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

tour operator representativetotravel agent

A tour operator representative already meets 51% of what the travel agent role asks for. The move turns on 17 required skills not yet in the profile.

From tour operator representative
51%
Overlap1
To travel agent
27 Skills carried over
17 Required, not held
60.6 Difficulty2
Career overlap Partial match

51%

Learning distance Substantial retraining

60.6/ 100

1 Share of the travel agent role’s weighted skill requirement already met by the tour operator representative 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 travel agent role treats 21 of its required skills as things a tour operator representative already does. These are the ones it depends on most.

  • apply foreign languages in tourism
  • develop inclusive communication material
  • ecotourism
  • educate on sustainable tourism
  • engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas
  • geographical areas relevant to tourism

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 27 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 representative background worth leading with.

Skill the target role also needs Area
  • already held provide customised products communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held apply foreign languages in tourism 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 develop inclusive communication material communication, collaboration and creativity
  • already held work in a hospitality team communication, collaboration and creativity

All 27 carried skills, including the 21 the travel agent role treats as required.

Table 3

Table 3 · What you would need to learn

The 31 missing skills fall into 7 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 communication, collaboration and creativity 9 required, 3 supplementary
  • required, not held distribute local information materials required
  • required, not held identify customer's needs required
  • required, not held maintain relationship with customers required
  • required, not held maintain relationship with suppliers required
  • required, not held produce content for tourism brochures required
  • required, not held sell tourist packages required
  • required, not held achieve sales targets required
  • required, not held advertise travel insurance required
  • required, not held present reports required
  • optional, not held promote the use of sustainable transport optional
  • optional, not held execute email marketing optional
  • optional, not held use communication techniques optional
02 assisting and caring 4 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held provide tourism related information required
  • required, not held comply with food safety and hygiene required
  • required, not held ensure the privacy of guests required
  • required, not held quote prices required
  • optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
03 management skills 2 required, 2 supplementary
  • required, not held oversee all travel arrangements required
  • required, not held handle financial transactions required
  • optional, not held manage time in tourism optional
  • optional, not held coordinate events optional
04 working with computers 1 required, 5 supplementary
  • required, not held 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
05 information skills 1 required, 1 supplementary
  • required, not held manage digital archives required
  • optional, not held manage database optional
06 business, administration and law 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held social media management optional

1 further area in the appendix

Table 4

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.

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

Appendix

Appendix · The rest of the record

All 27 skills that carry over
Skill Type
  • already held apply foreign languages in tourism skill
  • already held develop inclusive communication material 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 geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
  • already held handle customer complaints skill
  • already held implement marketing strategies skill
  • already held implement sales strategies skill
  • already held maintain customer records 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 process booking skill
  • already held process payments 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 upsell products 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
  • already held work in a hospitality team skill
The 1 learning area not shown above
Skill to acquire Tier
07 information and communication technologies (icts) 1 supplementary
  • optional, not held office software optional
14 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
Skill to acquire Tier
  • 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 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
15 held skills the travel agent role does not ask for
Skill Type
  • not needed by the target role assist clients with special needs skill
  • not needed by the target role build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
  • not needed by the target role collect tourist information skill
  • not needed by the target role communicate with customers skill
  • not needed by the target role create solutions to problems skill
  • not needed by the target role devise special promotions skill
  • not needed by the target role ensure infrastructure accessibility skill
  • not needed by the target role handle personal identifiable information skill
  • not needed by the target role make logistical arrangements skill
  • not needed by the target role manage health and safety standards skill
  • not needed by the target role manage the customer experience skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate service with providers skill
  • not needed by the target role negotiate supplier arrangements skill
  • not needed by the target role prepare travel packages skill
  • not needed by the target role provide performance feedback skill
2 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
  • optional, not held office software optional
  • optional, not held social media management optional
Index

Other moves recorded from tour operator representative

Full index of moves from tour operator representative

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.