Tour operator representative to travel consultant
A tour operator representative already meets 49% of what the travel consultant role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
59.8/ 100
1 How much of what a travel consultant is expected to do is already part of a tour operator representative’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 consultant role is recorded as needing, required and optional together. What these numbers mean.
Why this move works
A travel consultant role treats 13 of its required skills as things a tour operator representative already does. You would walk in with these on day one.
- apply foreign languages in tourism
- build a network of suppliers in tourism
- ecotourism
- educate on sustainable tourism
- geographical areas relevant to tourism
- handle customer complaints
What stands in the way is 13 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 23 skills that carry over, these are the ones fewest other occupations ask for. A travel consultant 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.
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism 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 develop inclusive communication material communication, collaboration and creativity
- already held geographical areas relevant to tourism services
- already held process booking information skills
All 23 carried skills, including the 13 the travel consultant role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 25 missing skills fall into 5 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 customise travel package required
- still to learn identify customer's needs required
- still to learn maintain relationship with suppliers required
- still to learn sell tourist packages required
- still to learn advertise travel insurance required
- still to learn devise tailor-made tourism itineraries required
- optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
- still to learn guarantee customer satisfaction required
- still to learn provide tourism related information required
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
- optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
- optional, not held comply with food safety and hygiene optional
- still to learn oversee all travel arrangements required
- still to learn plan measures to safeguard cultural heritage required
- optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held plan events optional
- still to learn use customer relationship management software required
- still to learn use global distribution system required
- optional, not held manage online content optional
- still to learn measure sustainability of tourism activities required
- optional, not held read maps optional
Table 4 · Where to start
The 3 entries a travel consultant role is least likely to hire without. The ordering is computed from the skill data, not from what pays.
- 01 customise travel package practise this
- 02 guarantee customer satisfaction practise 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 23 skills that carry over
- already held apply foreign languages in tourism skill
- already held build a network of suppliers in tourism skill
- already held ecotourism knowledge
- already held educate on sustainable tourism skill
- already held geographical areas relevant to tourism knowledge
- already held handle customer complaints skill
- already held maintain customer records skill
- already held maintain customer service skill
- already held process booking skill
- already held process payments skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held upsell products skill
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held assist clients with special needs skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held develop inclusive communication material skill
- already held engage local communities in the management of natural protected areas skill
- already held improve customer traveling experiences with augmented reality skill
- already held manage conservation of natural and cultural heritage skill
- already held promote virtual reality travelling experiences skill
- already held support community-based tourism skill
- already held support local tourism skill
- already held virtual reality knowledge
12 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- optional, not held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services optional
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
- optional, not held manage online content optional
- optional, not held oversee the printing of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas optional
- optional, not held build business relationships optional
- optional, not held comply with food safety and hygiene optional
- optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held perform services in a flexible manner optional
- optional, not held plan events optional
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
19 held skills the travel consultant role does not ask for
- 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 implement marketing strategies skill
- not needed by the target role implement sales strategies 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 manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
- not needed by the target role measure customer feedback 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 customised products skill
- not needed by the target role provide performance feedback skill
- not needed by the target role work in a hospitality team skill
Other moves recorded from tour operator representative
Common questions about this move
Can a tour operator representative become a travel consultant?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A tour operator representative already covers 49% of what a travel consultant is expected to do: 23 skills carry over, 13 of which the travel consultant role treats as required.
What skills does a tour operator representative need to become a travel consultant?
13 required skills are missing, plus 12 optional ones. They fall into 5 areas of the ESCO skill hierarchy, led by communication, collaboration and creativity. The single most important is customise travel package.
How hard is the move from tour operator representative to travel consultant?
Its learning distance is 59.8 out of 100, which is the substantial 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.