Tourist information officer to travel consultant
A tourist information officer already meets 51% of what the travel consultant role asks for. The move turns on 13 required skills not yet in the profile.
57.4/ 100
1 How much of what a travel consultant is expected to do is already part of a tourist information officer’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 tourist information officer 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
- identify customer's needs
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 25 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 tourist information officer background worth leading with.
- already held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services communication, collaboration and creativity
- 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 geographical areas relevant to tourism services
- already held process booking information skills
All 25 carried skills, including the 13 the travel consultant role treats as required.
Table 3 · What you may need to learn
The 23 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 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
- still to learn handle customer complaints required
- still to learn upsell products required
- optional, not held assist clients with special needs optional
- optional, not held develop inclusive communication material optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels 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 guarantee customer satisfaction required
- optional, not held follow ethical code of conduct in tourism optional
- optional, not held plan measures to safeguard natural protected areas 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 maintain relationship with suppliers 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 25 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 identify customer's needs 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 provide tourism related information skill
- already held self-service technologies in tourism knowledge
- already held use e-tourism platforms skill
- already held augmented reality knowledge
- already held build business relationships skill
- already held comply with food safety and hygiene skill
- already held demonstrate intercultural competences in hospitality services 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 perform services in a flexible manner 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
10 supplementary skills, helpful but not required
- 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 assist clients with special needs optional
- optional, not held develop inclusive communication material optional
- optional, not held oversee the design of touristic publications optional
- optional, not held plan events optional
- optional, not held read maps optional
- optional, not held use different communication channels optional
22 held skills the travel consultant role does not ask for
- not needed by the target role apply social media marketing skill
- not needed by the target role assist visitors 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 coordinate efforts of stakeholders for destination promotion skill
- not needed by the target role develop tourist information materials skill
- not needed by the target role devise special promotions skill
- not needed by the target role distribute local information materials skill
- not needed by the target role ensure client orientation skill
- not needed by the target role handle personal identifiable information skill
- not needed by the target role integrate content into output media skill
- not needed by the target role local area tourism industry knowledge
- not needed by the target role manage visitor flows in natural protected areas skill
- not needed by the target role organise cultural events skill
- not needed by the target role process reservations skill
- not needed by the target role produce content for tourism brochures skill
- not needed by the target role provide directions to guests skill
- not needed by the target role quote prices skill
- not needed by the target role respond to customers' inquiries skill
- not needed by the target role sell souvenirs skill
- not needed by the target role sell tickets skill
- not needed by the target role work in a hospitality team skill
Other moves recorded from tourist information officer
Common questions about this move
Can a tourist information officer become a travel consultant?
Yes, and it is a substantial move. A tourist information officer already covers 51% of what a travel consultant is expected to do: 25 skills carry over, 13 of which the travel consultant role treats as required.
What skills does a tourist information officer need to become a travel consultant?
13 required skills are missing, plus 10 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 tourist information officer to travel consultant?
Its learning distance is 57.4 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.