already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- comply with food safety and hygiene
- ecotourism
- educate on sustainable tourism
- engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas
- maintain customer service
- manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage
What stands in the way is 26 required skills the profile does not yet cover. Table 3 groups them; Table 4 says which to take first.
Table 2 · What you already bring
Of the 17 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A travel agent 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.
- already held provide customised products communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held self-service technologies in tourism information and communication technologies (icts)
- already held manage visitor flows in natural protected areas information skills
- already held support community-based tourism communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality working with computers
- already held ecotourism natural sciences, mathematics and statistics
All 17 carried skills, including the 12 the travel agent role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 41 missing skills fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, numbered in the order worth working in. Areas carrying the most required skills come first, and inside each one the required skills sit above the optional ones. Nothing here is a verdict on you: it is a list of what this particular job asks for that your current one does not.
- still to learn distribute local information materials required
- still to learn identify customer's needs required
- still to learn implement sales strategies required
- still to learn maintain relationship with customers required
- still to learn maintain relationship with suppliers required
- still to learn produce content for tourism brochures required
- still to learn sell tourist packages required
- still to learn achieve sales targets required
- still to learn advertise travel insurance required
- still to learn apply foreign languages in tourism required
- still to learn develop inclusive communication material required
- still to learn handle customer complaints required
- still to learn implement marketing strategies required
- still to learn present reports required
- still to learn upsell products required
- optional, not held promote the use of sustainable transport optional
- optional, not held work in a hospitality team optional
- optional, not held execute email marketing optional
- optional, not held use communication techniques optional
- still to learn oversee all travel arrangements required
- still to learn handle financial transactions required
- still to learn process payments required
- optional, not held manage time in tourism optional
- optional, not held coordinate events optional
- still to learn provide tourism related information required
- still to learn ensure the privacy of guests required
- still to learn quote prices required
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
- still to learn manage digital archives required
- still to learn maintain customer records required
- still to learn process booking required
- optional, not held manage database optional
- still to learn use customer relationship management software required
- optional, not held search databases optional
- optional, not held use global distribution system optional
- optional, not held use microsoft office optional
- optional, not held use presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
- still to learn geographical areas relevant to tourism required
2 further areas in the appendix
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a travel agent role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 distribute local information materials practise this
- 02 geographical areas relevant to tourism study this
- 03 identify customer's needs practise this
Each entry opens a course search for that skill. Career Overlap earns nothing from these links.
Appendix · The rest of the record
All 17 skills that carry over
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held ecotourism knowledge
- already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
- already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
- already held maintain customer service skill
- already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
- already held manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
- already held measure customer feedback skill
- already held provide customised products skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held support community-based tourism skill
- already held support local tourism skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
- already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held virtual reality knowledge
The 2 learning areas not shown above
- optional, not held social media management optional
- optional, not held office software optional
15 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held manage time in tourism optional
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
- optional, not held promote the use of sustainable transport optional
- optional, not held work in a hospitality team optional
- optional, not held coordinate events optional
- optional, not held execute email marketing optional
- optional, not held manage database optional
- optional, not held office software optional
- optional, not held search databases optional
- optional, not held social media management optional
- optional, not held use communication techniques optional
- optional, not held use global distribution system optional
- optional, not held use microsoft office optional
- optional, not held use presentation software optional
- optional, not held use spreadsheets software optional
34 held skills the travel agent role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
- not needed by the target role build business relationships skill
- not needed by the target role coordinate operational activities skill
- not needed by the target role create annual marketing budget skill
- not needed by the target role develop revenue generation strategies skill
- not needed by the target role develop strategies for accessibility 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 develop working procedures 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 manage budgets skill
- not needed by the target role manage contracts skill
- not needed by the target role manage distribution channels skill
- not needed by the target role manage distribution of destination promotional materials skill
- not needed by the target role manage production of destination promotional materials skill
- not needed by the target role manage staff 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 oversee the design of touristic publications skill
- not needed by the target role oversee the printing of touristic publications skill
- not needed by the target role perform market research 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 recruit employees skill
- not needed by the target role sales strategies knowledge
- not needed by the target role select optimal distribution channel skill
- not needed by the target role set up pricing strategies skill
- not needed by the target role tourism market knowledge
- not needed by the target role translate strategy into operation skill
3 gaps that are knowledge rather than practice
Knowledge gaps usually close through study. Practical skill gaps usually need something you can point at.
- still to learn geographical areas relevant to tourism required
- optional, not held office software optional
- optional, not held social media management optional
Other moves recorded from tour operator manager
- destination manager 56% covered · substantial
- tourism product manager 55% covered · substantial
- travel agency manager 52% covered · substantial
- tour operator representative 45% covered · substantial
- tourist information centre manager 44% covered · substantial
- tour organiser 42% covered · substantial
- tourist animator 39% covered · substantial
- customer experience manager 34% covered · substantial
Common questions about this move
Can a tour operator manager become a travel agent?
Yes, and it is a career change move. A tour operator manager already covers 31% of what a travel agent is expected to do: 17 skills carry over, 12 of which the travel agent role treats as required.
What skills does a tour operator manager need to become a travel agent?
26 required skills are missing, plus 15 optional ones. They fall into 8 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is distribute local information materials.
How hard is the move from tour operator manager to travel agent?
Its learning distance is 77 out of 100, which is the career change band. That accounts for both how much is missing and how specialised those skills are.
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.